It would be a gross exaggeration to say that the second stop of the Vans Triple Crown went off devoid of snags. Rain was not only a possibility, It was a inevitability. The skaters practiced their trickery to the point of utter flawlessness, only to have good ol’ mother nature literally rain on their parade. Back to back storms made the contest a tad tougher for the athletes who worked with “mother” the best they could. The contests, both street and vert, were exciting as well as very close. This always makes the job of judging harder although definitely more intense and much more fun. As cool as the contest was, the BEST TRICK for vert and street really became the highlight of the weekend and is the focus of this ONE TIME ONLY AMAZING DEAL!!

BEST TRICKS IN CLEVELAND . . . OR ANYWHERE!!

With Sunday came (although threateningly gloomy), rainless skies. Dry asphalt made for high spirits and some of the best vertical and street magic tricks a person is likely to see in one place . . . EVER!
Before going into all of the high-jinx, I am compelled to state for the record, that Rune Glifburgs’ contest runs have of late, all qualified in the best trick category. See NBC’s programming schedule for dates on mind blowing vertical skating in Cleveland.

THIS FREE ‘BEST TRICKS EVER TEXT EDITION VOLUME I tm.’ OFFER IS NOT AVAILABLE IN STORES, BUT CAN BE READ ABSOLUTELY FREE IN THIS EXCLUSIVE WCSK8 STORY. We begin by offering you Chad Bartie the aussie cowboy. His speed and power cause most in the vicinity to question their manliness. Chad’s contributions to best trick included a mach five launch ten feet from a flat bank to 50/50 on a chest-neck-high ledge. Bartie also came waaaay too close to a twenty foot ledge blunt slider to head high drop. Newcomer Jarret Berry lank dogged his way through a kick-flip 50/50 down the fore-mentioned twenty foot ledge. On the vert ramp, Renton Miller kick-flipped to pivot on an extension that some skaters were hesitant just to drop in on at first. Renton topped his efforts off with a blingin’ nollie-flip 5-0 grind. Down under they really know how to throw tricks on the barbee mate!

Mike Frazier did a trick that I penciled down as “alley-oop fakie 5-0 wham-bang-damn!” I don’t fully know what to call it, but he varialed in! Pat Channita is basically as tech as they come. He proved this with a 360 nollie-heel on the big, steep bank. During the streetstyle contest Chet Childress skated so ungodly quick that his wheel melted resulting in a face-bloodying slam. “Blood-brow” Childress threw down vicious best tricks including over-vert to over-vert quarter backside smith transfers by way of death bar and over-vert quarter to death bar blunt-slides to flat bank pop-in. Dan Pageau is very calculated. Dan added up the variables and found his answer to the best trick equation; blunt-slide 360 flip out! Oscar Jordan is a funny partier and a madman on the street course (or is it the other way ‘round?). Oscar blasted over the fun box to nose blunt down the round rail. Oscar also whipped out a 180 nose-grind to 180 out down a sizable ledge. He’s the O.J. you can respect!

Andy Macdonald always maintains ‘Big Mac’ status. Huge kick-flip body-jar on the big extension and easy ollie 5-0 on the bench just to name a couple of his stunts. Andy is cool. Dayne Brummet is a great name. Daynes’ tricks are great too! Backside kick-flip 5-0 down a TRIPLE kinked ledge and as if that wasn’t enough, k-grind across railing to backside lip-slide down! Not only can Caine Gayle kick-flip off a piddily little ramp over a picnic table length-wise, but as a warm down he may just kick-flip k across and down a ledge . . . I mean damn Caine is any cities star!

NOW AT THIS POINT YOU MUST BE ASKING YOURSELF, “HOW MUCH WOULD I PAY FOR ALL OF THESE FIVE-IN-ONE TRICK WIZARDS? WELL JUST YOU WAIT BECAUSE IT’S FREE AND THERE IS STILL MORE!

Patrick Melcher comes with a removable cabby hat and tail drops an unbelievable 18 feet into a flat bank!!! Yes that’s 18 sets of twelve inches each!! Kevin Taylor comes complete with the stamina to try a trick until he nails it even when the trick is a KICK-FLIP BACKSIDE LIPSLIDE on the highest jersey barrier you’ve ever seen! I’VE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT RIGHT NOW I CAN THROW INTO THIS FREE STORY ASOLUTELY FREE . . . Matt Dove AND Frank Hirata! . Our limited addition Matt Dove model comes correct with the 720 VARIAL!! Also, you’ll get the amazing M.D.X.L. 360 ollie to pivot grind revert just for reading this story. Frank Hirata will blow away your friends and is an instant party hit with 360-FLIP TO 5-0 and 5-0 180 out! NOW I KNOW YOU’RE SAYING TO YOURSELF, “ERIC, HOW CAN YOU AFFORD TO JUST GIVE ME ALL OF THESE AMAZING TRICKS ABSOLUTELY FREE!?!”. . . MUST BE THE MONEY!

E.K.