TOUCH-DOWN 1:35PM-

On Thursday May 17th, I touched down via American Airlines into the arms of the lone star state. I had flown in early with the dubious honor of announcing a benefit/pro demo along side my co-world cuppers, Dave Metty and “Double-d” Duncan. As I stepped off the flying-plane and into the fire, It was very clear that my one pair of shorts would be my primary wardrobe for the duration of the weekends’ festivities. Initially, I was a little less than impressed with the so-called southern hospitality of my hosts. Hotel reservations were jumbled up and I sat on the phone attempting to convince the receptionist that I did indeed deserve to be shuttled to my resting place . . . for the better part of forever! As it turned out, I was picked up and was later treated to a sixer of bud and chips and salsa (sent to my room wrapped in red velvet no less, thanks manager). I woke up my roommate Metty out of his jet lag induced coma and hitched a ride to the venue.

THE BENEFIT-

The event prior to the contest was a benefit to raise money for cancer research and for the GPX Youth Fund. The GPX (Grand Prairie Xtreme) Youth Fund was created so that under-priviledged kids in Grand Prairie could attain financial aid to pay for skate park memberships. Unlike most X-trials courses, the courses in Grand Prairie were built by the city and would be staying in tact as the cities new skate-park. The park course was so overwhelmingly large that I shuddered to think of the super-skaters that it would eventually produce. The benefit went well, kids were stoked at the autographs they collected, sponsors enjoyed hearing there names over multiple loud speakers, and Sergie and Ellis were slowly forming into an entertainment team of dance and comedy.

X-TRIALS GRAND PRAIRIE ( AN INFORMAL RECOLLECTION)-

Vert-

As usual, all of the skaters came to throw down, and they did! Pierre-Luc Gagnon was representing himself as well as ever. Flips, switch airs, lovely lip tricks. He was in contention for the number one spot from the get-go. Sergie Ventura whom I hadn’t seen in a while, was soaring high and looking as stylee as a set of white gold spurs. At this point Sergie was wearing skate shoes. Hendrix was hard to see during his runs (just look for the dot way up in the sky). Neals airs to fakie were high, high, high!

Tas Pappas threw down a switch cab-heel flip that he didn’t even know he was gonna do . . . SWEET mate! Andy Mac did a surprisingly unconventional run which he ended with a slammin’ kickflip body-jar. The Mac attack was refreshing and impressive. Gentry says, “when in Texas, be as big as Texas!” at least that’s what his skating said. Crum was a nollie on the rocks with a flip. Good skating by both our Texas demo dogs!

Rounding out the Texas crew were veterans Ken Fillion and Troy “axe murderer” Chasen. Anthony Furlong gets props for adding fall-lessness to his stuffed bag of flips and lips. Fun times as we dodged the rain drops.

Street-

This park was very different from previous events. I’m not saying bad, just way different. With that said, I would merely like to share some cool things that I witnessed. Chris Senn is always fast and fun. GPX was no exception. Chris made minced meat out of the course transferring wherever he wanted to. He played connect the dots which in the end spelled the message, “Senn rocks”. Malcolm Watson smiled as he slid down a very long double-kinked jib. Oscar Jordan and Channita took turns three flipping an eight-foot wide high to low-gap. Steve Caballero is the nicest, not to mention still awesome with a huge launch . . . to second story manual . . . to 90 degree turn . . . more manual . . . to head high drop . . . HOW OLD!?! Who cares he rips!

Shortly following a minor heat-stroke induced semi-melt down, Steve Berra threw down a kickflip frontside slider on a flat-bar, kickflip 50/50 bank to ledge to bank, and varied flippers. Haney burled out in true hick-star fashion with a railslide down an other-wise unused mega-rail. Rob Dyrdek somehow found enough speed to a very tall double bank and 180 nosegrind a waist high ledge. “Wild” Will Taylor tugged out his Texas talent and kickflipped a huge funbox. Caine Gayle looked crazy confident on switch ollies over the eight foot gap. Caine also flipped, slid, and grinded anything and everything. Barley broke the sound barrier on a feeble grind across a sixteen foot flatiron then spontaneously combusted all over the judging staff (symbolically that is). Frank Hirata put in yet another of his original, creative, and graceful runs. Hirata topped off the weekend by donating his helmet to the GPX dedication exhibit for future rippers to oogle.

EXTRAS/GOSSIP

I was told by a source that shall stay un-named, that Jason “buff aussie” Ellis was beaten on at one of the many after parties in the hotel bar. Seems Ellis had gotten to the “can’t stand up” phase of the evening, when an unidentified “small” guy clocked him three times in the head and ran. In other party news, Sergie “dancopolis” Ventura was seen nightly tearing up the dancefloor with a certain “buff aussie” as back-up “fly-boy”. By the end of the weekend Sergie was more comfy skating in his clubbin’ shoes. Double-D, Craig Johnson and posse went forth into the Texas night and reaked havoc on the streets of Dallas. Bartenders from the hotel bar were reported to have gone directly home after there shifts to roll around in piles of cash spent by Skaters and bikers “thirsty” for fun. “Holiday Inn Select South never had it so good “ one doorman said . . . . . O.K. , so that parts a lie!

E.K.