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Rodolfo Does Dallas
by Eric Kirkwood
Rodolfo has such a crisp way of getting in and out of his tricks that it almost looks like computer animation. He took the title of 2006 World Champion, making the Ramos brothers the hottest siblings in sport since Venus and Serena.
Although the name may sound familiar, this story doesn’t go where you may want it to . . . but at least it’s about the next best thing (yes, I mean skateboarding). The top ten street skaters from yesterday’s prelims came out this afternoon for the grand finale of this 2006 World Tour season.
As expected, it was a truly top notch line up including Ronnie Creager, Wagner and Rodolfo Ramos, Greg Lutzka, Rodney Jones and Kyle Berard among others. Fabio Sleiman was one of those “others” and had the first powerful run of the contest. Fabio started his run with a taildrop from a ten foot high stack of speakers which bordered the course into a bank and pretty much kept that level of agro-ness from there. The run included lots of big transfers and smooth grinds and a sweet stalefish revert over the chasm.Wagner Ramos is just a true inspiration to witness. Wagner started with a frontside 180 flip over the croc pit and tailslid the rail on the return. Ramos also got creative with an ollie onto the hubba ledge to nollie flip off the five foot drop.
Ronnie Creager had some trouble putting a run together today, but the tricks he did do were done in true Creager effortless textbook style. Ronnie’s noteable tricks included a kickflip shifty over the croc pit and a nice backside lip down the rail.
Jose Manual Roura came out from Spain and, although he had a good showing throughout the season, just couldn’t stay on in today’s finals. Jose was able to throw down some impressive maneuvers on the big vert wall such as backside disasters and rock and rolls.Greg Lutzka IS control! Every trick Greg pulls leads me to believe that he has hands for feet. Alley-oop ollies, frontside flips over gaps, switch tailslides and a big kickflip drop from the stage into one of the biggest banks were just some of his antics.
Rodney Jones always looks like he just got an ice cream cone, the guy is so happy all the time that it defies belief. This weekend was no different as Rodney smiled his way through a ripping run full of grinds, flips, airs and slides. What Jones lacked in tech he definitely made up for in speed and strength (5th place).
Dayne Brummet started his run with a 180 over the croc pit to fakie nose blunt to tailslide fakie on the return. Brummet also got busy with switch crooks down the hubba as well as a picture perfect backside tailslide to fakie down the rail.
Tobias Albert flew in from Europe where he won the street contest at our Paris stop earlier this summer. Tobias was 1st place going into the finals and skated hard to end up in a respectable 3rd place. Albert’s Japan to fakie over the channel was ridiculously tweaked and his 360 flip over the box was too big to look so easy . . . good show!Kyle Berard was the favorite going into second runs. With tricks like cab disaster reverts and long backside tailslides as well as wall-rides and just plain speed, only one man could have topped his run . . . and that man DID.
Rodolfo Ramos was that man. Rodolfo has such a crisp way of getting in and out of his tricks that it almost looks like computer animation. Frontside 180 switch crooks over the croc pit, backside lip down the rail, hardflip reverts, perfect kickflips over the box and many, many more tricks got him the victory. Congratulations to Rodolfo Ramos, 2006 LG Action Sports World Champion.
Thanks to all of the skaters for making this such an exhilarating season. CHEERS!
