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 Takeshi Yasutoko |
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 Marc Englehart |
Stay Classy San Diego
Inline Vert Finals Recap
By Mike Opalek
Honestly, I forgot how I got home last night. I was in some high-rise apartment overlooking downtown San Diego. It was a nice evening, and if there were a moon out, I most likely would have seen two or three of them. While walking over to the event this afternoon, cottonmouth in full effect, I was excited for the Vert finals. Yesterday’s prelims were pretty good, and Marc Englehart and Takeshi Yasutoko were battling like gladiators with Takeshi leading by no more than a quarter of a point.
Matt Lindenmuth would not be competing in the finals due to a tumble he took yesterday that might have resulted in a possible fractured spine. He’s currently at the hospital getting a sponge bath and x-rays. (editor’s note: Matt was released later that day and is expected to rest and heal for the next few weeks with the hopes of competing at the LG Action Sports Championships).
We had a rookie at this event and he wasn’t a foreigner. Sixteen-year old Brandon Davis from Orange County (you’ve seen the TV show) California competed in his first professional competition. Brandon had a decent showing, but he tried to throw a 1080 in the middle of his run and fell both times. I think this kid could have a real future in this sport if he keeps on keeping on! You know what I mean.
The craziest thing happened. Jaren Grob actually completed a full run. It was odd and left the judges with a bewildered look on their faces. Jaren hasn’t placed well in a vert comp in, well… a really long time. Jaren took home the spoils of 7th place.
Ayumi Kawasaki and Fabiola da Silva had a nice battle going on. They were tied coming out of the prelims. Fab fell on her first run, while Ayumi had a solid run filled with ungrabbed airs, a few 540s and a forward 900. But the second run was where it heated up for these two. Fab killed it with a fakie 900, flat spins, a 540 and an alley oop topside pornstar, putting her ahead of Ayumi. When it was Ayumi’s turn, she went all out and threw a 1080 but came up a bit short. Ayumi finished in 6th place and Fabiola in 4th, just missing out on a podium spot.
Sven Boekhorst landed a 450 fronside farfegnugen. It was clean and smooth and it made up for yesterday’s missed attempts! Other than that, he messed around with some 540s, 720s, a fakie 900 and things of that nature to give him the bronze.
