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 Eito Yasutoko |
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 Fabiola da Silva |
The Yasutoko Brothers
Inline Skating's Dynamic Duo
By Brooke Geery
In inline skating, one pair has flown (literally) above the pack for years. It should come as no surprise that Eito Yasutoko and Takeshi Yasutoko are related — talent definitely runs in this family. The brothers are sons of Japanese roller-disco stars, and have been rolling on wheels since barely old enough to walk. In November they will land in Dallas for the LG Action Sports Championships, and the only real question is which one will come out on top.
The elder brother, Eito, 24, is known for his huge amplitude and willingness to land tricks that other skaters are unlikely to attempt in competition. He stacks his runs full of difficult tricks — all done with perfect style and amplitude. He is credited with inventing the Double Flat Spin, the 1440 Flat Spin and is still one of the only skaters pulling his signature trick, the 1080 California Roll.
Three years his brother's junior, Takeshi has followed Eito's example, going huge. His abilities go beyond amplitude to highly technical maneuvers and perfectly executed difficult grinds. He is credited with inventing a few moves himself, including the 1080 McTwist. He's known for his flawless 900 Flat Spin and his signature move is the Viking flip — a trick that has evolved into a double Viking flip.
The Yasutoko brothers are better known as a pair than individually, and soon a third may be added to this talented family. Their younger sister has also been training to become a competitive skater.
But in Dallas it will be the brothers battling it out. So far in 2007, the ramp has belonged to Takeshi. He's taken first at the Action Sports World Tour in San Diego, The Nokia Fise in France and the Asian X Games in Shanghai. Meanwhile, the elder Yasutoko has been alongside him on the podium in third, however, he did not make it to France.
Don't miss out in Dallas, as Eito tries to overtake his younger brother along with other skaters such as Marc Englehart, Shane Yost and Fabiola da Silva, all battling it out on the vert ramp. Marc has been right on Eito's toes the last few events, so it could come down to America vs. Japan at the Championships.
The LG Action Sports Championships will take place in Dallas November 9-11, 2007. Musical artists like Kanye West and Ludacris will perform alongside some of the best action sports athletes in the world including Bucky Lasek, Jamie Bestwick, and Dave Mirra. To catch the action live, pick up tickets online, or tune in to the LG Action Sports Championships on CBS, Spike TV, and Versus.
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