Boy time flys! Here we were again - South Street Seaport for the NISS / Panasonic Shockwave East Coast Finals 1999!
Could not have asked for a better day - and locating the street course right on the River was pure Genious! The Cool Breeze off the water helped masque the 90 degree heat wave and kept everyone in great form.
Sunday's Final rounds were only influenced by extent of everyones' hangovers from Saturday night's Sick Concerts and mega after party.....way to go Ray... ha ha . . . but the Skaters rose to the occasion - that's why they call 'em Pros!
Men's Street worked out with Blake Dennis, 16, from Sydney, AUS taking first. Jason Stinsman, 17, from Allentown, PA second - and Brooklyn New York's own, Richie Velasquez, 23 nailing third! Top Male Amateur Street went to Ryan Dawes, 16, from Plano Tx.
Women's Street was close - could have gone either way with Jenny Curry, 15 from San Luis Obispo in first place - Deborah West, 13 from Plano, TX second and Kelly Mathews, 17 from local Hoboken, NJ - a tight third.
Angela Araujo, 16, pulled forth after coming all the way up from Brazil. She was happy to be here and was hoping to stay for the All Girls WASN Skate Jam the following Saturday.
This year's VERT was held under open skies (as opposed to last year's dangerous "Under the Highway" setup when the guys kept hittin' the %$#&%$*! East River bridge! Ouch!)
That's a Sail Boat's Mast behind the Pipe...
This year's AIR was awesome! Nel Martin, stole First for Men's Vert - Shane Yost, 21, all the way up from Melbourne, Aus took second and Viorel Popa, 20, from Jacksonville Fl. came in Third.
Also in the house were Cesar Mora (4th), Sam Fogarty (5th), Eitan Kramer (6th) and Aaron Nevaquaya, 17, from Dallas TX who took Top Male Amateur on Vert.
The Ladies Vert was an International display of Class! Taking first was Cris Araujo, 16, from Brazil - Second went to Merce Borrull, 18 from Spain - Third to Kerstin Von Raulenfeld, 18, also from Brazil - and Robin Miller, 21, from Williamsberg, OH - a close forth. Sweet!
Click Here for the complete wrap up!
See ya there! - Slider
