2005 LG Action Sports Archives Championships 2005 >> Recaps >> Inline Street Finals Recap

Fallon Heffernan boosts up to the top of the sub box.

LG Action Sports Championships
Inline Street Finals Recap
By Chris Mitchell

(October 28, 2005) Coming off the back of an unbelievable prelim comp, there was no way the final could have been anywhere near as exciting. But it was even more so. For starters, it began with one of the best women’s competitions ever staged.

Six women from around the world showed that women’s skating is better than it’s ever been and it’s only getting better. Kaya Turski from Montreal showed off some of the sickest rail tricks ever, but a hard slam in her first run took some of the wind out of her sails. Martina Svobodova, who only recently got back on her skates after a summer-long injury still managed a buttery savannah down the big ledge and a porn star down the double barrel. Even Fabiola da Silva who was busy competing on vert and so missed her practice sessions pulled out a huge transfer from the spine to the bank and a freestyle 540 over the box straight into a fakie 5 on the quarter.

Martina Svobodova makes a graceful exit off the street course.

But the top three were the real stars. Jenna Downing from South Yorkshire, England was the crowd favorite as she dropped straight in to a 900 over the box. Katie Ketchum put together some super tech tricks on the park, like a negative alley oop mizu, and showed off her air skills as well with a 900 over the box straight into a 540 on the quarter. Her run was flawless and she was clearly disappointed with her silver medal finish

But no one could deny Fallon Heffernan her gold medal. She dropped in off the 24-foot deck to nail a 900 over the box, then proceeded to flow effortlessly through the course. She had a smile on her face the whole time, and the crowd loved her for it. When the scores came in, it was evident that Fallon had not only beat the women’s field, but would have placed 7th in the men’s comp as well. Said Jess Dyrenforth, “It’s going to change everything for women’s street.”

The men’s final was down by one guy: Wilfried Rossignol who had been favoring a pulled muscle in his stomach during prelims managed to break his wrist and had to withdraw.

Jeff Stockwell. Textbook torque.

The hands-down crowd favorite was Richie Velasquez who got the whole audience to clap along with his Kanye West soundtrack. He nailed a 540 quarter-to-quarter transfer over a fifteen-foot bank, then, after his time ran out, mounted the 24-foot roll-in to prepare for something big. A fakie drop in led into what should have been a double back flip, but he stalled halfway through the air and came down on his head. After a few moments the medics helped him off the course to a round of applause.

Bruno Lowe skated most of his run fakie. Stephane Alfano pulled an amazing line of tricks: a 360 out of the quarter to soul transfer along the sub wall to spin into the bank. He also stuck a corkscrew 900 and a 720 the wrong way. And Jeff Stockwell put together a flawless line of creative tricks, including a midvert over the big bank that sent the crowd through the roof.

Brian Shima put together a line that was not only creative but dangerous as well. He dropped on a near-vertical wall and hit rails both ways to finish with the bronze.

Carl Hills had the run of his life. He nailed a huge transfer to the bank, a topside acid and a 900 over the box. He was on his way to winning the whole comp when he just stopped with about 10 seconds to go. He finished with a silver.

Chris Haffey congratulates Jeff Stockwell after his run.

And so, once again, Chris Haffey was crowned the World Champion. His run was a celebration of what rollerblading has become, dropping in on the 24-foot deck to 900, stomping a 450 to farfergnugen down the big handrail, and a half dozen other stylish and amazing tricks.