2005 LG Action Sports Archives | USA Championships 2005

USA Championships Inline Recap
By Chris Mitchell

(October 1, 2005)It was a strange combination of competitors on the vert ramp: British rookie Rich Parker , World Champion Street skater, Chris Haffey and Hawaiian-born Thumper Nagasako all showed up for the prelims. So did Matt Lindenmuth , who left the realm of inline skating after his 2003 season to pursue a career in snowboarding. After a few hours on the LG ramp, however, Lindy was smiling. “It feels good to skate again,” he said.

Fabiola da Silva takes a 10-foot practice air off the roll in.

The ubiquitous Yasutokos, however, did not show up for the prelims, and so the top spot went to Fabiola da Silva , who threw consistently enormous airs, high above the Pomona Fairgrounds. When Eito and Takeshi showed up the next day, they were determined not to break their streak; they practiced for most of the day to the delight of the fair patrons.

For the finals, everybody brought out their big guns. Chris Haffey soared high above the coping. Jeff Stockwell showed off a line of insane lip tricks. Patrick Zimmermann of Emmendingen, Germany and Thumper both threw 900s and Borja Fernandez threw a fakie 9.

16 year old Kevin Marron Lopez is quickly making his mark as a new European vert sensation. Here he is throwing an eight-foot liu kang during practice.

Everybody was surprised by Rich Parker , who put together a line that included a California Roll 900 to 900, and then finished his run with a 1080. He was narrowly edged out by Lindy , who consistently nailed a 720, an inverted 5 and a bio 5 at eight feet above the coping. And Kevin Marron Lopez pulled into 4th with a corkscrew 900, a corkscrew 720 and a couple of technical flip tricks.

Everybody knew the Yasutokos would come through, despite the jet lag and the lack of practice on the ramp, and they did. Eito nailed a double back, a double back 180 and a California Roll 1080 that had the crowds screaming. Takeshi pulled a nearly perfect score of 96 with his double flat spin, inverted 1080 and a grip of sick lip tricks.

Rick Thorne interviews Takeshi Yasutoko before the competition.

But the highlight of the night was Fabiola da Silva , who rolled in to three ten foot airs, a 540, a flat spin 540 and then stuck the most perfect double back flip she has ever done. It was her first double back in a competition run, and she was rewarded with a bronze medal.