Tampa Am 2002 Photos And Video

Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2002 by Rob

Tampa AM 2002 Every year in mid-January, over 200 skaters from around the world come to Tampa for the annual Tampa Am contest. The vert contest was held on Friday night. Check out some of the young rippers. The street skaters are divided evenly and skate in a pre-qualifying round on either Friday or Saturday. The top 16 skaters from each of those days advance to the semi-finals on Sunday. First place qualifiers ( Jared Brantingham on Friday and Caswell Berry on Saturday ) from each day go directly to the finals - the famous "Golden Ticket." That leaves 30 dudes to battle for the top ten spots to make it to the finals. Damn Am Finals winner Dylan Reider got the ultimate Golden Ticket when he won the series final this year and was able to go directly to the Tampa Am finals without having to skate in the pre-qualifying rounds or the semi-finals (see Damn Am Info below). So after the dust settles, 13 skaters skate in the finals on Sunday afternoon at 3pm. Congratulations to Caswell Berry who took first place with a ripping flawless run in the finals. Second place winner Daniel Cerezini landed kickflip crooked grinds in two of his runs. Immediately following the finals on Sunday is the Best Trick contest on the new pyramid/rail. Josh Meready got an award for Best Trick of the Weekend for his big gap to back lip, but he didn't make it in time to win the Best Trick Contest. During the Am Contest weekend, we also host our Annual Anniversary Party. This year is 'engine-engine-number-nine.' Check out photos of the bands, the lurkers, and the workers If you want to see the heat sheets, check them out below: FRI & SAT Street Heat Information Sorted by Skater FRI Vert Heat Information Sorted by Skater Damn Am Info: Watch for the schedule to come out for the 2002 Damn Am Series in February. Don't miss this series! Tony Hawk was at this year's Damn Am finals and a few weeks later, winner Dylan Reider was on Birdhouse. Coincidence? I think not. www.damnam.com Email Rob@SkateparkOfTampa.com for questions about the event or the photos and video below. All photos and video were taken by Rob Meronek.

SKATING PHOTOS

Craig Whitehead on an Indy air.	Jeremy Nibbs invert.

Caswell Berry in mid-flight on a gap to lip.	Danny Cerezini crooked grinds over the pyramid rail.

Doug Des Autels pops a 360 flip tail grab over the pyramid during practice.	Jed Davis on a fakie shiftie ollie over the pyramid.

Jed Davis nollies the pyramid.	John Newport nollies the pyramid.

Kevin Long aka Spanky back lips the rail.	Nollie 180 during practice.

Austin Seahold backside 180 One foots off the pyramid.	A big 'ol backside kick flip.

Emeric Pratt does some big stuff. This is a 360 flip over the pyramid.	A gigantic kickflip melon grab from Emeric Pratt.

Whatever Emeric did in this photo, he landed it. I think it was a half Cab shove it board slide or something confusing like that.	Five-0 on the flat bar.

Gailea switch heel flip varials the pyramid.	Gap melon grab to front side board slide. Whoa.

Saturday night was one insane bowl session - front side air in the bowl during the show.	J'Micheal Pennington lipslides the pyramid rail.

Another bowl ripper during the show Saturay night.	Frontside nose slide on the rail.

Danny Cerezini crooked grinds the pyramid rail.	Spanky 5-0's the rail.

Crooked grind on the pyramid rail.	Lauren Mollica kickflips the pyramid hip.

Lindsey Robertson back 180 heels the pyramid.	A big frontside 180 to flat from Lindsey Robertson.

Lindsey Robertson heel flip frontside board.	Lindsey Robertson attemted this ollie off the vert ramp to the bank platform three times.

Rob Aaron on a melon fakie.	Rob Aaron blunt fakie on the vert wall.

Smith grind.	Big stale grab on the quarter.

Three flippin' the hip.	Austin Seaholm 3 flips the hip.

SKATING VIDEOS

Click here to see the 1.4MB MPG Video file Caswell Berry's perfect second run gets him the Saturday Golden Ticket. He starts out with a gap to feeble over the pyramid then sets up for a BSTS on the pyramid rail. He then ollies on the big vert wall to get speed for a big FSTS on the flat rail. From there, he sets up for a front side feeble down the rail. On the way back he does a nollie BSTS to fakie. Yikes - pro run.	Click here to see the 1.7MB MPG Video file Danny Cerezini got $110 bucks for this kickflip crook grind on the pyrmaid rail on Friday.

Click here to see the 1.4MB MPG Video file Greg Lutzka's first run got him 4th place in the Saturday street prelims. He started out with a gap to back lip attempt and the retried it and made it. He came back around and did a FSBS then frontside half Cab meloned the pyramid. Next came one of the most super stylin kickflip melon grabs over the new pyramid I've ever seen.

Click here to see the 200k MPG Video file The Tampa AM 2002 video is being called Tampa Am Experience 2002. Check out this video of the crowd giving a shout out.	Click here to see the 500k MPG Video file Check out a few seconds of the Saturday night show in this short video clip of Hot Water Music.

Click here to see the 1.5MB MPG Video file Greg Lutzka gap to back lips his way into the semi finals on Saturday.	Click here to see the 120k MPG Video file Blunt to hard slam on the vert wall.

Click here to see the 1.7MB MPG Video file Check out Auston Seaholm's full run from Saturay's qualifying heats.	Click here to see the 1.3MB MPG Video file Bryan Herman FSBSKF - no, that's not out of order. It's a front side board slide kickflip out.

Click here to see the 1.7MB MPG Video file Bryan Herman goes both ways. First a FSBSKF and now a KFFSBS.	Click here to see the 1.3MB MPG Video file Caswell back Smith's the rail.

Click here to see the 1.7MB MPG Video file Caswell gap to lip.	Click here to see the 1.2MB MPG Video file Check out Caswell's run in the finals that got him first place.

Click here to see the 1.5MB MPG Video file Daniel Cerezini's run in the finals that got him second place.	Click here to see the 1.2MB MPG Video file What is this video up here for? Just to see the entertaining comments that will be posted.

Click here to see the 252k MPG Video file Evan Hernandez throws a huge kickflip in one of his runs.	Click here to see the 5.2MB MPG Video file Greg Lutzka's third run in the finals.

Click here to see the 5MB MPG Video file Josh Maready big gap to back lip.	Click here to see the 1.2MB MPG Video file Greg Lutzka fakie kickflips the new pyramid.

THE AWARDS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Brian Schaefer gives Ed Templeton two awards - Just for Showing Up Award and TAPS Award (Tight Ass Pants).	Brian and Ryan toast with the champagne that Grechin Sheckler got for them.

Caswell Berry rolls around the park in his new car that he won for getting first.	Another shot of Caswell in his new ride.

The traditional champagne war after announcing first place street.	Conge going for BGPs hiding under the bench.

Ricky Ronda brought Eric Estrada out to the contest. Brian gives him a few words on the mic here.	From left to right - Jim Fitzpatrick, Paul Schmitt, Dave Metty and Salaman Agah.

Thanks to S-One for the trophies.

CHILL SHOTS AND MISC OTHER CRAP

This fool Brian is talking to on the mic got busted stashing/stealing banners during the contest. We stopped the contest to all sing "Happy Trails to You" while he was getting his a$$ thrown out.	Double J - Harvard Student. We're all impressed.

How do all those banners get up there? Thanks to our friends across the street, we can use one of these machines.

Thank god jesus showed up.	A view of what it looks like from the floor of the best trick contest.

The contest judges are Brian Howard, Dave Duren, Mike Sinclair, Matt Milligan and Paul Zitzer.	Wear a mink like Knox here and you're going to get in at least one photo.
A shot of the crazy bowl session on Saturday night.

THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Dave Pleshaw drinks as much as he can at the beer stand before the crowd gets in.	Who's this a$$hole serving beer?

Superchincillarescuemission rocks out.	Schaefer on the mic during the show.

Conge on the mic.	Mike Derwenko, some dude, and Legal Matt.

Using the vert ramp as a slide wasn't such a good idea.	Product being tossed at the show. That place was packed.

Brian Schaefer and Ryan Clements.	The Selego brothers Legal Matt and Ed enjoy a beer.

Front row rockers at the show.	Hot Water Music.

HANGING OUT AFTER THE CONTEST

Allen Russell drank all the beers that his hat came with.	Lurkin' in the parking lot after the contest.

Never too tired for a group photo.	More lurkin' after all that workin'.

Group photo, take two.	Soomi and Sloane with a double tall.

Brian and Rob acting stupid.	More celebrating in the parking lot - Bridgette, Soomi, and Brian.

DINNER AT SAMURAI BLUE AFTER THE CONTEST

A few of us made it out to dinner together before heading out to the contest after party as Masquerade. In this photo is Ryan Clements on the left, Frank and Beans in the back, and Scotty Conely, Dave Metty, Salaman Agah and Matt Selego on the right.	Dave Metty and Salaman Agah.

Matt Selego puts the moves on the ladies at the bar during dinner.	Beans of "Frank and Beans" gets some lovin' from Bridgette. This 13 year old kid is already a lady killer.

The ladies warmin' up to Matt's charm.	Yet another group photo. In the front row from left to right is Dave Metty, Rob Meronek, Soomi Won, Lori Clements. In the back is Salaman Agah, Ryan Clements, Brian Schaefer and Bridgette.

Something tells me you're going to be seeing a lot more of Beans and Frank around the park. Their wise cracks and loud mouths on Sunday night got them to new Skatepark mascott status. That's Beans on the right and Frank on the left.

Bored yet? One last shot of the dinner table should do it.	Rob, Bridgette and Soomi.

THE CONTEST AFTER PARTY AT MASQUERADE

The smoke in Masquerade was so thick you could take photos of it.	Ryan and Buffalo Joe.

Ryan displays his Puerto Rican support.	Who was this idiot?

Ed Templeton outside Masquerade.	Legal Matt giving someone the evil eye.

Sloane, Legal Matt and Jared.	Caswell wondering if someone put something in his drink.

Lindsey and Bridgette.	Legal Matt and the ladies.

Tampa Am 2002 Photos And Video

Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2002 by Rob

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