Empire Backyard Party 2012 and a Lurk Through Montreal Article at Skatepark of Tampa

Empire Backyard Party 2012 and a Lurk Through Montreal

Posted on Monday, August 27, 2012 by Rob

Photos and Words by Rob Meronek

If you get a parking ticket in a foreign country, do you pay it?
Eric Mercier
Schaefer and Eric Mercier, the organizer of the BYP, with HiDefJoe working on SPoT Life.
The Big O is currently under dirt right around the corner from the Contest. They moved it to a new area to keep it skateable, but some kind of engineering damage happened on the property, which caused delays in having it ready to rip.
We had a little bit of free time to wander the city, so we ended up at P45, Montreal's amazing DIY spot.
Pat Stiener
Pat's here to help us with putting together a SPoT Life episode and of course offers much better skating for the video than us old guys.
Pat Tremblay
Pat Tremblay is a local in Montreal. That's a backside tailslide with some rails, old guy style.
Joe Pelham aka HiDefJoe
HiDefJoe on a frontside tailslide.
Oscar Navaro
The whole Ace team is here shredding the place. That's Oscar Navaro on a backside tailslide.
Ron Chatman
I'm old enough to have had Rubbish Heap on rotation when I first started skating, so I'm star struck every time I see Ron Chatman. He's still killing it well into his 40's. You will be too if you don't overdo it on the booze and partying.
Tom Remillard
Tom Remillard – frontside floater.
I should make one of these every time I lose my skateboard.
They love their handsome cab rides here. All I can think is Beefaroni and Kramer when I see one of these.
There are tons of fancy date night places to take your lady. We had a big ass dude dinner in there.
Canadian bike helmet.
Friday night was the Bones Brigade movie premiere. It was packed and loud and red.
Tommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero was here with the Bones Brigade.
Tony Hawk
Birdman was here, too, in full autograph mode as usual.
Rodney Mullen
Rubbish Heap was the video where Rodney Mullen had his freestyle board officially focused and was given a street board. It was awesome getting a photo with him and finally getting to meet him after watching him in videos for 20 years.
Chuck Treece was on drums for a show after the video.
Tommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero was on bass.
Ray Barbee
Ray Barbee played, too. Damn, if you’ve been skating for a while, you were like a kid all over again tonight.
The set list.
Rodney Mullen
Rodney’s riding a pretty skinny board.
Rodney Mullen
Thanks for the nice words about Skatepark of Tampa, Rodney.
We’re on site at the Contest venue now, which is some kind of Olympic stadium. Here is where the girls shower, apparently with dresses on.
Brian Schaefer
Schaefer can’t resist a blue collar work opportunity. Pat Stiener has to think twice about it.
Canadian ladder.
A photo of the sky shows how dirty my lens is. This is the 1976 Olympic stadium.
Alright, it’s time for the Contest now. The courtyard is full of circus madness like this wind tunnel giveaway.
Brian Schaefer
Schaefer is ready to host.
John Muldoon
Judges are ready to judge.
Keegan Sauder
Skaters are ready to rip. That’s Keegan Sauder shortly before smacking his tail.
Adam Hopkins
Adam Hopkins is here with the Ace crew. That’s a gay twist.
Jayden Bono
Our new young homie Jayden Bono is from Canada. That’s a frontside flip. See you in Toronto next weekend, Jayden.
Scott DeCenzo
Scott Decenzo – kickflip into the big hip.
Curren Caples
Curren’s signature frontside tucker.
Oscar Navaro
Oscar Navaro – back smith on the wall.
Chris Pastras
Dune, Justin, and John were on the webcast.
Curren Caples
Curren Caples – front blunt on the wall.
Tom Remillard
Tom Remillard – front rock.
Adam Hopkins
Adam Hopkins – lein to tail.
Ronnie Sandoval
Ronnie Sandoval – front rock.
Keegan Sauder
Keegan Sauder – frontside air.
Kyle Berard
Kyle Berard had to switch carve into this fakie flip to setup. He killed it on the tranny and the hip to win this year.
These Canadian beauties were serving American Bud Light all day.
Zack Ferguson
Zack Ferguson – backside disaster on the wall.
The trophies can be used with your fingerboard.
Kyle Berard
Congrats Kyle Berard for taking this year's Empire Backyard Party.

Cell Phone Edit: Montreal

Of course I had my phone out the whole time filming everything. Here's our weekend in Montreal cut down to four minutes of skating by day and nightlife by, well, night.

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