Damn Am Japan 2023: Men's Qualifiers Photos Article at Skatepark of Tampa

Damn Am Japan 2023: Men's Qualifiers Photos

Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2023 by Matt Shail

We might have to change the name of this to Tampa Pro Japan after the way these guys skated in the Qualifiers.

Photos by Matt Shail
Murakami
Gotta respect the space!
Hideki
Hideki chipping away at all the clips he has been collecting all weekend. Too much footage to handle.
Uncle Sam
Sam showing Wade how to use a smartphone in 2023
Murakami
Alright these kids are ready. Let's get Qualifiers started!
Toki
Toki Kakitani takes the path less traveled and kickflips over the rail into the bank.
Toki
Toki crook bonk fakie out of the bank full speed
Takumi
Takumi front blunt perfection down the center piece hubba.
Sena
Sena back at it with those heelflips! Doin' one into a front blunt this time.
Kuon
Kuon Takaesu popping out of a crook. Beautiful
Joetaro
Joetaro catching a kickflip back footed before stomping it into a crook.
Rio
Alleyoop 180 50-50 seems like the most dangerous thing I can think of on a waxed hubba. Rio doesn't think so.
Kikujiro
Kikujiro front crook bonk to fakie out of the bank
Kikujiro
Kikujiro follows up his previous front crook with another one. I'm not complaining!
Kikujiro
Then he back heels the set. This dude is all over the course!
Rio
Rio Sawada bringing his pop power to the frontside flip
Sena
Well well well. If it isn't Sena Watanabe heelflipping into a front board
Sena
Followed by a heelflip down the set for good measure
Sena
And a front hurricane. He didn't heelflip into this though - I know, disappointing.
Sena
But he did heelflip into this front lipslide like an insane person
Niko
Ladies came through to watch the guys after their qualifiers ended!
Damn
QR codes are the future of Damn Am.... well maybe not the future of the contest, but they do help with spreading information.
DJ
I startled DJ Wade. Sorry dude, shouldn't have put a mirror in front of you like that!
Kurisu
I've always wanted to get a photo with Kurisu and luckily you can see my shadow in this heelflip back tail photo.
Skatepark Of Tampa
Yo this dude is rad!
Rio
Rio Sawada going well above the rail for a front noseblunt.
Rio
Rio Miyamota had an amazing run and after doing this front hurricane he waved at the crowd like he just fought a bull.
Rio
I don't think Rio knows how funny he is. Nobody tell him.
Taiga
Taiga Nagai with a 270 noseblunt.
Toa
Toa has popularized the bigger flip front board. That's right - he isn't the only one that can do them anymore.
Taiga
270 lip from Taiga. He's gonna win one of these one day!
Joetaro
Varial flips never went anywhere. At least not for Joetaro Saito.
Luca
Another back heel from Luca. He caught it right before I snapped.
Murakami
Father daughter Qualifier quality time.
Kento
All these kids can 270 into tricks these days and man is it hard to take a good photo of them doing it.
Monster
I could use a Monster right now honestly.
Kotaro
Kotaro Nakano is really good at tre flips.
Aoi
The next three pictures are crowd laughter from someone falling.
Joetaro
Wait no they are cheering now!
Tokiya
Oh great now one of the skaters is on the ground. What the hell is happening.
Raimu
Another tre flip, but this time from the mind of Raimu
Raimu
Raimu has the steeze. Switch 270 blunt.
Toa
Here comes Toa. Or as Paul says: Toaconstrictor with a nollie nosegrind
Toa
Toa follows up the nollie nosegrind with a nollie front feeble. Tasteful
Toa
Nollie hurricane. What is happening.
Toa
No nollie into this one. Just a good old fashioned back noseblunt.
Tokiya
I think the catch on this hardflip was heard in outerspace. Tokiya has these things down.
DJ
Coffee break. What's so funny Wade?!
Kuu
What up girls!
Junpei
Another back noseblunt down the hubba. Brought to you by Junpei this time around.
Raito
This is how you catch a heelflip
Raito
If you wear sunglasses on top of your hat you better be doing shit like this.
Takumi
Takumi brings it over to the bump to ledge and rests a back blunt on top.
Daisuke
We love you Daisuke!
Chris
You can't get anything past these guys!
Chris
Keep your eyes on the tricks judges
Rio
Rio returns after blowing kisses at the crowd and gives them a front nosegrind instead.
Rio
Followed by a backside flip. He's tweakin!
Yuto
Switch heel for days.
Murakami
I have no idea what this is
Tokiya
Photo bomb except I'm the photographer.
Monster
Alright who spilled Monster on my board. It better go faster now.
Joetaro
Joetaro closes out the qualifiers with 1 of two varial flips.
Joetaro
Look at the air coming out of that back smith. Wow!
Joetaro
Joetaro closing out with his second varial flip of his run. See you all in the finals tomorrow!

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