Vans Downtown Showdown: Foundation Big Six

Words by Ryan Clements
Photos and Captions by Rob Meronek

Ryan Sheckler - pop shuv

Ryan Sheckler is coming up on his switch tricks. He switch flipped this huge set perfect. This is a frontside flip down it

Andrew Reynolds - frontside flip

Rick McCrank - backside 50-50

Rick McCrank - frontside tailslide

Sean Malto - pop shuv

Sean Malto is another kid with a great looking hardflip

Jamie Thomas - backside 50-50

Josh Harmony - lipslide

I actually can't remember what Chris Cole is doing in this photo. Looks like either a kickflip or a pop shuv

This hubba was so big and steep, boards were snapping left and right on landings. Angel Ramirez had no trouble doing this back lip, though

This was definitely the most intimidating obstacle of the event. Rob and I skated it the morning of the Showdown and I had trouble just getting up the step-up. And then to have to set up in about 24’ and go down a big six (about 8’ tall and 10’ in distance) was quite a feat. The hubbas on each side were super-steep...I saw several top pros look at them over the weekend and shake their heads in disbelief. Not too many people skated the quarterpipes to the side, but they still got some use. The quarters, paired with the step-up pole jam and killer paint job, got Foundation the Panasonic Package for Best Obstacle, which consisted of a 42” plasma TV. I’m sure that’s going to look proper in the Tum Yeto office (or Josh Beagle’s house).

Kevin Spanky Long – Spanky was 180ing up the step-up and trying switch frontside bigspins down the stairs, but I don’t think that he made it.
Andrew Reynolds – Would you believe it if I told you that Andrew did a perfect frontside flip down the stairs? No, really...that’s what he did, along with a great kickflip shifty, too.

Brian Sumner and Jon Goeman both got “0.00” for their scores, so that tells me that they didn’t do a damn thing.

Rick McCrank – One of the few to step up to the hubba, Crankers pulled a fs tailslide to fakie .
Sean Malto – I heard judge Lance Dawes from SLAP say that Sean’s hardflip down the stairs was the best trick of the Jam. All I can say is that it was literally perfectly executed with superb style. That kid rips now, so I can only imagine what he’s going to blossom into in a few years.

Billy Marks and Josh Harmony - Shame on me for not remembering what either of these guys did, but I was announcing the event, not taking notes. Maybe Rob can help me out with some photos that he snapped of these guys.

Angel Ramirez – Angel came out swinging. He did a backlip and back smith down the hubba...and I know something else because he ended up in first. He was the only Foundation rider, which severely hurt their chances at winning the entire Event, since it was based on the scores of all of your team riders.

Chris Cole – I saw Ryan Smith there. He was even standing on the obstacle at one point, but I guess he wasn’t feeling it because he didn’t skate. Chris was like, “I guess I’m skating for Smith.”
Jamie Thomas – The Chief stepped in for Keegan Sauder and stepped up with a frontside boardslide down the hubba. I think he was working on a backside nosegrind, too, but ran out of time.

Chris Haslam – Haslam almost pulled a kickflip into the step-up and down the pole jam...almost.
Ryan Sheckler – This was Sheckler’s first obstacle and he ruled it. He did a kickflip, frontside flip, and switch flip (damn!) down the stairs, earning him a well-deserved third place.

Tosh Townend – Tosh was working on fs nollie 180’s down the big six.
Nyjah Huston – Nyjah stole the show. Although you probably already know this, let me remind you one more time. Nyjah is 10-years-old! 10! And he put a whooping on Reynolds, Cole, Thomas, and many more. Wow...

Foundation Big Six Team Results
1st	Girl	78.17
2nd	Element	75.83
3rd	Baker	72.83
4th	Toy Machine	71.33
5th	Zero	61.67
6th	Almost	52.33
7th	Foundation	43.33
8th	Birdhouse	0.00
Foundation Big Six Individual Results
1st	Angel Ramirez	87.00
2nd	Nyjah Huston	86.67
3rd	Ryan Sheckler	84.67
4th	Andrew Reynolds	82.67
5th	Rick McCrank	81.67
6th	Josh Harmony	79.00
7th	Sean Malto	74.67
8th	Jamie Thomas	66.00
9th	Tosh Townend	64.67
10th	Billy Marks	63.67
11th	Kevin Spanky Long	63.00
12th	Chris Cole	57.33
13th	Chris Haslam	20.00
14th	Brian Sumner	0.00
15th	Jon Goeman	0.00
16th	Ethan Fowler	0.00