SPoT Life: Tampa Pro 2015 Friday Practice
Posted
on
on Saturday, March 21, 2015
by Chris
Fridays might be the best days at Tampa Pro. Here’s why: You can bro down with everyone from Nyjah to Grayson Fletcher to Billy Marks to you name it, who are all either cruising the course, milling about in the courtyard, out skating the concrete, or doing something where you can be right there, this close to them. If you’re bold you might ask them to let you stand on their board or challenge them to a game of skate, not that you should necessarily but you get what I’m saying. Anything goes on Friday. And if skateboarding’s equivalent to an automobile accident sounds appealing to you, well then the Industry contest would be right up your alley too. This is where you get to see that the dudes that run your favorite companies and make the videos you watch are mad sketchy on their boards and mad inconsistent, but they’re also stoked and down for a good time. So there’s that. We also learned that our new Street League filmer bro, Ritchie Valdez really rips and he walked away the champion of the only contest in Tampa this weekend that really doesn’t matter to anyone besides the dudes in it. We also further affirmed our belief on Friday that Luan and Shane O’neill are probably the two techest dudes to ever ride, that the new LED lighting in the park makes skating at night like a million times better, that Kerry Getz should enter the contest even though he says he’s not going to despite the fact that he’s pre-qualified into Sunday’s Semis due to his win back in 2000, and finally, that despite having claimed every year since 1995, that we’d just witnessed the best contest ever, this year is going to have us saying it again. Can. Not. Wait. Paul Zitzer Video by Frank Branca, Kevin Perez, and Rob Hoovis Words and photos by Bart Jones
Bart Jones
Dead End?! Speak for yourself, SPoT is far from a Dead End.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
The silence before the storm.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
John Cummings aka Franchize Boi
Franchize Boi captures the essence of what the VIP Industry contest is all about..shirt not included.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Mike Rogers
Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock-n-Roll Boardslide!..by Mike Rogers.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Richie Valdez
Industry / V.I.P. Contest Results:
3rd Place Oscar Wagenbucher, 2nd Place Tato Feliciano and 1st Place Richie Valdez. Good Job Boys!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
The Monster girls were asking me why I was getting sooo close.. uh chuh like omg gawd whatever, its called a fisheye! Ever heard of it?
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Kyle Berard
What are these legends getting into?!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Pat Duffy
Impromptu Tight Tranny Sesh!!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Justin Strubing
Justin Strubing gets the Smith Grind all while Jake Smith says hello.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Mike Hathaway
Mike Hathaway backs it up with the Backside Smith Grind.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Get the same haircut as your favorite pro! Ethan Pitts goes for the buzz cut and looks like he’s really enjoying it as well. Thanks to Second 2 None barbershop for keeping everyone's fades tight all weekend.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Ryan Decenzo
Ryan Decenzo has really amazing FS Flips.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Tom Asta
Skate Everything! In this case, the railing for Tom Asta.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Grant Taylor
Possibly the trick of the day: Grant Taylor - Ollie up, Stall... back into The QP.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Dane Burman
Is there such thing as over steez? Dane Burman tests the waters.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Mike Rogers
The back and front man of GrindForLife.org, Mike Rogers.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Chris Gregson
Is Chris Gregson Pro?! Is he even in the contest!? Either way he rips!!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
David Loy
Everyone wanted a piece of D-Loy's Noseblunt Slide around the bend.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Andrew Cannon
The judging booth rolling deep. Andrew Cannon wins best face and a whole bunch of other stuff because he rules.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
David Loy
David Loy’s first pro contest and needless to say he was juiced!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Dane Burman
Dane Burman takes the low road with a Noseslide.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Curren Caples
Lofty Sauvé Frontside Air by none other than Curren Caples.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
You know how you always wanted that Skatepark Of Tampa tattoo? Well now here’s your chance.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Inside the circuit board of Tampa Pro. This is Team Auxiliary Channel and I can’t even begin to get into the masterminds these guys are.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Italo Romano
Italo Romano makes the crowd ask themselves “did that just happen” with a Kickflip To Fakie.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Paul Schmitt
Skateboard innovator, Professor Paul Schmitt didn’t bring the lab coat this time but he did bring his Frontside Grind before soon after bumping his noggin’. Yea Paul!
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Pat Duffy
Respect Yo Self! ...Or Not. Pat Duffy.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Nyjah Huston
When you’re a former Pro winner that gets to go straight to the Semi-Finals, it's more than acceptable to show up casually late. Nyjah gets in a FS 180 Switch Crook before the park closes down for the night.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones
Nyjah Huston
Nyjah and the boys say farewell for the day. Please stay tuned tomorrow for more ripping shreddingness.
Date:
March 21, 2015
Photographer: Bart Jones