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Inline Vert (The dance dance version!)
Inline Vert Finals Recap
By Mike Opalek
Going into the finals, you could tell everyone wanted it. The warm up sessions were tense and the battle with the wind would be the most difficult . . . well, that and the Yasutoko brothers. Eito was trying his new trick the “Toyko Drift,” a double back flip with a 720 spin. Shane Yost and Marc Englehart were both lobbying for their double flat spins. And everywhere we looked, hot women who didn’t bother to clothe themselves.
Thank God for Europe.
Fabiola (who was doing double duty with street and vert) didn’t have the gusto to skate all day in the 90 degree heat. She fell on a topsoul in her first run, so, in her second run, she went for the double back flip. Unfortunately, she landed on her head in the middle of the second flip . . . Twice!
Sven whipped out some 720s and 540s, then threw in a fakie 900 that put him in 5th place. Ayumi Kawasaki took advantage of Fab’s troubles and skated better than I have ever seen. Smooth head high airs and more progressive grinds. 540s, forward 900s and a 1080 to boot, along with an alley oop topside porn star. Ayumi ended up in a well-deserved 4th place.
Eito fell on his first run after landing just one trick, so it was make it or break it time for him. He started his second run with his normal 10 ft airs into a California roll then a few set up airs and BAM! Toyko Drift. Unfortunately, he washed out, then tried it three more times, all with the same ending. Eito finished in an uncharacterstic 8th place.
So with Eito out of the way, the silver was within reach for Shane Yost and Marc Englehart. Englehart skated sweet and brought all his 540s, grabbing them Liu kang, stale, mute and even throwing a double flat in his second run. Unfortunately for him, it only landed him in 3rd.
Shane Yost opened with a mctwist, forward 900, flat 540 and fakie 1080. He went for his double flat but came down on one knee. It was easily enough to get the silver.
Takeshi followed with a massive Viking Flip right into a double (grabbed) Viking flip set up air then alley oop double flat spin. If that wasn’t enough, he then proceeded to wreck shop on the coping: 270 to backslide, alley oop mistrial to step over top soul.
And would you believe it? Nobody skated to techno.
»»View the official results from this contest
