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Street Finals: If Your Name Is Daniel, Garrett or Rob, You're Real Happy Right Now
by Tom Haugen
Seeing as how I've been riding against most of these guys since their inception into the pro class, it was real strange for me to see some of them crash tricks they normally do in their sleep. From a judging standpoint, it's hard to have to score them down because of it, but there isn't much of a choice. Nowadays it's real hard to place well in a street contest if you don't stay on your bike all the way through.
The guy who stayed on his bike the least was Dave Dillewaard - he didn't even show up for the contest. Actually, Dave was too busy having 10 stitches put into his knee after a crash in practice, and thus unable to ride.Both Ryan's had rough nights; Nyquist came out firing with a double barspin backfip into a 540 truckdriver. His problem area was a double barspin transfer, usually his strong point in his run. Ryan Guettler did a nice no-handed front flip and somehow missed the tailwhip onto the wedge right after.
Mark Webb also had tough time- crashing a barrel roll and a 3 double whip over the spine. He still salvaged his run with flairs, 3 whips to x-up, and nice lines.
Josh Harrington and Allan Cooke both stayed consistent, doing hard box jump tricks, spine jumps, and great flow.
Steven McCann just missed the podium, despite doing a no-handed 720, a 720 over the spine, back and forth truckdrivers, and flairs.
Rob Darden had some amazing flow- he hit pretty much every ramp on the course with big jumps, transfers, airs to grind, 540s and flairs.
Garrett Reynolds has to be one of the wealthiest 16 year-olds right now. He traded truckdrivers, tailwhips, rail hops and a 540 truckdriver transfer for 2nd place and 20 grand. If you go to school with Garrett, hit him up at lunch for a loan.
First, not so surprisingly, belonged to Daniel Dhers. Daniel did so many tailwhip variations I was expecting to see smoke coming from his gyro. He also did flairs, no-handed 360s and a front flip over the spine.
So that's it- another LG World Champion in crowned, this time from S. America. Are Americans, who in past years seemed to dominate these events, becoming more the exception than the rule? If I would be forced to hazard a guess I would say no, not quite yet. But I'd rather not hazard a guess and instead just wait and see what happens on years LG tour...
