FIRST CONTEST OF THIS SEASON: URBAN RURAL RIDE

FIRST CONTEST OF THIS SEASON: URBAN RURAL RIDE

Written by Steph.

 

Alright, where to start? Last year, I organised by myself a freestyle contest next to a BMX flatland contest, at the last minute because the one supposed to do it did nothing. It was a huge mess. This year, I had a second chance. It is hard for me to organise as I live 4hrs away from the contest location and from the Main organisers of the BMX. But with the HUGE help of Marius, we started planning the thing next to the BMX with Joris and Marion (The main organisers of the event, I am only the freestyle organiser.) Judging, sponsors, schedules, areas... It took us a good months to make it good. We managed to find a lot of sponsors, we found the judges, then, we opened the registrations and then, the monster started to wake up: 34 riders in total. Newcomers, legends, pros, friends... We did not expect that much riders here, coming from all Europe.

We are 100% ready, the big weekend is here.

Day 0:

We (Myself and the Kambroosse crew) are packing the truck to go to Saint-Yan Airport. It gets cloudy, I am getting scared, almost loosing hopes for the weekend. I look at my phone, 100% rain for Saturday, 20% for Sunday... I take a deep breath and tell myself that it will be fine. Okay, here we go.

The more we drive, the worse it gets. Halfway of the drive, it pours. I've been told by the main orga that we have a plan B: freestylers can be indoors in case of rain. Okay good then. We arrive at the U2R canteen and we meet the family again. They try to cheer me up, it will be fun, don't worry. I have to admit, they were right.

Let's get to the hotel to meet the Romanian crew and have some booze now. Good times, my man Dani gets his package, we go have the beers and then, let's sleep for tomorrow. I struggle to sleep because I have a bad feeling for tomorrow.

Day 1, SATURDAY.

We wake up early with the crew, 5 in a 2 people room, a bit hungover. I open the curtain and... IT IS FULLY WET. Okay, all good, I've been told we will be inside. Let's have a breakfast and see what happens.

We are going to the contest area, and these 2 guys, my G's Louison & Adrien did an AMAZING job to get the sound ready, the outdoor area ready, and the U2R crew did the zoning the way we wanted to. Nice space, 18m x 6m, asphalt. A bit rough but okay. Only problem: it has been raining all night. Its wet. Unskatable. Let's ask for the plan B, and we get a huge NO. I start panicking, close to giving up. The skaters are trying to cheer me up again, I try to find solutions, and once again, my man Louison has an idea: ask the city for a leaf blower. He finds one, the guy comes, start trying to dry the spot. He gets tired after 10mns trying. Thanks man but no thanks, fuck you. We will do the job. My friend Dylan takes the blower and dries the spot for 30mns. It gets better and skaters start skating the 50% wet floor. I feel sorry. We have to delay. 30mns... 1hour... 1:30 hours... Well, it starts drying, we know we won't skate inside so we decide to do everything by ourselves. Its 70% dry after 1:30 hours of praying, hardwork and one tear of anger. I take the mic, and I START THE SHOW:


Let's start Girls QUALIS: 2 runs of 1:30 minutes, 5 girls:

- Alexandra Dumitrache
- Carmen Ionița
- Monica Tuşinean
- Toni Warner
- My wife, Izée Zimberlin

1st runs start, they all kill it even if it's hard to go first on a humid floor and in the morning. A few bails but, all good. The public seems to enjoy the show. 2nd runs, the girls seem to be well warmed up, they all shred, crazy footwork, caspers, flips, pogos... It's going well! They are all happy of themselves, all good then, they are all going to finals anyway

 

Alexandra Dumitrache - NH pogo (by Marius Constantin)

Monica Tusinean - Fingerflip (By Marius Constantin)

Izée Zimberlin - Fingerflip (By Marius Constantin)

 

Amateurs QUALIS: 2 runs of 1:30mns, 20 riders. I cannot compete as I am doing EVERYTHING and I am completely dead. This event is for the others guys here, not for me!

The spot is dry, we feel lucky, everyone is having a good time so we start the show. This division is eclectic: some young names, some older legends, some newcomers, some future pros, some future Putain team members?...

We have some crazy runs by everyone, lots of different styles (Andrei and his massive hammers, Marvin and his smooth flawless style, Harry and his energy and technicality etc...) we had surprises (Martin, the newcomer of the Frenchstyle crew qualifies for the finals for his 1st contest!)... I am starting to lose my voice by the way because I am enjoying at the maximum!

Special mention to LOLEX who fell hard during his run. My wife gets him to the hospital. Result: a broken arm, a cast and a sad lolex. But the freestyle family is here for him! We love you all LOLEX.

Runs are done, scores are ready, we keep the 14 first riders for the finals. Crowd is packing up around the spot and is really enjoying what they see.

 

Harry Fisher - Gymnast Plant Jimmy Wrap (By Marius Constantin)

Andrei Novelli - Bonebreaker (By Marius C.)

Mickael Burczyk - Double Railflip (By Marius C)



PROS QUALIS: 2x 2mns runs, 7 riders.
- Daniel Adam
- Lillis Åkesson the legend
- Marius Constantin
- Tony Gale
- Guenter Mokulus the 2nd legend
- Turi Zoltan
- Our man, our pro Dani Popescu

Daniboi is competing for the 1st time in the pro division, he is confident and so I am. I didn't pick him for nothing, he's about to kill the game.

Let's start the big show. Its sunny and hot as hell, we are lucky. Pros are warmed up, I am ready to shout at the Mic.

They all deliver us the best show, crazy runs from all the riders, so stylish, technical, it gets crazier and crazier.
Dani qualifies 2nd after just a few bails, but he keeps his confidence. As I told him: KILL THEM ALL DANIBOI!

 

Daniboi - Bonebreaker (By Marius C.)

Lillis Akesson - 1wheel manual (By Marius C)

Daniel Adam - ??? (By Marius C)



BEST TRICK CONTEST: We were not that much for that one, we were at the BMX area for that. Everyone gets 3 tries for their trick. I am going aswell, and I fucking did my trick: Nollie pogo carousel. I was pretty confident but then Andrei Killed me with a Backbreaker. He wins it, and he deserves it! Boom, 250€ for him, big smile on his face, I feel good, he is happy. At least I did my trick!

WHAT A CRAZY DAY. We have been so lucky with the weather, I see smiles on everyone's face so, I can start feeling good. I even skated a little bit! Here's the proof:

 

Myself - Butterflip to carousel (By Marius C)



Let's go to the afterparty now. Beers, pizzas etc... Not an important part. Onto the next day.



DAY 2:

Nice weather, we are all feeling a bit sore but all ready to rumble. We get a quick breakfast and then, direct go to the spot.

Everything is going well, perfectly on time. My 2 guys Adrien and Louison are ready for the show, riders are already on the spot warming up. I have a bit of time to skate.

We are ready to start, music is ready, mic in my hands, GO!

GIRLS FINALS:

Girls are warmed up, all smiling and enjoying the contest. Let's start!

We had some crazy nice runs from all the girls, they all did the best possible, among the stress they all deserved the 1st place for sure. Carmen and her flawless footwork, Alexandra and her crazy good NH pogos, Monica did her run on a random music (S.O. Louison the DJ) and killed it, Toni and her nice casper tricks and my wife with her big shuvits! BRAVO LES FILLES!

 

Izée Zimberlin - Fingerflip (By Marius C)

Carmen Ionita - Fakie M80 (By Marius C)

Toni Werner - 1/2 Railwhip (By Marius C)



AMS FINALS:

The 14 first from yesterday are ready to rock. The crowd is here, we are starting the show.

What a final we had, Harry and Martin killed it on the PutainSkateboards! We had some crazy good skating from the romanian crew, the germans also killed it, everyone did absolutely perfect. I am absolutely speechless, the level of some riders is just INSANE.

 

Marvin Schutze - NH pogo (By Marius C)

Pedro Jose Delgado Antunez - Dancing perfectly on the rythm (By Marius C)

Danny Darkslide - 1 foot nose wheelie (By Marius C)



PROS FINALS:

Okay, I am ready to loose my voice for good. The big one now. Huge crowd around us, the pros are warming up and already throwing bangers. All the 7 pros went to finals. No cuttings. More pros, better shows.

Let's start: Daniel Adam gives us the smoothest style ever, flawless, lovely to watch, a pleasure for the eyes.

Lillis goes for a perfect 1st run and for the 2nd run, he breaks his kingpin. Did he stop? HELL NO, HE GAVE US A FULL ROUTINE.ON 1 TRUCK! HOW COOL IS THAT? He is not a legend for nothing.

Tony Gale said he was tired. HELL NO. Trick after trick, he gives us a hell of a show, shouting on the "OOOOOOOH MOTHER" from the song (Danzig - Mother for the non connoisseurs) to get that last bit of energy left, just beautiful to watch and super inspiring.

Marius as usual, knows how to please the crowd. He goes fast, technical, fluid and CRAZY ASFFFF... Always with a butterflip of course! Apart from just a few bails, everything was TOP LEVEL from beginning to end.

Guenter Mokulys, the ABSOLUTE legend, is a true wizard. I think the crowd was completely astonished by his legendary balance tricks. How can you not love watching a 11x world champion skate in front of you?

Turi Zoltan, the big tricks machine, absolutely killed hit with his HAMMERING truck tricks, we almost could hear the asphalt cracking under the pressure! I am feeling lucky to witness and commenting all this.

Now, our man, our future legend, our Daniboi.
2 amazing runs, a little bit of stress at first but was it gonna stop him from DESTROYING EVERYTHING? OH NO. Banger after banger, trick after trick, the score was growing up fast! He was unstoppable and trick after trick, I was losing my voice to encourage him as much as I could. The 2nd run finishes, hug time. It was absolutely insane. What a FUCKIN GREAT SHOW.

 

Daniboi - Impossible (By Marius C)

Lillis' magic on 1 truck (By Marius C)

Turi Zoltan hammering the poor asphalt (You have a special award !)

Marius Constantin - NH5050 (By?)


6PM, prize ceremony. I have to do a speech while the presents are getting ready behind the podium. It gets emotional. Seeing all my friends freestylers in front of me with big smiles on their face made me cry after a few words.

 



Ceremony starts:

Girls podium:


Ams podium:


And now, the one we are all waiting for, the pros.
DANIBOI WON HIS 1ST PRO CONTEST, CAN TOU BELIEVE IT?


I am proud of my rider, proud of what he does, and I will keep supporting him as much as I can. He will be a legend soon, trust me on that. I place all my bets on him for all the contests.

It's the end, time for goodbyes for the English crew and a few others, we clean our area, get back to the hotel and then: AFTERPARTY.

AFTERPARTY: BEER FOR TRICKS at the "Maison Verneuil" pub, organised by Louison's boss (he works there)
The spot has a huge downhill next to it, a few tough guys are trying it, a few ones failed but some others are braver like Turi doing it switch like it was nothing of Adrien doing it Milton Martinez style...

We get inside to start the beer for tricks (and cash aswell for the best best ones): we have freestylers and street skaters all together. Freestyle 1st, everyone is shredding, me aswell. The first free beers are going, and it gets everyone wanting some more. We are seeing some madness like Marius coco wheelie, Danny Darkslide did... A darkslide on a pallet (WHAAAAAT?)

We put a barrier to jump, and there were more freestylers going to jump it than street guys. Dani once again killed the game with some big flips and a treflip. Is there anything he's not good at? My French pal pippex is going for it, yeah he skates since 20 years street so he knows what he's doing. BOOM, he crooked a beer barrel. Everyone is going for it, everyone gets their free beers, and then, we get the kicker out. Time for big hammers: that Romanian guu Robin absolutely killed it with huge flyouts, grabs, massive ollies, and everything indoor! Seriously where is his brain??? Adrien.did the show aswell and got some big money for trying super hard all night! Turi got some money aswell and some others that I don't even remember... Beers are getting me...

We are all having a good time, booze, magic cigarettes for some, just fun stories for others and a nice vegetarian salad for Lillis. But every good things must come to an end, it's time to get back to the hotel, toworrow we have to go early to bring Lillis and Eric Schader back to Lyon airport.

What a huge weekend it was. I am crying again while I write this. I would like to thank Marion, Joris, the U2R crew, Louison, Adrien, all the sponsors: Myself, Decathlon Skateboarding, Waltz, Cirus, Yoyo, Noseandtail.ro, FilmTrucks, Never Enough Streetstore, Again Crew, Frenchstyle, the riders who came at the contest, everyone.

And I would like to thank more personnaly: Jerome & AllBoardsFamily, one of my sponsors for the truck and the help.

And most of all: My wife Izée for being here when I was struggling organising all that freestyle fuckin' contest. I love you.



Now onto the next one, next year, new location, new area, 100% freestyle, more surprises: THE PERIGORD HARDCORE FREESTYLE CONTEST.

SEE YOU SOON, THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU IF YOU ARE STILL READING HERE.

THANK YOU FREESTYLE.

 

 

 

 

 

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