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Bangkok X-Games Qualifier
2001-Jul-04
Bangkok, Thailand is definitely one of the most wonderful cities on earth, it has nice people, nice food, nice legs on every women, nice school uniforms for girls, nice massage, almost nice everything.
It has also has NICE skateboarders, a nice skateboarder means a skateboarder who can not only can skate with skill but also with style, I’m lucky to be able to witness some of the FINE skateboarding from Thailand, the city of baby Elephant.
The X-Games Bangkok qualifier was on 23 June (semi-final) and 24 June (Final), I arrived Bangkok on 22 June, the practice day, I went to the spot which is located next to Zen department store at World Trade Centre, it’s an open outdoor with big tent, reminds me of the Vancouver Slam City, the obstacles are nice, packed with both sides stance ledge down bank, bank to bank with rail in the middle, a long ass rail down like 10 stairs, a big drop like vert and a huge bank to bank.
I’m so happy to be able to see those lovely Thai skateboarders again, like Tao, Art, Vor, Oam, Egg, Lit, Note, Yo, Ed, Nut, and many many more, yeah, it sounds funny but that’s their nick or short name, you don’t want to know their full name cause you won’t remember it anyway, I’m sure even their 2 years girlfriends still don’t know how to spell their boyfriend’s name right. Shit’s mad long.
Many local skateboarders joined the competition, around 200 skateboarders altogether trying to win their air ticket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the top 3 are able to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Asian X-Games Final! They skated really really good during the practice run, some highlights that amazed me are Tao, ollie over the bank to 5-0 on the other side of the rail, he went even grazier and nailed a dope ollie over the bank to nosegrind the other side of the rail, the crowd went grazy! Vor threw his nice feeble grind down the Long Ass Rail and nailed them clean, nice job, Oam was skateboarding super clean that he almost nailed every hard tricks look easy, Ed was skateboarding tough with his f@#%$d up ankle, Art (our Sales Agent and the man behind SSM) was skating really good too, a never miss hard flip, he even tried a feeble grind down the Long Ass Rail too, he can’t make it though! Pun is another kid that joke around but never joke around while skateboarding, he did a nice 50-50 off the bank to the flat and kinked down, pretty dope, also, a nice stylish frontside boardslide, he’s amazing. There are many many more skateboarders that I’ve never seen and mad young that kill the spot, I’m psyched and happy seeing these skateboarders having fun. Pui, one of my favorite and maybe one of the best skateboarder in Thailand was not able to compete cause he fucked up his ankle (BADLY) during his contest in Shenzhen just recently, we all glad and happy to see him able to walk again, thank GOD, he’ll be able to skateboard again next month, no one can wait cause he is super amazing.
We are lucky enough to be able to hook up and flow Alphanumeric to Thailand 10 BEST, I was shocked seeing all the best skateboarders in Thailand are connected to each other, we flow to like 5 skateboarders which are Art, Pui, Vor, Tao and Oam, and they gave some stuffs to Pun, Ed, Kc, etc, it’s good to see them represent and they like our stuffs, both sides are happy.
On 24 June, the FINAL, Art couldn’t make it caused he f*&%$ed up his knee, Tao was sad cause during his semi-final run he wasn’t skate that good, he’s amazing but he failed, it’s all good, we all know that Tao kicksass.com, he’ll definitely come back again for sure and gain what he wants.
There are about 15 skateboarders competing for the final, basically, it’s only between Vor, Oam, Pun and Ed (all Alphanumeric), they all skated really really good, the BEST run should go to Oam, the 17 year old smooth Thai skateboarder (watch out Koston, watch out Danny, this kid rules), first he 50-50 the Long Ass Rail then a 5-0 on the shorter rail, failed, got up and tried it again, nailed it cleaner than your 5 month old baby’s ass, then a 360 flip fakie, back to the other platform and did another nice 5-0 on the ledge, smooth as fuck! Everybody went grazy! Then we all know who will WIN.
It’s only skateboarding some said, but seeing this contest, I’m pretty damn sure with skateboarding Thailand can be helped. These kids are amazing and talented, keep an eye.
Overall, it’s a good contest but they need another better MC to talk during the contest, not somebody who always say ‘Three Sixty Flip’ while the skateboarder were doing kickflip 180.
Peace and take care,
JBS
PS:
RESULT:
First – Oam
Second – Ed
Third – Pun
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