Just seen the Men’s Skateboarding - Park/Vert.
Moans first - ineffectual camera angles and editing. Sucked the life out of the runs, ruined it in terms of viewing. For those new to viewing Skateboarding on screen, the whole point is that you are able to see the trick from the aspect ‘behind the coping.’ Overhead shots hide the board and feet from the viewer, also the stance and arms/hands position of the Skater and importantly - what their facial expression is. Not very interesting, but it is irritating.
The scoring sucked. Absolutely no way was there a run that could make 95.83 (Australian Keegan Palmer - Gold Medal) and the next
3 skaters down from that only score 86 - 84 and 83, phooey.
Luiz Francisco (Brazil - 4th Place) was robbed. Kickflip Melon over the Peanut, 360° Kickflip Indie Grab, and that last run! Gravy-dripping Frontside Healflip over the hip. Nice style.
Pedro Barros (Brazil - Silver medal) I have seen Pedro skate a large halfpipe from the flat bottom and he rips. The energy leaks out of him, and he has some loft. I have some photographs somewhere from that demo, it was yonks ago in Brighton. Nice chap.
Cory Juneau (USA - Bronze medal) - lucky.
That skinny youth who won the Gold, Keegan Palmer from Oz has a lovely fluid style. Made things look easy that take years of work and pain to learn.
Lovely massive tweaked Frontside Stalefish, the shape he made was divine.
Backside Tailgrab 540° over the channel was cream smooth. Kickflip-Sad grab over the hip looked like he did it everyday before having a #2.
BUT Palmer has a shape that I don’t like. Gangly and ‘All Arms’ a bit like Hawk. Nope.
Good to see Skaters getting on like they always do, as the commentator said, it could have been a regular skateboarding session for those dudes. Everyone supporting each other, and being vocal about it.
As the man said, it was very much the Olympics coming to Skateboarding rather than anything else. There was no different behaviour to any bunch of skaters getting together for a session.
(more blood and slams in a good session - and beer)
Notes:
Vincent Matheron (France) and Steven Piniero (Puerto Rico) didn’t wear kneepads. This indicated that they wouldn’t be going that high? Personal choice I suppose.
Vincent Matheron slammed twice, both times his helmet either came off, or shifted because the strap wasn’t tight (or even fastened with some of them) - I am surprised that the Olympics don’t insist that if safety equipment is worn, it should be worn properly. Durrr
The French bloke smacked his head as well on one slam if you watch closely. Whiplash tomorrow.
The value of kneepads was apparent a couple of times when Skaters bailed from a height and knee-slid out of the fall. Also the value of a decent size transition.
I tried to find the depth of the pool end and transitions, but couldn’t find any information.
My estimate was about a 12’ transition tops with maybe a foot of vert or so on some of the extensions. Easy to just assume that they are 10’ ++ above the floor on most tricks. The camera angles really hide the height and width of those moves.
I would really like to see a straight forward Halfpipe contest included in the disciplines.
12’ transitions with a foot of Vertical, maybe a 2’ Tombstone. 30’ wide. Sort of basic ramp that anyone in any country could try and replicate, even if the transitions are smaller. Less exclusive, more inclusive.
In its purest form, skateboarding on a smooth flattish pathway (a pavement) is the cheapest and easiest to achieve. The Ramp/Park/Vertical could reflect that by being a simple format? Or Ramp/halfpipe is a separate category?
And why not have Skateboard High jump, Long jump and Slalom? Like the good ol’ days
easy to judge…
