KICK PUSH 2010

Che Thorpe, wallie.
All photos: Jake Darwen.
Text: Poul Evans.

OK, so Kingpin’s Kick Push East Coast competition rolled around again and a crew of us went down to check it out. I am writing this a few days after New Year’s so I might not remember everything.

Once again Ben from Kingpin pulled together an awesome collection of prizes to get the masses to converge on Gisborne for the annual pre New Year’s comp Kick Push. Car loads from all over the country, plus talented locals turned out, despite the looming grey clouds, to skate and chill, and maybe get a cut of the $5000 cash that was up for grabs. The main comp was run in various heats that ultimately lead to a final cut of six. This had everyone ripping all day with people shredding the whole park. You had Dallas Marshall busting huge kickflip melons, backside flips and tres over the centre pyramid whenever he felt the need and Simon Prakash with pop shuvit tail grabs and a kickflip 50-50 across and down the centre box. Sean Bone did solid tres crossing over the centre box. James Huntley was throwing out switch front blunts on the up down rail, plus whatever else he felt like doing, that kid is impressive. After the main comp finished up, out came the sun and it started to get fricken hot as the best trick competitions kicked off. It was a brilliant idea to have seven different comps all on separate obstacles dedicated and painted to rep the sponsors that fronted the cash. There was some amazing skating going down in these as everyone was trying to stomp a few bangers to get some cash.The day finished up with the high ollie comp and of course the product toss for the groms.

Mat Kinsman, backside bluntslide.

Reuben Baker, fakie kickflip.

Shibby, ollie.

Judges deliberating.

Pedro Day takes out the ALC high ollie comp.

Mat Kinsman, frontside flip.

Dallas Marshall, backside shifty.

Obligatory product toss.

Sean Bone, kickflip frontside boardslide.

Chris Wood, gap to tailslide.

Kingpin kid, frontside smith grind.

Open
1. Simon Prakash
2. James Huntley
3. Dallas Marshall
4. Reuben Baker

13 & Under
1. Sam Allen
2. Joel Fitzpatrick
3. Luka Peta

Best Tricks
ABC manual/ledge: Dom Henry, switch manual switch flip out & nollie flip backside nosegrind revert.
Fallen up/down rail: Sean Boucher, frontside boardslide backside flip out.
Federation concrete barrier: Reuben Baker, backside tailslide bigspin & kickflip backside tailalide.
Boom bank/fly-out: Mike Bancroft, awesomely tweaked cross bone.
DVS/Lakai/Supra-Krew centre box: 1^st Chris Wood, tailslide 270 flip out & ollie over box to frontside tailslide. 2^nd Dallas Marshall, 360 flip over the box.
Huffer flat gap: Dallas Marshall, 360 flip, heelflip and a backside flip.
ALC high ollie: Pedro Day
Insight/Sabre step up/Stairs: Jake Atkins, switch big spin heelflip the stairs.

I would like to thank Ben at Kingpin and all the sponsors for once again putting on an awesome day and keeping the skaters fed and entertained with VIP entry to the after party that night, looking forward to next year.