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How did you hook up with Red Bull?
This story again? I sent out a Sponsor Me Tape. No, that's not real. It was on the Red Bull Seek & Destroy, my team won, we went partying and they offered to have me ride for Red Bull and I did. I took the opportunity.
How did you come up with the concept for Manny Mania?
I was a rail dude and I just wanted to change my direction. My legs were getting sore form jumping down the Carlsbad Gap and I saw Daewon Song skate and said, "I want to do that." No, that's not right. It was me and Jeff Regis talking. Regis knew I skated a certain way so we just came up with the concept of doing a contest for tech skating. Is that what I do? Tech skating?
Why is it not called the Joey Brezinski Manny Mania?
It was originally going to be called Joey Brezinski's Manny Mania and that was the only thing I was opposed to. I didn't want my name on it because I didn't want to jinx it. I don't think it would've worked if it had my name on it. I definitely would've lost every time.
Is there a jinx associated with self-endorsed skate contests?
Yeah, I don't think anyone has ever won one that they self-endorsed. If you self-endorse a contest, you're definitely going to lose. Ask Eric Koston about his Game Of Skate or Reese Forbes about his High Ollie Contest.
Tell me, when did you invent the manual?
I didn't invent it. I think it was invented in the 70s. Who was the dude that used to do the crazy G-turns? Wasn't there footage of Stacey Peralta doing it with a ponytail, hanging ten, doing long mannies back then?
Maybe he is your father?
He should be. But who did invent the manual? That is the real question.
I'm going to say Rodney Mullen, since he invented everything.
No, he didn't do it. I thought that ballerina guy from the old Powell videos did.
Oh. Dan Gesmer. No. I'll say Brandon Biebel.
Yeah, he invented the switch manual.
I'm sure you're asked this a lot but what is a manual?
The definition of a manual? It is a skateboard maneuver, skating on two wheels, balancing without hitting your nose or tail. Do you want me to use it in a sentence?
Please.
That guy right there just did a nose manual and lost control and fell on his face and knocked his two front teeth out.
Now spell it.
T-e-a-t-h. No, that's not how you spell teeth is it. T-e-e-t-h. Man, I spelled teeth wrong.
That's your other area of expertise, how could you spell it wrong?
My teeth were in the way when I was spelling it.
2010 is the fourth year of the Manny Mania contest. What's going to be different this year?
Four years strong. Hoverboards this year; there's no wheels. Michael J. Fox is going to show up. No, I guess harder maneuvers are going to go down, I hope. I'm definitely trying to learn some hard ones.
What tricks are you working on? Can you say?
The Viagra Manual; that's getting harder.
Do you plan on doing better in 2010 Manny Mania than you did in 2009?
Yes, definitely.
Is it possible to do worse?
I definitely hope not.
Are you nervous now that Brandon Beibel rides for Red Bull that--
They're going to call it Brandon Beibel's Manny Mania this year? Yes. No, he's a homie.
Could you beat him in an arm wrestling match?
If we go left arms.
How do you feel about a second day of Am Manny Mania being added this year?
I think it's rad because there's no Back To The Banks; they needed to do something on one of the days. Might as well watch the ams kill it.
There are 25 countries involved in the Am contest. Do you think any of them matter other than America?
Maybe Haiti. Is there one in Haiti? Haiti Mania?
But the cream of the crop of skateboarding is based in America...
Wow, this is turning into the Olympics. As long as U.S. ams don't choke they can bring home the gold for America but there's good kids all over the world.
Who are some guys you like from your native country?
That are good at manuals? Ray Maldonado. Steven Webb, Justin Shulte and Marty Murawski. How about that Flip dude? He's good at manuals. Oh, he's not from America--nevermind.
There are 25 countries involved in this year's am contest. And you have to visit all of them.
I'm looking forward to Iceland. Wait! Greenland is covered in ice, right?
I think they all are except South Africa.
Perfect. I don't really have to go to all 25 countries, do I?
No, but if you could, which country would you like to go to?
I want to go to China, I haven't been there yet. Or Taiwan. I'd like to see how things are made. Everything is usually made in Taiwan.
Who are some of the pros in this year's contest that people should be afraid of?
Stevie Williams probably. Brandon Biebel.
Two years ago Stevie destroyed the early rounds--
And then he fucked up. I don't know what happened. I thought he had it. I was like, "Stevie is on point." That's the thing, if you rush it and do really well in the beginning you're going to tire yourself out for the finals. I've noticed the people that kill the first heat, the second heat they slow down and by the third heat they're just dead.
Is that what happened to you last year?
No, I didn't kill it. I had a messed up ankle. I killed the mini bar in my hotel room.
You looked dehydrated.
I drank more water than I had done in previous years. I was trying to be all healthy-guy and it didn't work. I don't think I should be healthy-guy. I think I look better hung over. I'm a better human being hung over. That's sucks. I guess we all can't be perfect humans. I'm going to the bar!
Red Bull Skateboarding went on a trip to Hawaii around the same time last year during our HELD UP IN HAWAII tour.
This year was no different, tons of skating, tons of good times and just plain ole' Hawaii, everyone needs some of that.
Check out the random posts from our trip, sorry it's not more extensive, but hey.. we were having a good time.
This is how most of the mornings started:
Then quickly following with this wonderful drink;
Other tricks happen! The shredding has officially started !
East Coast Rep - Rb and Bert!
Looks like good weather for skating. Tampa Am here we come!
We have come to a final post, and this is where we just let it all hang out. This was a great trip, and I have learned alot about Aussies.
Andrew Mapstone had a next level pushup he was doing.
All quite Aussy, aint they?
Shane Azar miscalculated some stuff.
The proof is all there.
This is the second installment of our trip to the bay area with Volcom and Red Bull crew.
It will be quick and brief, but I think you will grasp the trip nicely.
Some sessions were craze, some weren't.
What you don't see is underneath all that ice, is a Party Pack go to the first post and read what a party pack was!
Necessities for any session. They called sunglasses = "Sunnies" - That's goofy.
If you didn't know, Australians drive on the other side of the road there.. so the parking was always perfect, if you couldn't tell by the photo below.
Shane did everything. Skate, film, fill up the gas, he team managed a bunch, even finished my beer, if wasn't able to.
Last week Volcom and a couple Red Bull Australians Kieran Rielly, Jake Duncombe, Joe Pease, Jack Fardell and Shane Azar plus Andrew Mapstone behind the lens have been been in the states on a summer vacation. They have decided to take a 10 day trip up to San Jose, Sacramento and San Francisco. Party on!
Not knowing too many American words, or spots, they have reqrutied me to show them around, blog their lurkings and give the American meanings to their wierd Aussy demeaner.
This is the typical blog post, tons of photos with little quirky captions.. I mean, what does do you want.
Do you wanna know the top three things they said.
1. "Next try for a Party Pack" (the Smirnoff Ice Party 12 pack of booze)
2. "You Dog!" (their version of pointing someone out, like "It was you!")
3. "Ohh geeze, who was it!" (when someone farted)
For the Volcom posts to the trip, click here. Otherwise we will start fresh..
We make a must stop at In and Out.. The decisions people have to make sometimes:
IF you didnt know, this is Andrew Mapstone, probably the most healthiest photographer in the skateboarding world.. So he naps frequently, and eats the same.
See, we have decisions almost hourly. Azar in full thought.
The Formula 1 championship challenging race team decided to make full use of their state-of-the-art facilities after Kris Vile, a Red Bull sponsored skater, was given a guided tour a few months ago. He earmarked the Race Bays at the factory, the area where the mechanics painstakingly work on the cars in between races, as his dream place to skate.
Yesterday, within minutes of their arrival, the five skaters were already creating some outrageous tricks. Much to their surprise, Red Bull Racing bravely offered them access to three F1 cars to incorporate into their tricks and set as an iconic backdrop.
After a few hours of solid skating, Kris decided it was time to push the limits and announced he would like to jump one of the F1 cars. After a couple of dummy runs and a nervous nod from Red Bull, the young Brit was ready to go. Picking up an immense amount of speed in his approach, Kris took to the air and flew over the powerful machine landing perfectly on the other side. Not one to miss an opportunity he was soon requesting another turn, this time to get 'more air'. Red Bull took little persuasion and sure enough the second jump was even bigger.
Kris, one of the leading British skaters, comments: "As soon as I saw the floor here at Red Bull Racing I knew I had to skate it but I never thought I'd ever get the chance. This has definitely been a day I will never forget. Jumping the F1 car was definitely the icing on the cake. The first was amazing but for me the second jump is the one I'll always remember."
Other skaters were:
1. Mikey Wright
2. Joe Moore
3. Sean Smith
4. Rodney Clarke
RED BULL OPENED UP THE NOTORIOUS FED FOUR STAIR SET IN MINNEAPOLIS TO LOCAL SKATERS.
Minneapolis, MN: August 2nd, 2009 - Tonight more than 600 people witnessed local Midwest skaters slaughter the ?Fed Four Stair Set during Red Bull Bailout, a massive 5 feet high and 12 feet long set of stairs behind the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Building. A skate spot often patrolled heavily by the police, only 3 tricks have ever been landed here.
After 12 broken skateboards and a slew of new tricks landed, 22 year-old Aaron Christensen from Minneapolis took the top prize with a backside 360 Ollie."I'm new to the whole contest thing. I never won anything, and I for sure never did a backside 360° down any set of stairs", said Christensen after the results were announced.
Second place going to Dan Coe of St. Paul with a backside kickflip and third place going to C.J. Tamborino with a switch frontside kickflip Red Bull Bailout was a two hour long best trick jam, with local skaters taking their turn to show the crowd what they can stomp down the gigantic set of four stairs. Judged by local skaters Chad Benson, Dennis Burdick and Jud Prosinski, and they would all agree it takes some confidence to jump down the Fed Four, let alone jump down backwards into a 360 like Christensen did with so much style.
"I remember coming to the Fed Four as a kid and being blown away by the size. I always wanted to host a competition so everyone could skate this spot freely", said Dennis Burdick of Cal Surf, who approached Red Bull with the event idea in 2008.
Sixty-eight skaters from Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota competed in Red Bull Bailout. All the Twin Cities best skaters were out. "This contest was new and fresh, and brought the entire Minneapolis skate scene together for one hell of a night, which doesn't happen enough", said Cal Surf owner Scott Oreschick.
For more photos click here:
This last weekend was the Am Getting Paid contest in wonderful Montreal Canada, where the woman are beautiful, the weather was warm and the skating was off the freaking charts.
I flew in a couple days early to hang out and see some of the city. Enjoy life, if you will. One of the things I enjoyed about Montreal is the public transportation. They have something called Bixi, where it was rental by the hour bikes! Soo sick!
Regardless, Red Bull Rider Ryan Decenzo was already up there, and happened to have his 23rd birthday while I was in town! Lucky me. We ate some poutine, had some shots, ya know.. the canadian usual.
Starting about thursday the skaters started flowing in. We had everyone from everywhere. Vancouver locs, the Zoo am crew flew in, the Montreal homies already in town, showed us all around, and we ripped around until the contest started.
Lil Kieran Riely from Austrailia, was shredding through the course, with gap to bs smith's on the double kinker, man that Aussy is good. Plus other Red Bull'er Ron Deily made the semi's with some hippie skating that was smoother then ever.
The finals were a barrage of insane skating during the finals.. I mean its all right here in the footage. Not to mention the night life, with Souls of Mischief playing at the official "Am Getting Laid" party. Either way, things were going off.
Magnus Hanson ended up on top, with a winning and just destructive skating.
Manny Santiago right behind Magpie, with some amazing bigspin boards and craz.
Then Micky Papa (above) just flawlessly landed everything in the world for a close 3rd place.
Check out all the photos from the trip below, plus check the Am Getting Paid site, for hella video updates. Thanks to Zoo York, and Am Getting Paid dudes, for hooking it up and showing us a great time.
Extra Video Clips from SBC Canada
Elwood Clothing was involved in a wonderful event at Penisula High School called "Relay for Life" which was a Cancer Benifit Fundraiser! Elwood and a couple of their riders hungout with the kids and skated around and just had a good time.
It's always nice to see skateboarding giving back to the community and just being with the kids. Here are some photos from the event, plus some video of course!
Check out Elwood Clothing's site for other photos from the event.
To view who is skating in this video below - Click here
Now time for the insane Photo Gallery Blog-ish.
- HERE'S KENNY ANDERSON, the caption of Elwood Clothing, and looking mighty Asian here
