Thrasher Magazine

In the courtesy shuttle, day one.

My first time to Queens. Seems real tight.

Lined up down the block.

Mike considers starting the day off in a port-o-john.

Guess who's a professional.

J Lay, laying down the hammer first thing.

Pfanner was a wrecking ball all weekend. KF over the H.

He was the first to gap from the top stage into the bank. Luis later did it to fakie and Clint Walker gapped to front board on that rail on the right. Yowza!

Volcom Stone, in frontside grind form.

It's pretty crazy how Lutzka has that 270 nbs thing on lock.

Hardy, hard way to backwards 50-50.

Ramondetta!

TK was there - up on them bars.

Here we go ....

The story of the weekend was Bastien's triumphant return. Big flip front board and then some. Everyone was stoked to see him again.

Angel's first pro board!

Rothmeyer and Mike, about to enter a world of judging pain.

Robin and Jamie, always scouting for talent.

Lance, perpetually embroiled in some sort of bowl discussion.

Must be exhausting.

Liz.

Decenzo - kf to tail.

The ground was mad slippery. Dudes were spinning out more often than not.

It was also about 100 degrees. Cole barfs between heats.

Dustin, however, kept it cool, as is his style.

Here's the controversial portion of the weekend - namely Shane O'Neill's awesome performance, including this switch kf back lip. Somehow, he didn't make the cut. Sorry, dude.

Best Trick was on the manual pad, ledge thing. Media hunkers down behind the flat bar.

It was an impressive display.

End of day one.

Shortly after this fun photo, the man in the cool shades told us he could have us all killed.

Day 2, starting with the ams - Hatchell, looking confident.

Asta and Hardy.

Loy and Walker, tight, tight.

True East, Ron and Luis.

Romar, holding it down for the West Side.

Zoo's Cronan and Seamus.

Burman, shirtless, with Ian.

Sasha showing some of that Canadian rage.

Hunt and Thee-thee.

Curren in an orange medic sandwich.

You can ask the ams to do anything. They're real agreeable. Hatchell, hand plant.

Luis got the eye of the tiger to pull that 180 into the bank.

The Queens crowd (his hometown) really got behind him. I think he got $1000 too.

The am winners. Felipe won and Ishod was fucking it up. Check the videos.

Ishod gets the Erica treatment. He's big time.

There were celebrities everywhere you looked - master lensman, Josh Stewart.

1987 NSA Amateur Champ, Reese Simpson, with some dude.

Stars of rap and catchphrase.

I should have gotten a better photo, but I would've felt stupid running over there with everybody.

Finally, the top twelve.

There's that finger.

Yeah, that's right. Keegan made the fuckin' finals!

Looks like a tough crew.

Breaking down the rules.

'And willy grinds will be worth double points ......'

Paul Rod wasn't nervous at all.

The industry gathered with baited breath.

That's, like, your opinion, man.

Straight to the action.

Right at the buzzer the rain poured down.

It was a nice ending.

In the end, the SOTY took it.

Couldn't have happened to nicer guy. Congrats, Cole. Thanks, everybody.