2014 Vans Pool Party
Alex Perelson
The Vans Pool Party is definitely my favorite contest in the U.S. Each year, there's always a huge turn out, with amazing skating, friends, food and all-around good times. This year, they switched the format up a little bit and separated the masters into masters and legends divisions, along with adding pro finals. The usual suspects like Bucky Lasek (who was not competing), Pedro Barros and Rune Gliberg were not in the top 10, let alone on the podium. Instead, a new group of skaters rallied for the top spot this year. Here, Alex Perelson blasts a lein in the round. -Brian Shamanski
The Vans Pool Party is definitely my favorite contest in the U.S. Each year, there's always a huge turn out, with amazing skating, friends, food and all-around good times. This year, they switched the format up a little bit and separated the masters into masters and legends divisions, along with adding pro finals. The usual suspects like Bucky Lasek (who was not competing), Pedro Barros and Rune Gliberg were not in the top 10, let alone on the podium. Instead, a new group of skaters rallied for the top spot this year. Here, Alex Perelson blasts a lein in the round. -Brian Shamanski
Brad McClain
Brad McClain came out swinging. He was one of the few that wore no pads throughout the competition and put on quite a show: big ole boneless through the corner.
Brad McClain came out swinging. He was one of the few that wore no pads throughout the competition and put on quite a show: big ole boneless through the corner.
Brian Patch
Brian Patch was crushing the bowl all day. Powerful long grinds, big airs like this tailgrab and many other tricks earned him the number two spot in the masters division.
Brian Patch was crushing the bowl all day. Powerful long grinds, big airs like this tailgrab and many other tricks earned him the number two spot in the masters division.
Bruno Passos
It was cool to watch Bruno skate -- as I usually see him behind the lens. He had these switch crooked grinds on lock. You could tell how happy he was to be there and skating amongst friends and people he films daily. Job well done sir.
It was cool to watch Bruno skate -- as I usually see him behind the lens. He had these switch crooked grinds on lock. You could tell how happy he was to be there and skating amongst friends and people he films daily. Job well done sir.
Steve Caballero
Steve Caballero took a slam early on, but came back and kept skating, and skated well. Here's one of his classic frontside inverts in the round bowl.
Steve Caballero took a slam early on, but came back and kept skating, and skated well. Here's one of his classic frontside inverts in the round bowl.
Darren Navarette
Navs was definitely in the zone. He skated super good in all his runs. I seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time during his runs but did get this nicely tweaked backside air. Congrats on the third place, well deserved.
Navs was definitely in the zone. He skated super good in all his runs. I seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time during his runs but did get this nicely tweaked backside air. Congrats on the third place, well deserved.
Eddie Elguera
He's 51 and still pulling tricks 18-year-old kids can't do. El Gato is a legend without question. 5-0 grind to fakie in the round bowl.
He's 51 and still pulling tricks 18-year-old kids can't do. El Gato is a legend without question. 5-0 grind to fakie in the round bowl.
Jeff Grosso
Grosso is always a crowd pleaser. He battled through some pains and pulled it off quite nicely. I was expecting an invert when I was sitting at this spot but got this proper sweeper. It was great to see him on the podium for the legends.
Grosso is always a crowd pleaser. He battled through some pains and pulled it off quite nicely. I was expecting an invert when I was sitting at this spot but got this proper sweeper. It was great to see him on the podium for the legends.
Josh Rodriguez
Josh Rodriguez gets better every time I see him skate. He's always got a new trick or something he's working on. He had a bunch of crazy tricks that would require a sequence to describe so I went with this smith-vert.
Josh Rodriguez gets better every time I see him skate. He's always got a new trick or something he's working on. He had a bunch of crazy tricks that would require a sequence to describe so I went with this smith-vert.
Pedro Barros
Although Pedro did not make the finals this year, he was still there flying above everyone's head, as displayed in this massive frontside air off the hip into the round bowl.
Although Pedro did not make the finals this year, he was still there flying above everyone's head, as displayed in this massive frontside air off the hip into the round bowl.
Tristan Rennie
Tristan was blowing minds, skating all parts of the bowl and nailing every trick, with a wide variety of them. This was one of the simpler tricks he did that day but still not an easy one, frontside feeble through the corner.
Tristan was blowing minds, skating all parts of the bowl and nailing every trick, with a wide variety of them. This was one of the simpler tricks he did that day but still not an easy one, frontside feeble through the corner.
Podium
Starting top left, going left to right. Masters, Brian Patch (second), Bruno Passos (first) and Darren Navarrette (third). Legends, Jeff Grosso (second), Chris Miller (first) and Christian Hosoi (third). Pros, Corey Juneau (third), Tristan Rennie (first) and Josh Rodriguez (second).
Starting top left, going left to right. Masters, Brian Patch (second), Bruno Passos (first) and Darren Navarrette (third). Legends, Jeff Grosso (second), Chris Miller (first) and Christian Hosoi (third). Pros, Corey Juneau (third), Tristan Rennie (first) and Josh Rodriguez (second).
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