Fallen Demo 10-12-06
On Saturday 10-12-06 the Fallen Team came down south to put on a demo with the help of Sun Diego. The course was first rate and set up just underneath the historic Giant Dipper Rollercoaster on the Mission Beach Boardwalk.
Since it was a Sunday, the team took a little time getting organized and out on to the course. This was no problem, because as usual there were 50 local kids all wanting to get a chance to skate while they waited to see some action. Sun Diego obliged them, and let them get almost an hour on the course before the demo began. The minute it was announced that the team was there and ready to skate, the locals scattered off the course in a show of respect.
Though there were 7 skaters scheduled to ride, Josh Harmony was sidelined, with an injury. Tommy Sandoval was out with 13 fresh staples in his leg and Matt Bennet was just plain M.I.A. Jamie had mentioned being hurt too, but you’d never have known watching him skate.
The demo began as team got out and cruised to course to get warm. I wasn’t until Harmony plugged his Ipod into the P.A. and cranked the Sabbath that the energy began to flow. Tony Cervantes got the crowd loosened up with a huge backside air on the 6ft quarter pipe. After that, it was like the floodgates had opened. From there on out it was nothing but pure shredding.
Jamie got out and led by example, making sure to hit every obstacle on the course. Gilbert Crocket, a Fallen flow rider who came out to lend some support, ended up holding his own with the big guns. He stuck mainly to the double set and ledges, but with frontside and backside kickflip nosegrinds and a kickflip backside Smith, no one seemed to mind. Billy Marks made everything look easy as he hit the rail, the double set and even threw a frontside flip over the big bush gap. Tony Cervantes had a broken wrist, but that didn't stop him for taking about ten good stabs at a big flip down the double set. He landed on that cast more than a few time, but he definitely got in his fair share of tricks in. Knowing Jamie was short handed; James Brockman showed up and got in a few for the team
Chris Cole completely annihilated the course with an ease and consistency that I’ve never seem at a demo. Not only did he have trick after trick on the street stuff, but he blasted tuck knee frontside airs and finger flip lien to tails on the big quarter pipe.
About half way through the demo, two kids exchanged a few swings in the parking lot and with in seconds the 80% crowd had shifted to watching the fight. As the fight moved so did the crowd. Jamie went to help break it up and his team followed. The second the riders left the course, every skater who wasn’t watching the fight barged the course and began skating. Now Jamie was working course security as he led all the skaters back off the course so he could get back to work. The whole thing was over in 10 minutes and added a little extra excitement to the day.
After the demo the crew all grabbed a seat and got ready to sign some posters for their fans. Right behind the riders were a few fallen employees handing out t-shirts, sweatshirts and stickers to every kid who showed up. This was a nice break from the old ‘tackle your friend for a deck’ toss-offs that usually end skate demos. After an hour of hanging out we packed up to leave, but the line was still a hundred feet and growing.
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