gig of china

It's the usual reunion of old and new skatepunks from the Vancouver area. The skateboarding is getting hotter every year and with the building of more pools and bowls Vancouver skateboarding is devolving back to 70's style. The type of skating that would have made Don Carver JaK (R.I.P) proud. The beginners category had a total of 18 entrants and I watched the tiny grommets carve around tea cup and bath tub popping air and powersliding the park raw. Intermediate skaters showed just as much style and the advanced category slayed with some awesome airtime and the odd invert. Ferris Jak took to the mic and MC'd the show... in the early years there was no amplified microphone so old Ferris would have to yell out the contest wrecking his voice so his friends wouldn't have to listen to him for a few days. It was good to see Ferris back on the mic... he hasn't done it for a few years. Some old Jaks showed Mike Anus, Porridge, Roy, Carlos, Casual, Steve, Emon, Donut, Sid, Kevin, Chris, Jamie and of coarse Slutty to name a few but some where missing this year. The crowd is getting bigger every year and it's the usual group of punks and older punks with kids. Edmonton Div of Jaks, and some Teem Shitty even had a few in attendance! The contest went by quick and only one young dude got taken away in an ambulance.... broken ankle and he was handed the best wipeout prize as he was taken away in a stretcher. The contest ended with a commemorative model of the twin towers made out of empty beer cases with two airplanes stuck in the side burning in flames and skaters took turns airing over the flames. No police and the rain held off till the end.
As the rain started TA's Mom, Alice, rolled up in her van and fed everyone a good meal of banic and salmon. Just like our American friends mourning the loss of many Alice morns the loss of her son TA JaK. She fed us good and I recon it made her happy to see all of TA's Jak brothers.