Kings of the ramps

MANILA, Philippines - Not even the relentless Manila sun could keep the faithful away from the near-spectacle dubbed the (second) Thrilla in Manila, a skateboarding event staged within the confines of Bonifacio High Street, the skating nation this side of the high-rise city.

The event had skate fanatics and gawkers descending upon High Street’s closed-off side streets to watch several of the sport’s top personalities make a modest ramp setup look anything but.

Set to pave the way for the first-ever national skate tour in the Philippines entitled “Sari Sari,” Thrilla in Manila presented by Aloha Boardsports, which tirelessly promotes the skate culture throughout the country, brought in several international skating greats as well as young board superstar Louie Lopez to fire up the Taguig crowd.

The morning was reserved for a competition for local skating upstarts, but the late afternoon belonged to the pros, who stepped off hotel shuttle vans to the familiar riffs of ACDC’s Thunderstruck. There were five in this group: four pros and a prodigy, each one showing off signature board moves and ramp mastery.

LOUIE LOPEZ

This 14-year-old skateboard prodigy and future pro from Los Angeles began skating at age six after gaining inspiration watching the world-famous pro-skater Tony Hawk at the X-Games. From a regular stance, Louie Lopez made grinding the rails look as easy as the Project 8 video game. Clearly his fave breakfast of Cookie Crisp was coursing through his veins as he kicked his board mercilessly through a vast array of showmanship. Post-demo, the well-spoken Lopez led the charge to the autograph signing, deftly navigating multiple interviews, hungry ink-seekers and picture snappers. His proud father was traveling along with the tour and looked on proudly.

So far Lopez has garnered sponsors Flip Skateboards, Volcom Clothing, Globe Shoes and Independent Trucks and continues sharing enthusiasm and support with his fellow sportsmen. When asked what it was like to be a superstar, he grins, showing his braces, and SAYS, “I’m not a superstar. The fan support is great and they bring the hype.” He shows the utmost respect for his comrades. “We’re all just friends skating and we want the best for each other.”

CRISTOPHE WILDEGRUBE aka WILLOW

Skate video star Willow (aka Cristoph Wildegrube) waved and smiled for pictures, all the while putting on a seemingly endless display of kick-flips. Hailing from Germany, Willow proved he’s one of the world’s top technical skaters by putting his own classical stamp on a staple move, illustrating a delicate balance of swiftness and precision. It was difficult to keep track of the various maneuvers Willow did because of his seamless style.

MARK APPLEYARD

Legend and skating ambassador Mark Appleyard utilized every square-inch of the setup, forcing rabid fans to overtake an adjacent construction site to gain a better vantage point. Appleyard nailed a few stalls towards the end, keeping the attention of the audience who had now surrounded the event on all sides. The big-bodied Appleyard displayed the nimbleness and agility of a much smaller man, showing the utmost control as he navigated the transfer sections. Appleyard, who has a skate park named after him in the Cayman Islands, also unleashed his backside smith grind, a picturesque move that has been printed in many skating publications.

LUAN DE OLIVIERA

Two-time Tampa Am winner, Brazilian Luan de Oliveira made it quite clear as to why he joined the professional ranks in February of this year, performing impressively in this stop of his first tour since turning pro. He quickly established his presence and set the demo’s tone hitting several frontside heel flips early on. No matter how hard he landed from his airs he was able to ride or stride out of it gracefully, already with his next run on his mind.

DAVID GONZALES

Clad in all black, Columbian daredevil David Gonzales refused to allow physics to abstain his high-flying style. He effortlessly executed countless backside 360 kick flips, showing no fatigue throughout the 75-minute demo. Gonzales maintained the same blistering speed despite taking several spills, which only fueled the viewers’ frenzy, his hair trailing behind him like the tail of a comet, or as if he was being towed from one end to the other by a speedboat.