TAMPA, FLÂ -The proving grounds were set on a brand new course at the Skate Park of Tampa. The day, November 2nd would be a day of reckoning on a battlefield where skating soldier skills would be tested. For them, it was an all-out battle in an all-star cast of skate-and-destroy daredevils who could take no prisoners if they would be called king.
Fans and fellow skaters gathered at 4215 Columbus Avenue in Tampa for what would decide “Who’s Who” in Florida skateboarding. The year was hard fought and any of the 56 skaters could have sealed the #1 ranking post for the Harvest Jam, but only one could come home as champion.
The division featured flow riders Niko Howard, Marcus Jalaber, James Cobb, Ish Cepeda, Zion Wright, Joshua Douglas, Jett Eaton, Marcos Montoya, Alejandro Burnell, Anthony Henderson, Jagger Eaton, Nick Wallace, Sam Bellipanni, Chris Noel, Davin Wynkoop, Brennan Campbell, Nick Noel, AJ Dall, Yonis Molina and Chris Jata. But that’s not to say others weren’t so privy to such stature.
It also featured fearless demon Matt Call, who is sponsored by none other than MOM!
Fourteen (14) hot-headed heats of 56 skaters dropped in at the start of the 3 minute jam sessions and tried their dam-nest to earn a place on the podium. It looked like 2X returning winner Tyson Peterson would become king again. Coming off several broken instances of the same ankle, some crowd goers had their doubts. His performance in his heat ranked him at #1 heading into the final jam. He once again locked, loaded and spun the course like a well-oiled machine. Missing here-and-there, it looked like it could go his way. And, if you weren’t watching very closely, you would believe that.
But the bursting blue beam burning up the wooden ramps in true speed and style was from a new era. It was Zion Wright from Jupiter Florida; Nike’s flow skater who was there for business. Unlike many of his previous performances of 2013, Zy was on-target and on time! He landed most everything he took to and stuck trick after trick, nailed rail after rail.
In the end it was easy for the judges to see the light and label Zion Wright as overall Champ of the Sponsored Division at S.P.O.T’s Harvest Jam.
The AM Sponsored finals featured a laundry list of incredible skaters, some who could win it in 2014, but and the 6 that took the podium in the end finished as follows:
- First Place – Zion Wright, Jupiter, FL
- Second Place – Tyson Peterson, Melbourne, FL
- Third Place – Marcus Jalaber, Clearwater, FL
- Fourth Place – Conner Askew, Palm Bay, FL
- Fifth Place – Niko Howard, Atlanta, GA
- Sixth Place – James Cobb, Tampa FL
It was a stellar event and one that every skater on the East Coast should register for to test their skill level, and one to get ready for when setting sights on DamnAm or TampaAM contests.
Check out the vid:
Here’s one of his from the 15 Year Old Skater Divisions
2013-11-2 Tampa Skate Park Contest – Harvest Jam from FLSK8 on Vimeo.