 | | | | | | | | | | Sunday
Woke up and went for breakfast at Henry's. I think this was around the time that Grant discovered that pressing B2 on the jukebox plays The Maccarena. After finding this musical jewel, it's all that got played for the rest of the trip. Constantly. Actually, I tell a lie - 'I'm the Scatman', by Scatman John would also make an appearance every now and again.
Got to the Metro Jam and found out that Mike hadn't made the finals, but that he had managed 21st place. Considering that there were 85 pros in this comp, this was a pretty big deal - he beat the whole Kink team (except for Jim C) for Cliff's sake! He was only five places off qualifying for the finals! Mike's a machine! Here's what Grant had to say about his protégé:
Mike did Pretty Heavy proud by shredding the course like the rough northern monkey that he is. The 360 handplant over the spine was just the trick cherry on the top of a week of far much more mayhem than you could imagine. In my opinion his best trick had to be where he floored one of a gang of crazed crackheads who were chasing us down the street in downtown Toronto - that was pretty heavy!
Back to the finals.
As expected, the finals were nuts. Jay Miron later said: 'Thank you all for making it to the Corey Martinez Show' and I think that that just about sums it up. Martinez was doing things that were just plain wrong - 180 gap from the Jersey barrier to manual down the grind box, 450 barspin/wallride thing from the pagoda to the flat bank, barspins and old school no-handers over the jump box to ICE-PICK down the rail - clean as a whistle. I'm not ashamed to say that on several occasions I screamed like a little girl. Martinez finished 2nd.
Gary (Dirt Bros!) Young rode amazingly, came first and, as ever, proved that riding fast is the best style. Huge tricks everywhere, tons of speed, innovative lines and he even mowed down a photographer. Gary was also sporting a beauty of a scab on his face (which was, no doubt, obtained by riding fast). I love the Dirt Bros.
Everyone else rode superbly, but I can't remember all the tricks, so you have to just wait for the videos to see what else went down.
In the Best Trick comp Mike was trying to 50/50 up the rail, to barspin off, to manual, to tailwhip. He actually pulled it in practice, but couldn't quite get it, so the $1,000 was not to be his. Ah, well.
After the street finals, me and Grant went and chilled at the flatland section, which had been a bit of a haven all week. Their music's way better than the street section and the riding was superb. Grant was also psyched that Chase Guin is now riding a BSD chainring. He was trying to talk to the Japanese guys, but communication proved difficult. We both left blethering on about how we should ride more flatland.
When the comp finished, I met back up with Yeti and Grant, who had been piling into a huge bottle of champagne and more than a few beers. I think that it was about this time that I cracked inwardly.
On the way home Mike suddenly pulled over to eye up a rail. Grant pointed out that he had his bike in the car, so he got it out (ahem) and went off to conquer the beast. Let me picture the scene - it's dark, wet, there's snow and ice on the ground. The rail is flat, but slow as hell and has sod all run-up. It's also very long and is kinked in the middle. The last foot has no supports, so it flexes like hell. It took a few attempts, but in the end he pulled it perfectly. It was great, and when he hopped off the end, the bit that wasn't supported went 'DOOIIIIINNNGG!' like a ruler that you hold on a desk and flick. When he got back in the car, I said:
'Do you know what the best thing about that was? It was in the snow! That's ****ing hardcore that is!'
But I was proved wrong by Grant who piped up with:
'Nope - the best thing about that rail was that whilst he was doing it I had a sh** down the side of the steps! I couldn't hold it in any more! Didn't you see me go into the building to get some toilet paper?''
I ended up staying in that night. Grant was in two minds as to whether to go out or not:
'Hmmm
Yes? No? Yes? No? YES! YES! Oh Yeti, I shouldn't go on holiday with you, you're a bad influence on me! Hahahahah!'
Him and Yeti went out until the early hours and I woke up to find Yeti in the bed next to me, snoring loudly, with his hands down his trousers.
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