Nissan Velocity Games 2005: Getting Better Every Year

Corpus Christi, Texas--The Velocity Games converged on Magee Beach this Memorial Day Weekend. Many of the world’s top professional skateboarders, kiteboarders and windsurfers traveled from around the world to compete for over $50,000 in cash and prizes. This year's games brought in major title sponsors such as Nissan, Budweiser, Coca Cola, Clear Channel, Time Warner Telecom, Quiksilver, Hurley, Volcom, Element Skateboards, Osiris, Dakine, Reef, Benjamin, Omni Hotels, Hooters, Zero Gravity Kiteboarding, Best Kiteboarding, Wipika Kiteboarding,7 Kiteboarding, US Kiteboard Pro Tour and The Kiteboarder Magazine, along with a slew of local supporters.

In its third year, the Velocity Games has built a reputation for having one of the best prize tournaments in the business. The newly formed board of directors comprised of local business owners helped to make this year’s event bigger than ever and drew national media such as Clear Channel, FOX 54321 and UPN to catch the action.

This year’s event was blessed with plenty of sunshine and crowd participation, estimated at 50,000 over the four-day period. Magee Park was literally transformed into an action sports village filled with a 68-foot mini-ramp, climbing walls, a competition trampoline and a live sound stage that hosted several local and nationally recognized bands. The kiteboarding and windsurfing venue was only steps away on the adjacent beach, blending the best of both water and land action sports.

Sk8board Competition

The skateboard competition brought in high profile names such as Omar Hassan, Brent Atchley, Dallas Rockvam, John Komer and Dylan Rieder. The Texas sk8 community rallied to the cause and hooted and hollered for five days straight which helped push the riders to throw down their sickest tricks. The competition featured an Old Skool discipline which challenged the riders to compete on vintage skateboards. Quiksilver’s Omar Hassan of Costa Mesa, California won the Open Sk8board jam and $5000 by edging out Chris Lehman of Tampa, Florida by 3/10 of a point. Out of 35 contestants, this year’s games lured in the strongest competitive field to date, with 80% pros or sponsored amateurs.

Kiteboarding Competition

The kiteboarding competition added a new Boarder Cross discipline. Competitors were challenged to race on a slalom course that included buoys to jump over and strategic upwind tacks. Mother Nature cooperated three out of the five days and delivered 15-20 knot winds. Sunday’s Expression Session final was stopped short when a Texas squall came rolling through at the end of the day. Over a thousand people watched world class kiteboarders Sky Solbach, Clinton Bolton, Andy Hurdman, Adam Koch, Shannon Best and Jon Modica battle it out in the Men’s freestyle final. Best Kiteboarding’s Clinton Bolton’s incredible kite loops barely edged out North Kiteboarding’s Sky Solbach for the win.

The Boarder Cross competition was an interesting new concept. Naish Kiteboarding’s Adam Koch blazed the course in the final, but lost his board on his last tack. Sky Solbach was able to edge him out at the last moment and claim the win. 15- year-old Morgan Skiperdene from the Dominican Republic came out of the woodwork and won both the Women’s freestyle and Boarder Cross disciplines winning $2,500. The fun factor of this year’s kiteboarding competition was at an all time high and dozens of new faces came on the scene to stake their claim.

FINAL RESULTS

Velocity Open Sk8board jam Final Results
1) Omar Hassan-- Costa Mesa, California --90.0 --- $5000
2) Chris Lehman-- Tampa, Florida--89.7 --- $4000
3) Jon Comer-- Dallas, Tx--86.6 ---$3000
4) Jason Womack--Houston, Tx --- 86.3 -- $2000
5) Chaz Pinada-- Houston, Tx---85.9 --$1000
6) Brian Rogers -- Corpus Christi --85.0
7) Robby Booker -- Dallas Texas -- 84.1
8) Jason Schmale -- Austin, Texas -- 83.5
9) Bryan Botelho--Corpus Christi -- 82.0
10) Cory Thornhill-- Austin Texas -- 80.5
10) John Glaze -- Austin texas-- 80.5

Old Skool Board Contest
Winner: Cory Thornhill, Austin

Best Old Skool Trick
Winner: John Glaze, Austin

In addition to the main even results, other division winners included:

12-under
1) Taylor Howard, Corpus Christi
2) Raney Beres, San Antonio
3) Kyle Pressley, corpus christi

17-13
1) Heath Cherryhomes, Houston
2) Sean Green, Dallas
3) Cody McIntyre, Portland

JUNIOR SUPER HEAT (on the Main event ramp, judged by main event judges)
1) Raney Beres, San Antonio
2) Heath Cherryhomes, HOUSTON
3) Sean Green, Dallas, Texas
4) Alex Padgett, Corpus Christi, Texas
5) Taylor Howard, Corpus Christi, Texas

Kiteboarding Competition Final Results

Outlaw Men - Expression Session
1) Kent Graninger - $500 & DaKine product (California, Cabrinha)
2) Ben Kleppe - $300 & DaKine Product (Florida, Slingshot)
3) Scott Cox - $150 & DaKine Product (California, Cabrinha)

Pro Women - Expression Session
1) Morgan Skipperdene - $1,000 (North Carolina, Airush)
2) Julie Simsar - $500 (Puerto Rico, Flexifoil)
3) Bri Chmel - $250 (California, RRD)
4) Gail Zacaii - $150 (Oregon, Wipika)

Pro Men - Expression Session
1) Clinton Bolton - $1,000 (South Africa, Best)
2) Sky Solbach - $500 (Bon Aire, North)
3) Andy Hurdamna - $250 (Florida, Best)
4) Shannon Best - (Florida, Best)
5) Adam Koch - (California, Naish)
6) John Modica - (Florida, Cabrinha)

*****BOARDER CROSS*****

Outlaw Men - Boarder Cross
1) Scott Cox - $500 (California, Cabrinha)
2) Kent Graninger - $300 (California, Cabrinha)
3) Ben Kleppe - $200 (Florida, Slingshot)
4) Jeff Nelson - $100 (Florida, North)
5) Jay Stebbins - $50 (Conneticut, Best)

Pro Women - Boarder Cross
1) Morgan Skipperdene - $1,500 (North Carolina, Airush)
2) Julie Simsar - $1000 (Puerto Rico, Flexifoil)
3) Bri Chmel - $750 (California, RRD)
4) Gail Zacaii - $300 (Oregon, Wipika)

Pro Men - Boarder Cross
1) Sky Solbach - $1,500 (Bon Aire, North)
2) Adam Koch - $1,000 (California, Naish)
3) Mike Danish - $750 (TEXAS, North)
4) Shannon Best - $500 (Florida, Best)
5) Clinton Bolton - $250 (South Africa, Best)
6) Denver Coon - $200 (Hawaii, RRD)
7) Andy Hurdman - $150 (Florida, Best)
8) Brad Lange - $100 - (Florida, Best)

Winsurfing Competition Final Results

18th US Open Windsurfing Results
1) Formula Men ISV1 Boulon Devon
2) Formula Men Master AUS7 McGain Phil
3) Formula Grand Master S3 Sylvester Steve
4) Formula Men Master ML Zajicek Mike
5) Formula Men Master USVYV Percey Mike
6) Formula Men US1166 Ernst Jon Jay
7) Formula Men OR8 Beaman Doug
8) Formula Men Master TX1 Guy Miller
9) Formula Men Master NM0 Ritchey Barry
10) Formula Men Master US111 Bernau Alan
11) Formula Grand Master US900 Merten Ken
12) Formula Men Master ISV2 Porter Mike
13) Formula Grand Master US56 Allen Charles
14) Formula Grand Master K1 Antrobus Nick
15) Formula Men US6 John Bright
16) Formula Men Master JV1 Van Savage John
17) Formula Men A57 DeCabrera Alberto

1) S Formula Sport UK1 Rolls Darren
2) S Formula Sport US7 McComb Terry
3) S Formula Sport TX9 England Trey
4) S Formula Sport 1TX Blann Michael
5) S Formula Sport US53 McCord Robert
6) S Formula Sport USA21 Olinger Lynn
7) S Formula Sport US351 Sutherland Ted
8) S Formula Sport TM100 Marvin Tim
9) S Formula Sport USA3 Hall Farrah
10) S Formula Sport IF1 Shepherd Brian

For more information on the Velocity Games, check out www.velocitygames.us. Thanks to the City of Corpus for hosting this incredible Memorial Day Weekend event and all the sponsors this year: Nissan, Budweiser, Coca Cola, Clear Channel, Time Warner Telecom, Quiksilver, Hurley, Volcom, Element Skateboards, Osiris, Dakine, Reef, Benjamin, Omni Hotels, Hooters, Banana Boat, Zero Gravity Kiteboarding, Best Kiteboarding, Wipika Kiteboarding 7 kiteboarding, US Kiteboarding Pro Tour and The Kiteboarder Magazine. A special thanks to the local businesses for their support including The Doctor’s Center, Havana Club, 21, Executive Surf Club, Mulligan’s, Epiloc, Texas Ski Ranch, Third Coast Construction, Whataburger, Radiology Associates, Sound Vibrations, Bay Ltd., FYI, HEB, McCleod Creative, Idea Worldwide, Electric Tan and South Coast Church.