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The 4th Annual Pat Wachter Bowl Contest

Intro

Saturday

( 1 2 3 4 5 ) Contest Results Sponsors & Links Who is Pat Wachter?

Womens Contest

Once we got back to the contests, it started back up with the womens division. Pat Wachter has always been great about making sure the ladies are represented in every contest he has done. The money might not be much, but he gives them a time to shine and hopefully inspire other young girls and women to get into skateboarding. This year he made sure to reach out to GRO (Girls Riders Organization) to let them know about the contest. Even with the bad weather, many female skaters made the trip to check out and skate in the contest. Brooke Crawford has been tearing it up for a while now over in Georgia, skating much larger bowls, and riding with the "big boys" over there. It showed in her skating! Hanna Chumley put together some nice runs with some coping high frontside airs. Courtney Taylor was on the fence about even entering the contest, but thankfully she did. She has a crazy cool, laid back surfy style and showed it off in the bowl. I think the weather might have been a factor on why more female skaters did not show, so hopefully next year, we will see many more skaters battling it out for top spots.

Hanna Chumley frontside air

Courtney Taylor cruising

Brooke Crawford destroying coping

Brooke Crawford padless frontside air

Brooke Crawford inspires the next generation

Courtney Taylor

GRO girls represent!

Masters Division

� Immediately as the womens contest ended, the Masters division contest got under way. Initially, it was meant for anyone 38 years old or older. However, I think it got changed to 35 after some discussions with the judges and Pat Wachter. The Masters contest was largely a showcase of out-of-state talent. Atlanta and Athens locals made it over from Georgia, and Mike Morrison was representing Tennessee. Alabama was being represented by Mark Eddings and Scott Hughston, both of whom generally enter contests just so they get to skate rather than caring anything about winning, prizes, etc. Many of Alabama's top skaters that I expected to see there were either injured, did not come due to weather, or simply did not feel like being in the contest. Hopefully that changes next year, but in the meantime, these "old" guys were putting it down! Where the younger folks had the flash and flare, the older guys showed the power and experience in their skating that comes with age. Lots of smoking coping in this division!