Copenhagen Pro 2009 Weekend
Posted on Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Rob
By Rob Meronek
I almost got knocked out while I was sitting in the hotel lobby. Some guy was super pissed that I didn't let his rider in the Pro Contest. The hotel staff tried to calm him down but he just kept on yelling at me. He said, "Just take the $150 and let him enter the Contest!!" If only it were as simple as money...
The full story is after the photos and video footage from our weekend at Copenhagen Pro below. If you were there, thanks for coming.
Rob
"He's pro in my eyes," he replied. That's all the backup he could give me.
He said if I was Danish he would have knocked me out. Then, he accused me of not letting him enter because I was afraid his rider was going to win. At this point, the hotel staff began to come out from behind the front desk to try to calm him down and also let him know he would have to leave with his cigarette. He refused. He then rattled on about how us Americans are coming here and running this pro contest with our noses turned up. He said, "Just take the $150 and let him enter the contest." If only it were as simple as money.
His rider is 19, has never skated a legit am contest, never had a legit video part, and couldn't even show me a board company website with his name on it. The few Brazilians that are in the contest that you've never heard of at least could show a history of entering am events and a website with their board company and name on it as a pro. All this guy could tell me is that he's good and he should be in the contest. That's not only not pro, that's not even am at this point. Everyone who skates on Sunday in Tampa Am is "good" and could win this contest. They're not pro so they're not entering. Why? Because this is a pro contest, not a contest for anyone with a switch flip and $150. Lem Villem is here, he's am and sitting on the sides. Jimmy Chao is here, he's am and sitting on the sides. Both of them kill it but understand they're not pro yet.
Enter a pro contest as a nobody when you're 19 and your skateboard career is over before it starts. Anyone remember Jeff Ward? Who? Exactly. No one does, no one cares. There are many others like him. Unfortunately emotions and other factors sometimes make this tough to break down to people. There's no explaining to this guy that we are trying our best to correct the contest grey area that has emerged here between am and pro status and that we are in fact helping his rider out by not letting him enter Copenhagen Pro. He's more than welcome in AmsterDamn Am or any other Damn Am or Tampa Am contest because he's am. Skate some am contests, get some mag coverage, film a couple banging video parts - all to get your name out there then when your board company turns you pro, you will actually be able to sell skateboards, not have yet another mom and pop company with rotting wood on a skate shop shelf.
Dude left off our conversation saying he would be at the contest telling everyone how much I suck. His loud ranting continued out in front of the hotel. The staff had to call their manager to have him removed. Should be a fun day today. Things get started at 4pm. See you there, my friend. I hope we can have a much more calm discussion this time.
UPDATE: All weekend, I never saw they guy after that encounter in the lobby. After several discussions with everyone involved with the event, we decided we would move on and let him skate it. His rider was the bennihana champ. Oh well, see you next year.
I almost got knocked out while I was sitting in the hotel lobby. Some guy was super pissed that I didn't let his rider in the Pro Contest. The hotel staff tried to calm him down but he just kept on yelling at me. He said, "Just take the $150 and let him enter the Contest!!" If only it were as simple as money...
The full story is after the photos and video footage from our weekend at Copenhagen Pro below. If you were there, thanks for coming.
Rob
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Friday Night in Copenhagen: The Ring of Fire
Every night during Copenhagen Pro at 10pm, the Skatepark turns into a crazy party scene with madness like a jump ramp through a ring of fire and Brazilian techno dancing. I left the party early, but still witnessed plenty of partying Vikings getting loose. Keep the Tuborg away from me.Our Last Couple Days and Nights in Copenhagen
Hung over teenage wastelanders passed out at the Contest, DJ Wade techno dancing, a crazy ass band playing during vert, dance party at the Skatepark, and a beer storm during the awards.It's Not Copenhagen Open, It's Copenhagen Pro
Some dude came and sat down super hot next to me in the lobby just now and said, "Is there a problem!?!?! My rider is not in the contest????" I asked, "Is he pro?""He's pro in my eyes," he replied. That's all the backup he could give me.
He said if I was Danish he would have knocked me out. Then, he accused me of not letting him enter because I was afraid his rider was going to win. At this point, the hotel staff began to come out from behind the front desk to try to calm him down and also let him know he would have to leave with his cigarette. He refused. He then rattled on about how us Americans are coming here and running this pro contest with our noses turned up. He said, "Just take the $150 and let him enter the contest." If only it were as simple as money.
His rider is 19, has never skated a legit am contest, never had a legit video part, and couldn't even show me a board company website with his name on it. The few Brazilians that are in the contest that you've never heard of at least could show a history of entering am events and a website with their board company and name on it as a pro. All this guy could tell me is that he's good and he should be in the contest. That's not only not pro, that's not even am at this point. Everyone who skates on Sunday in Tampa Am is "good" and could win this contest. They're not pro so they're not entering. Why? Because this is a pro contest, not a contest for anyone with a switch flip and $150. Lem Villem is here, he's am and sitting on the sides. Jimmy Chao is here, he's am and sitting on the sides. Both of them kill it but understand they're not pro yet.
Enter a pro contest as a nobody when you're 19 and your skateboard career is over before it starts. Anyone remember Jeff Ward? Who? Exactly. No one does, no one cares. There are many others like him. Unfortunately emotions and other factors sometimes make this tough to break down to people. There's no explaining to this guy that we are trying our best to correct the contest grey area that has emerged here between am and pro status and that we are in fact helping his rider out by not letting him enter Copenhagen Pro. He's more than welcome in AmsterDamn Am or any other Damn Am or Tampa Am contest because he's am. Skate some am contests, get some mag coverage, film a couple banging video parts - all to get your name out there then when your board company turns you pro, you will actually be able to sell skateboards, not have yet another mom and pop company with rotting wood on a skate shop shelf.
Dude left off our conversation saying he would be at the contest telling everyone how much I suck. His loud ranting continued out in front of the hotel. The staff had to call their manager to have him removed. Should be a fun day today. Things get started at 4pm. See you there, my friend. I hope we can have a much more calm discussion this time.
UPDATE: All weekend, I never saw they guy after that encounter in the lobby. After several discussions with everyone involved with the event, we decided we would move on and let him skate it. His rider was the bennihana champ. Oh well, see you next year.
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