$75,000 spin to win
Alex Perelson, an 18-year-old from San Diego, was the talk of the skateboarding community Sunday as he won the $75,000 grand prize in the Maloof Money Cup’s vert championship with a rare trick.
The skater reportedly landed a 900-degree spin — launching into the air off the lip of the ramp and rotating 2 1/2 times before touching back down.
His successful attempt is reportedly only the fourth ever in professional competition.
The tournament, which boasts the most total prize money in all of professional skateboarding at $450,000, finished its second year at the Orange County Fair over the weekend.
It is divided into two main categories: a vert ramp competition, where skaters do tricks by riding up and down the walls of opposing ramps; and a street course that mimics curbs, park benches, staircases and the like.
Chris Cole, 27, of Philadelphia, won the street contest and took home $100,000, the largest prize of the tournament.
Based on his scores, Cole turned in a dominant performance in the competition. His first of three sessions was rewarded with the highest single score of the finals (95.25), while his third performance earned the second-highest score (93.75).
Tommy Sandoval, 23, of Chula Vista, and 14-year-old Nyjah Huston, of Davis, won second and third place in the street competition, taking home $30,000 and $20,000, respectively.
Rounding out the vert field were Pierre-Luc Gagnon, 29, of Montreal, and Brazilian Bob Burnquist in second and third places, winning $25,000 and $15,000, respectively.
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