The Phoenix Am 2005 contest has come and gone through the Arizona desert once again. The Amateurs are hungry - this year the contest filled up in record time! Brian Pino and the good guys from Cowtown Skateshop built some interesting props in addition to the already existing Desert West Skatepark. This years course had a car obstacle, complete with a hubba ledge, two handrails, and a bank to flat gap.

Skaters from all over the U.S., Brazil, Australia etc. represented amateur skateboarders properly. Utah had some serious representatives with Adam Dyet and Lizard King. Adam ended up sweeping both the contest and the best trick contest(hands down), sending him back to SaltLake with a little over $4000 for his efforts. His contest run started off with a kickflip front board down a handrail, then he sped through a backside tailslide in the bowl. After that, Dyet assaulted the parks steep pyramid with an effortless alley-oop nollie half-cab heelflip. Hitting the handrail going back the other way, Adam did a kickflip backtail fakie (accidentally Suski grinding), pulling it perfectly. The grand finale' was his backside noseblunt slide down the other rail. Did I mention that this was the first of three runs? Congrats to Adam and all the other rippers in the finals.

Next came the Best Trick Contest. The format was pretty much a free for all on the center car/rails/hubba obstacle for a half hour. Adam Dyet was ready to go, and nailed his Nollie Cab Heelflip Switch Front Board Fakie perfectly (whew!). Needless to say, this won the Best Trick Contest. Not to say others weren't throwing down. Some honorable mentions go out to Adam's Salt Lake City partner in crime Lizard King. LK launched the box the long way(16 feet) to roof ride on the car! After many high speed bails and slams, The Lizard King finally nailed it - after time. Australia's Gold Coast has produced Jake Duncombe, a skater with not only some of the most versatile solid skills around, but an equally refined flowing red mullet! Business on top - party in the back. Jake definitely got down to business with his FS feebles down the rails, Nollie FS Bigspins off the bank to flat gap, and creative, solid lines around the course. Cheers Mate! Mikey Burton lofted Switch 360 flips off the bank to flat gap with much style. Another SoCal ripper Dallas Rokvam effortlessly glided through a Nollie Bigspin Backlip. For more info and coverage watch for WorldRide's episode featuring video from the contest! For complete results go to www.phoenixam.com/ .

Thanks go out to Cowtown Skateshop, Circa, Bones, Nixon, OGIO, Royal, The Skateboard Mag, Zero, and Zoo York for sponsoring and making possible one of the biggest amateur events in the world. Without these contests, up and coming amateurs would not have a place to demonstrate their skills. See you next year!