Ryan Decenzo won the Dew Tour Championships in Las Vegas to earn his first ever overall Dew Cup. One event after earning his first major contest victory Decenzo made it two in a row.

Decenzo came into the Dew Tour Championships ranked first overall and a win in Vegas guaranteed him the Dew Cup. His nollie backside heelflip down the stairs was just one in a list of solid tricks that earned him the win and the Dew Cup. He finished with a score of 90.28.

"The first time I ever competed on the Dew Tour it was obviously a dream and a goal to make it to this point, and I did, so I'm super proud of myself," Ryan said.



Last year's Gatorade Free Flow Tour winner Alec Majerus advanced to the final jam. With a frontside feeble on the rail, frontside noseblunt slide and smooth style, it earned him his first Dew Tour podium with a score of 85.13 and a second-place-finish. The 16-year-old from Minnesota has made it into every final this season.

Greg Lutzka's 270 to switch front blunt and a frontside flip to flat, was enough to finish third with 84.25


DEW TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS SEASON 2011
1 Ryan Decenzo 90.28
2 Alec Majerus 85.13
3 Greg Lutzka 84.25
4 Scott Decenzo 84.08
5 Brendon Villanueva 80.93
6 Danilo Do Rosario 80.13
7 Mario Saenz 78.50
8 Paul Rodriguez 77.75
9 Manny Santiago 75.70
10 Adam Dyet 75.25

Overall Dew Cup Standings
1. Ryan Decenzo
2. Paul Rodriguez
3. Greg Lutzka
4. Alec Majerus
5. Danilo do Rosario

The first-ever Maloof Money Cup in Washington, D.C. is set for an exiting Labor Day weekend. On the line is a spot on the Maloof All Pros team, which was started by Joe Maloof this year to recognize the top skateboarders in the world, and send them to the Maloof Money Cup World Championships in Kimberley, South Africa at the end of September.

The custom built street course is inspired by Freedom Plaza as well as the architecture up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. The DC skate park marks the second world-class skate park that the Maloofs have built and left behind for the community.

The MMC will utilize the head-to-head jam format that was first introduced at MMC New York in June. The new format is designed to encourage the hardest tricks in a fast-paced, energized environment that is closest to real street skateboarding.

Due to the skater friendly nature of the contest plus the the Money Cup D.C . will attract a diverse field of skaters including the reigning NYC winner Greg Lutzka, Andrew Reynolds, Geoff Rowley.



For the second consecutive MMC vitaminwater will be giving the grom's a shot at stardom with the vitaminwater AM Invitational. The top AM's including Louie Lopez, Sebo Walker and Curran Caples will be on hand battling it out in D.C.

Vitaminwater will also be giving 2 local groms the opportunity to compete in the invitational against their idols by winning the "Golden Ticket." Similar to what they did in NYC over 30 local amateur skaters competed for two spots to skate with their idols.

Here's the complete roster of skaters confirmed for the MMC D.C.

MMC D.C. Pro Roster
Adam Dyet
Alex Olson
Andrew Reynolds
Anthony Schultz
Anthony Shetler
Bastien Salabanzi
Bobby Worrest
Brandon Westgate
Brian "Slash" Hansen
Bryan Herman
Caswell Berry
Chima Ferguson
Chris Pfanner
Chris Troy
Collin Provost
Corey Duffel
Danny Cerezini
Darrell Stanton
Darren Harper
Dennis Busenitz
Dustin Dollin
Eli Reed
Garrett Hill
Geoff Rowley
Greg Lutzka
Jack Curtin
Jake Duncombe
Jimmy Carlin
Johnny Layton
Jordan Hoffart
Justin Brock
Justin Figueroa
Keegan Sauder
Lizard King
Manny Santiago
Matt Miller
Mike Anderson
Nick Merlino
Pete Eldridge
Ryan Decenzo
Ryan Gallant
Shuriken Shannon
Sierra Fellers
Silas Baxter-Neal
Stefan Janoski
Theotis Beasley
Tom Asta
Tony Trujillo
Vincent Alvarez

vitaminwater Invitational Roster

Alec Majerus
Andrew Langi
Ben Hatchell
Brodie Penrod
Cody Davis
Curren Caples
Daniel Lutheran
David Loy
David Reyes
Davis Torgerson
Evan Smith
Filipe Ortiz
Ishod Wair
Kevin Romar
Kyle Walker
Louie Lopez
Luis Tolentino
Matt Berger
Morgan Smith
Neen Williams
Scott Decenzo
Sebo Walker
Trevor Colden

Street League Skateboarding has announced the 2011 League schedule and locations for it's second year. Founded by Rob Dyrdek the 20-year professional skateboarder and entrepreneur, Street League was a success in it's inaugural season effectively launching a new way of judging skateboarding by using live scoring to determine the winner. The new system made for more exciting finishes and better live television.

The season kicks off May 7th in Seattle culminating in the Street League championships in New Jersey on August 28th.

Two changes to the 2011 series immediately stand out; the championship prize purse is being raised from $150,000 to $200,000, and unlike last year, the competitors will no longer be allowed to compete in other events like the Dew Tour or the Maloof Money Cup. They will, however, be allowed to compete in the Tampa Pro and the X Games, the two Street League sanctioned events.

The 200k makes Street League the richest first place prize purse in skateboarding history, but will it be enough to get the worlds best skaters to sign an exclusive contract?

A couple of situations will play out if indeed this is the case; the best 24 competition skaters like P Rod, Chaz Ortiz, Nyjah Huston, Greg Lutzka, and Ryan Sheckler will battle it out for the $200k while also making X Games Skate Street a contest worth watching.

The rest of the skateboarding world will get their opportunity to compete for the prize money from the remaining street contests. The Dew Tour could become irrelevant fast unless they figure out a way to make it worth the top remaining skaters time to compete. The Maloof Money Cup is no walk in the park either, there's plenty of money up for grabs which will be sure to bring out skateboardings favorite skaters that don't normally compete in contest.

The most interesting fallout from the new contract rule will be which side the skaters choose. For some the decision is already made, for others it may be more difficult, but no one will have a tougher time deciding than Chris Cole. Chris has made a great living just by winning the Maloof Money Cups, but also has history with Street League and the X Games.

One things for sure, the Maloofs will attempt to help influence his decision one war or another, and Street League threw the first punch by launching their new announcement with a shot of Cole from last year.

In any of these situation the winner will be the fans, so lets sit back and see how this all plays out.



Stop 1: May 7 - 8th Key Arena, Seattle WA (Sunday Finals 4-6pm EST on ESPN)
Stop 2: June 11-12th Sprint Center, Kansas City MO (Sunday Finals 4-6pm EST on ESPN2)
Stop 3: July 16- 17th Jobing.com Arena, Glendale AZ (Sunday Finals 5-7pm EST on ESPN2)
Championship: August 28th Prudential Center, Newark NJ (5-7pm EST on ESPN2)

Skate League official series information

Greg Lutzka has the overall ratings lead in Dew Tour Park going into the last stop at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas, NV. If he takes it this year it will be his first Dew Tour Championship, and he has been gunning for the title ever since his victory at the season opener in Boston. Along the way he has grabbed two seconds, which have set him nicely atop the tour with an overall score of 280.

As I type this he's at dinner, already in Vegas, so here's a little dinner texting with Lutzka (I have a Droid so I'll type it just how it appears):

Me: So first overall going into the last stop. How are you feeling?

Lutzka: I'm feeling good and supper stoked to be in the running for the Dew Cup. It will be a dream come true to win it this year.

Me: Do you like the overall system this year with the points for each place being upped at the final stop?

Lutzka: Well, it's looking like I will have to take 1st or 2nd to win and that's my focus right now and not much else.

Me: How about the actual contest format?

Lutzka: The format of the contest is cool with one run and then a jam session.

Me: Is it harder to focus at contest in Vegas because of all the distractions?

Lutzka: Vegas has distractions and it's hard to stay focused, but I'm just trying to stay on point until it's over.

Me: Have you seen the course yet?

Lutzka: Not yet, I just got to the hotel, heard it is going to be off the hook.

Me: How have you been preparing for Dew Tour stops this year?

Lutzka: I have just been training on the streets, not much different, just going out there and doing what I love.

Me: You know I'll be at the after party. How's the after party going to go if you win in Vegas at the Hard Rock?

Lutzka: Haha! I'll be there.

Photo: 270 to noseblunt via Allied.

It all comes down this. The overall Dew Tour Park Championship will be decided this weekend in Las Vegas, NV, a city where dreams are made and nightmares are cubed. A wise man once told me that the more glitter and lights a place has, the more it lacks substance. That may be the case most of the year in this isolated city of sin, but this week the Dew Tour Championships are in town.

Due to a scoring boost at the Championships the overall title in this division is wide open with Greg Lutzka being the favorite to win. All he has to do is win or finish second and he'll have his first Dew Tour Championship. And guess what? This year he has only finished first or second. He's about as consistent as it gets on the Dew Tour, and doesn't seem to be affected by pressure. Plus, he always has "The Lutzka" in his pocket, a front 270 to frontside boardslide and Vegas is guaranteed to see that one come Saturday. If Lutzka can continue his 2010 ways it's his.

Chaz Ortiz, Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez and Bastien Salabanzi are the four others who have a shot, but they are going to need some help from one or two of the other competitors. Help that won't be willingly given out.

In the second place slot going into Vegas is sixteen year-old, Chaz Ortiz. He's sitting in pretty good striking distance since he only needs one person to slip. If Lutzka finishes forth or lower and he wins or gets second he'll have his second title. And if there is a Lutzka slip, Ortiz will more than likely take advantage because as tour event announcer, Dave Duncan, would say, "he's coming in hot." And by "hot" I mean he won the last stop in Salt Lake City, UT and finished second at the Ontario, CA Street League event, with a mental mistake on his last trick being the difference. Not to mention, there isn't a single contender in this that finished ahead of Ortiz at any of the Street League stops. Dew Tour and Street League may be two different formats, but this is still skateboarding.

After Ortiz the hopes dwindle a bit, but there's still a shot. In third place overall this year is Ryan Sheckler. The ex-reality television star is about as competitive as it gets in skateboarding, and will be just itching to win his third Dew Tour Championship. He is however going to need some help from not just one, but two competitors. He needs to win which is always a possibly, and he'll need Lutzka to finish forth or lower, and Ortiz third or lower. From the looks of the course there will be several opportunities to get burly, and Sheckler always looks to go big and that's where he can separate himself from the others. Expect to see more than a few huge kickflip variations from this guy.

Next, sitting in forth, is the 2010 Wendy's Invitational (Dew Tour stop 2) winner Paul Rodriguez (P-Rod). If P-Rod is feeling it, he's almost unbeatable. He just gets into a cruise control like state and will just bombard the judges with all kinds of switch and nollie tricks. Like Sheckler he needs to win, but unlike Sheckler he needs reluctant help from three other competitors. He is going to need Lutzka to finish fifth or lower, Ortiz third or lower and Sheckler second or lower. Not totally out of the picture, but it is asking a lot.

Then there's Bastien Salabanzi, who the skateboarding world is so glad to have back after a bit of a European sabbatical. He first popped up earlier this year at the New York City Maloof, then did every stop of the Dew Tour with another Maloof appearance in between. Salabanzi is a skateboarder's skateboarder. I can remember talking to P-Rod in Boston during the first Dew Tour stop and he asked with the enthusiasm of a fan, "Did you see Bastein's heat? How'd he look?" That's the kind of respect this guy gets. He doesn't have much of a chance, so it's not worth going over what has to happen. I'll put it like this; he needs a plane crash, or an earthquake, or a few Jeremy Rogers-like spur-of-the-moment retirements, but you never know. And how good were his parts in those Flip videos.

There you have it. Everything comes down to Sin City with Greg Lutzka being the only competitor controlling his own destiny. It is Vegas, so I guess we can expect the unexpectable, but if everything goes as it has been we'll have a new Dew Tour Champion in 2010. And if he and a few others falter, it may get wild. We'll see.

Photos:

Greg Lutzka fronside noseblunt via Allied Sports

Chaz Ortiz and Ryan Sheckler via Allied Sports