There was so much that made this year's Pro-Tec Pool Party so rad. For starters, Bucky Lasek (pictured above) finally won. He's a tranny legend, wait that sounds weird. A transition legend, if you're still don't follow, it pretty much means he's one of the best on vert ramps, bowls/pools, concrete parks and pretty much anything that requires using the ramp/bowl to maintain speed and hold a line.

That said, it should be a no-brainer that Lasek is one of the best at the Combi Bowl (the bowl skated in this contest), and has come so close to winning year after year. From the start it seemed this was his year. He just had everything, the technical coping tricks and standard grab airs, and the more progressive inverted stuff that no one can touch. It wasn't even a question of who won. He even hung out at the after-party until the end, and seemed so happy and grateful.

A second highlight of the contest, was seeing two guys that have made skateboarding what it is today, still skating and still killing it. I'm referring to Christian Hosoi and Steve Caballero, both are in their 40s, and probably skate better than you. Then, there's Chris Miller, who wasn't as big of a name as the other two when he was younger, but now is the man when it comes to "old guy skating". He won the Master's division this year for the fifth time.

When thinking of pool skating there's one word that comes to mind more than any other, and that's "gnarly." Big boards, big wheels, over-vert and hard slams make skating something that was intended to be swam in so intense. Speaking of intense, I think Rune Glifberg wins Gnar-Gnar Warrior of the weekend. He took a hard slam days before the comp that gave him a concussion. Word on the street was, he wasn't going to skate the Pool Party this year, a contest he has won three times. There's one thing everyone forgot, Gliberg's from Denmark, and he channeled his inner-viking and slayed his way to third place.

All and all the event went off, and that leaves us with the last bit of news that came out of this contest. There was a rumor going around that it would not be held at The Combi next year. Well, Steve Van Doren, the man in charge of Vans, announced that the Pro-Tec Pool Party will be at the Vans Skatepark at The Block in The Combi bowl next year.

Here's some photos that, just like the one at the top of Bucky, were all taken by MORINformed:


Christian Hosoi was all shakas after a 2nd place finish in the Master's division.


Omar Hasson and his friend, who didn't know you're supposed to look at the camera.


Dave Duncan, one of the founders of the comp and the Combi Bowl.


Danny Kass was there ready to see some daggers.


One of the best young all-around skaters out there, David Loy.


Rune and Bucky set to drop-in.


Geoff Rowley gives a couple of groms some pointers.


The 20th Anniversary cake for everyone's favorite skate shoe, the Vans Half Cab.