Jean-Marc Johannes at Dam Am

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Jean-Marc Johannes at Dam Am

Jean-Marc with a hard flip down seven stairs at Ellis Park

Jean-Marc Johannes at Dam Am

by Jean-Marc Johannes , 15 Aug 2012

Jean-Marc Johannes competed in the Dam Am 2012 contest and threw down tricks which landed him a podium spot. Cleverly thought out through past experience he landed a double backside kickflip and double bigspin kickflip which saw him bring home a top 50 ranking out of 100+ participants. Here is his take on the contest...

The Event took place on the 6th to the 8th of July 2012. A world Top am contest with over 100 of the world’s best ams competing to up their international rank.

This year the contest was a bit different, instead of 3 single heats per skater it was changed to a 3 man jam session with only one run given, so you had to make it count. This happened due to the amount of skaters that were competing.

I put together a run that was a bit different to what I normally do, instead of using a “go to trick” to start off, I saved it for last to make sure my run would have a solid end. I came out with more basic tricks at the start of the run, to rack up and ensure quicker points, because I know from experience that the hardest thing about any contest is landing your first trick. Then towards the end I saved a very consistent trick for the biggest obstacle to get that bonus points.

I was very grateful for the support I was shown by the crowd as well as the Dam am judges, that recognised me from the previous dam am and Maloof Money Cup South Africa.

It came down to the 2nd day of the contest with the best trick section underway. All the skaters that managed to soak up their last energy did whatever they could to throw it down at the best trick section (stairs and handrail).They saved a top ten podium for this section and it was open to all Dam am contestants.

I remembered from last year how difficult this section was for everyone, because all you needed was one trick or combo to get up there, and there were so many skaters going all out to get somewhere.

I stood up there thinking, which flip tricks have I done down stairs. One trick came to mind, but this trick in specific I have never done down stairs especially one as big as this. With the crowd cheering and the heat of the contest picking up I had to just go with my gut feeling on this one. I just thought it was the last day of the contest, everyone was going all out, it was time to give it everything and nail my “best trick”.

Thankfully I landed the trick down the stairs, and ended up being called out on the podium amongst the top ten. The tricks I landed were double backside kickflip and double bigspin kickflip.

I was stoked with the outcome, for my second year in the dam am league I didn’t expect to get far in such a high levelled contest.
I came home with a top 50 ranking out of 100+ of the world’s best ams, as well as some honourable euro cash for my trick in the best trick section, and more contest experience and knowledge than I could have ever asked for.

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