Some of the best highlights of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour so far have been from the parks of Southern California. This weekend, it returned to the top half of the state for the first time in two years, where the Northern Californian skaters showed they are ready to compete with their SoCal friends. The comp took place at the newly opened Epic Skatepark, designed by Team Pain, with Manteca's Adam Emery taking the win.

Over 35 Junior Jammers kicked it off, skating well beyond their age. James Axline, John Paul Hansen, Seth Gott, Matt Beaton, Jo Jo Roberts, and Gary Lemmons were the six skaters who earned a spot in the Junior Jam finals. JoJo Roberts finished in 3rd place with front and back board slides on the 8 stair rail and a backside 1 on the rush bump. Seth Gott took second as he put on a show over the mini Carlsbad gap. He landed front 180, pop shuv grab, and a kickflip all over the mini replica gap. Matt Beaton took the Junior Jam win with tre flip off the sushi dish, a front feeble on the 8 stair rail, and a front salad on the 8 stair rail.

On the open division the skating was just as intense, with 8 heats of skaters vying for the finals. Sean Blueitt took 5th place in the finals just behind Chris Henderson who took 4th. Chris pulled one of the hardest tricks of the day with a fakie 5-0 on the hubba ledge in the semifinal. 3rd place went to Brian Sawyer who was dropping hammers all day, these included fakie half cab feeble on the 8 stair, big flip boardslide on the 8 rail, and half cab 50 50 on the hubba. Miles Silvas skated so consistent all day to earn himself second place. Miles put down crooked grind on the 8 stair rail, nollie big spin on the mini Carlsbad, kickflip front board on the 8 rail, and a backside flip on the 8 stair.

Adam Emery straight-up killed it all day and turned it up another notch in the finals to get that trip to Salt Lake City. Adam landed nollie tre and a big flip over the mini Carlsbad, a back 1 and hardflip over the 3 block and sealed the deal with a smith grind kickflip out up the small hubba ledge.

He was excited to have another shot at the tour. “I snapped my arm in half at the Free Flow in 2006 at Sunnyvale ... That set me back a bit so it is great to come back from that injury and win this one because Im 18 and this is the last year I can compete.”

Jr Jam Winners:
1st Matt Beaton, 12 – Hilmar, CA
2nd Seth Gott, 12 – Tulare, CA – NA
3rd JoJo Roberts, 12 – Rocklin, CA – NA

Open Division Winners:
1st. Adam Emery, 18 – Manteca, CA
2nd Miles Silva, 13 – Orangevale, CA
3rd Brian Sawyer, 16 – Fontana, CA – NA
4th – Chris Henderson, 17 – Campbell, CA
5th – Sean Blueitt, 14 – Sacramento, CA