Things kicked into high gear at the Dew Tour vert ramp on Thursday as Brazils Bob Burnquist smoked the competition and took first, moving into Saturdays Vert Finals. But his win was no easy feat with this being the last Vert Prelim of the 2006 season, many stepped it up to ensure they would advance and it clearly showed throughout the entire two-hour event.

Tas Pappas, Jake Brown, Chris Gentry and Neal Hendrix were just a few of the names who made the elusive 12 spots for the most anticipated Dew Tour Vert event of the year.

Heat 1 saw lethal skating from Tas Pappas with a clean 720, fakie-to-fakie 540s and a 360 kickflip that earned him a solid score of 83.75 and solidified ninth place. North Carolinas Neal Hendrix represented the South with Cab kickflips over the channel, stylie fastplants and FS 5-0s to fakie that were on lockdown, and Floridas Anthony Furlong also came correct with huge madonnas to tail and loads of tech flip tricks including solid Cab heelflips and loads of style that made everyone take notice. Frances Jean Postec also skated hard with 540 tailgrabs, nollie heelflip FS airs and buttery BS lipslides that gave him a solid score of 80.75 and eighth place.

The action continued in Heat 2 with more insanity from the likes of Rune Glifberg with nollie 360s, BS ollies to tailslide at lightning speed and BS lipslides over the channel. Earning fifth place, Rune absolutely unloaded during his second run and it was clear that he came to Orlando on a mission. Not wanting to be upstaged, Bob Burnquist and Bucky Lasek skated last and let everyone know why they are some of Vert skatings elite, with BS one-footed ollies, millions of switch tricks and textbook 540s that put them in first and second place, earning them scores of 89.25 and 85.00 respectively.

With the PlayStation® Pro Vert Finals set for Saturday at 4:30 PM EST, the boys only have roughly 48 hours to prepare for one of the most important contests they will skate all year. With practice sessions scheduled for Friday and Saturday afternoon, they best use their time wisely and mentally prepare themselves for what guarantees to be the most stressful event of the season. Will Bucky pull through and claim his second Dew Cup? Or will Burnquist continue his domination in Orlando and take his second win of the season? Keep it locked to the TD Waterhouse Center and see it all unfold!

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