Back-to-back-to-back AST Dew Tour champion Ryan Sheckler is back for more in 2008. After stomping his first run in Finals at the Panasonic Open here in Baltimore and dominating in the top-6 Finals Jam Session, Sheckler started off the 2008 AST Dew Tour with a bang and an early lead in the overall standings race for his fourth consecutive Dew Cup championship.

Shecklers friend and fellow competitor Paul P-Rod Rodriguez was right there with him in Finals, finishing in 2nd place and rounding out the top three is Dew Tour rookie, Chaz Ortiz who Sheckler says is his new skate hero.

P-Rod and Chaz are amazing and it feels great to share the day with these guys, says Sheckler. I think that Chaz has the potential to be the next it skater. He has the attitude of a champion, he skates like a champion. He skates like he wants to learn how to do everything thats going on in the skateboard world. I have nothing but good things to say for the kid. I hope he has the most success out of skateboarding.

Ortiz is just 14 years-old, and was last years Free Flow Tour champion. Hes been making an impressive rise through the amateur skateboarding ranks in the last year, and accepted a wildcard slot to compete as a pro on the 2008 AST Dew Tour.

He made his mark early in the Panasonic Open Finals, sticking a stylish frontside feeble grind down the A-frame rail and busted out a nollie big spin 180 to prove he belongs with the big boys. He posted a first run score of 90.0 which launched him ahead of everybody else until Sheckler came along and raised the bar up way up to 94.5.

Sheckler started off huge with a big, floating ollie down an enormous step-down gap designed for the BMX Park competition. He continued his (flawless) run, busting out a backside overcrook grind on the rail, a kickflip to backside lipslide, and ended by kickflipping down a big 4-stair gap to flat in true street skating style.

P-Rod improved on his Run 1 score of 73.75 in Run 2, posting an 88.0 and moving into third spot, followed by Panasonic Open Prelims winner Austen Seaholm, Greg Lutzka, and Chad Bartie.

In Dew Tour Skate Park competition, the top six skaters after Run 2 advance to a seven-minute freeform Finals Jam Session. Dew Tour favorites Ricardo Oliveria, Wagner Ramos, Carlos de Andrade, newcomer Chris Mendes, and two of the many Brazilian skaters on Tour this year - Rodolfo Ramos and Michell Simonetto - missed the cut.

The jam session format suited Sheckler and P-Rod; Rodriguez moved up to grab the number two spot with huge tricks like a switch kickflip down the stair gap, bumping Ortiz down to number three.

Were all friends outside of the Tour, says Rodriguez. It feels good to do well, but it feels even better when you and your friends do well together and you can all go home happy and stoked on how you performed. Its a beautiful thing.

Ortiz could barely contain himself, beaming from the podium from the outcome of his debut pro contest.

Im skating with the best in the world right here on the Dew Tour, and I couldnt ask for anything more, says Ortiz. Pauls one of my good friends and Ive been staying with him when I go out to California, and its an honor to share a podium with him and Ryan. Ryan might be unbeatable, but its great just to be out there skating with him. You have no idea how happy I am to be here.