The 9th Annual DIRTY EAST BMX CONTEST is going down This Weekend November 14th & 15th here at the FLOW SKATEPARK in COLUMBUS, OHIO. Pros go at it on Saturday, Am's on Sunday. This is always a HUGE event with tons of product, cash, and prizes to be had - so don't miss it!! Learn more at ridetheflow.com

More major sponsors added to the already HUGE list of supporters of the 9th annual DIRTY EAST here at the Flow Skatepark in Columbus Ohio. Gatorade, Sunday, and more will join the 20 plus that are already in. The Prize packages look to be epic... November 14 & 15 - learn more at ridetheflow.com - do not miss this comp!

Announcing the 9th Annual DIRTY EAST BMX CONTEST, presented by the Flow, DK Bikes, and Subaru and sponsored by many more, on November 14th & 15th. Pros compete on the 14th, Amateurs on the 15th - be there for both days! Every year gets bigger and more insane at all levels! To compete, cost is $60(Pro's) & $30(Am's) - practice starts at 10AM and the comp starts at 1PM both days. There will be two age groups for AM's; 15 and under and 16+. This is a HUGE event with riders from all over the U.S., CA$H Pro Payouts, Big PRIZES both days, and a GREAT TIME for all - so don't miss it!

Is set for September 4th. Riders from all over will step up and throw down in the Flows immense rhythm section. Pick your lines on 4 different size boxes, 3 different size step-ups and 2 vert walls. Show your flow in the air in - air out berm, hit the spine, spine box, and some rollers and prepare to have your mind blown! Regular entry fee gets you in the door and registered for the Jam. Doors open at 4pm, comp starts at 7pm. After the jam hang out and ride til 11pm! (Rest of the park still open to all during the event) Supported by: S&M Bike Co, Verde, DK Bicycles, and more... Check www.ridetheflow.com for road trip info. or call the Flow at 614.864.1610.

The 2009 Gatorade Free Flow Tour will include a total of 33 skateboarding competitions (five skate vert and 28 skate park) and 20 BMX contests (four BMX vert and 16 BMX park) at 33 parks across the United States. The winners in each of the 53 skate and BMX competitions will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place at the Dew Tour’s Toyota Challenge, September 17-20. Encompassing the “Flow to Pro” theme that is the cornerstone of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the two overall skate and BMX park champions and the two overall skate and BMX vert champions earn a spot to compete against the pros at the final stop of the Dew Tour, the PlayStation® Pro in Orlando, Fla., October 15-18.

Highlighting the 2009 schedule is the stop right here at the Flow Skatepark on August 15th & 16th. Registration for all events is now open at gatoradefreeflowtour.com.

The Dirty East BMX contest is November 15th & 16th. Amateurs compete on the 15th, Pros on the 16th - But be there for both days! Every year gets more insane at all levels! To compete, cost is $25(AM's) & $50(PRO) - practice starts at 10AM and the comp starts at 1PM both days. There will be two age groups for AM's; 15 and under and 16+. This is a HUGE event with riders from EVERYWHERE, CA$H Pro Payouts, Big PRIZES both days, and a GREAT TIME for all - so don't miss it!

The winner of the Free Flow Finals will earn a wildcard spot to compete against the pros at the AST Dew Tour PlayStation Pro in Orlando, FL

FREEFLOWTOUR.COM RIDETHEFLOW.COM

Redbull Team Rider and Nora cup flatlander of the Year Terry Adams will be here Saturday, hanging out and doing some demos, Don’t miss out RebBull will be on hand all day giving out tons of free product.

-RideTheFlow. com

DIRTY EAST 2007!  What an EPIC EVENT!  Thanks to all the fans, competitors (Pro & AM), and to the 29 event sponsors.  Special thanks to Nike 6.0 for the killer Nate Wessel built ramp and for paying all of the Am's fees.  Also special thanks to Scion for the Pro purse. Look for the contest video soon...  You want results?? Go to www.ridetheflow.com and check 'em!!

Plan on gettin to the Flow in Columbus, Ohio this weekend!  It's gonna be sick... Pros & Ams get ur bikes dialed - it's time to throw down!!  Look for a couple of BIG surprises from NIKE 6.0 at the comp.  - See you there!

The 2007 DIRTY EAST Contest is next week Nov. 3 & 4!  As Always the competition will be top shelf - but this year look for a couple of HUGE surprises from one of this years major sponsors, NIKE 6.0.  You won't belive it!!  Ams on Saturday, Pros on Sunday, but you better be there for both!  Check out the flyer on the flow profile right here on Vital BMX...

 Peace.

The 2007 Dirty East contest is November 3rd & 4th. Amateurs compete on the 3rd, Pros on the 4th -To compete, cost is $30(AM's) & $60(PRO) - practice starts at 10AM and the comp starts at 2PM both days. There will be two age groups for AM's; 15 and under and 16+. This is a HUGE event with riders from EVERYWHERE, CA$H Pro Payouts, Big PRIZES both days, and a GREAT TIME for all - so don't miss it!

Also look for a BIG surprise from NIKE 6.0 - one of this years major sponsors!

Check out the Vid of 06 on are Vital Profile! Or RideTheFlow.com for more

The official results are in... The 2007 Flow Skatepark KING OF THE RHYTHM JAM winners are:

1st Place: Rob Armour - Featuring Triple Whip, Off Axis 720 & Tuck Frontie

2nd Place: Kyle Curran - Featuring 360 Double Whip & Flip Whip

3rd Place: Kevin Teets - Featuring every Barspin & Truck Variation you've ever dreamed of!

Keep your eyes open for the vid - it'll be SiCk!

Thanks to all the participants & fans who came out for our InSaNe Rhythm Jam last night! Thanks to Trek of Columbus for the MirraCo demo bikes to ride and to Team Rider Dave Rytell for hanging out with everyone.  Special thanks to DK, System, S&M and to T-Rev for announcing! Standings, Pics and Vids will be posted soon!

Is set for September 21st. Riders from all over will step up and throw down in the Flows immense rhythm section. Pick your lines on 4 different size boxes, 3 different size step-ups and 2 vert walls. Toss in an air in - air out berm, a spine, spine box, and some rollers and prepare to have your mind blown! Regular entry fee gets you in the door and registered for the Jam. Doors open at 4pm, comp starts at 7pm. After the jam hang out and ride til 10pm! (Rest of the park still open to all during the event)
Supported by: DK Bicycles and S&M Bikes.

 For more info visit www.ridetheflow.com

by Mark Losey 

Ask anyone who has ridden The Flow in Columbus, Ohio what they think of the place and you will most likely get a rave review. The Flow is not only huge, it’s packed with interesting and unique ramps that all flow together perfectly. The park even has a perfect spine mini, but there is so much other stuff to ride that you can easily forget that it’s there. We stopped off at The Flow during a Vans road trip this month, and in between sessions, we asked the park’s owners, Craig Billingsly and Shannon Turner, about the park. Who’s idea was it to open the park? It was Craig’s idea. We were working together and one day it all came about. Then all it took was brainstorming for three-and-a-half years to get it together. Craig Billingsly and Shannon Turner  credit: Mark Losey It was a three-and-a-half year process? Yeah, mostly trying to find a place that would let us do it. Over that period we had about five or six other buildings where things had started, but certain city and building issues were in the way. We were ready to give up when we finally found this place. This was sort of a last resort. It was the first place we looked at and was the last place we ended up at. With the liability issues and the kids, nobody wanted that, but these guys were pretty cool about it all.  credit: Mark Losey How long has the park been open? Two years on July 6th. A lot of people say the skatepark business is a tough business to exist in. Do you agree? You’re not going to get rich, that’s for sure. It’s not a money-maker; it’s something you love to be around, and love to do.  credit: Mark Losey Is this the only job you two have? Yes, we’re lucky; we’re one of the busiest skateparks in the country. We definitely don’t make a lot, but we get to ride our bikes every day and we can still pay the bills. Summer is really hard for any skatepark. When we first came here there was only one free, outdoor park in the area, and now there are 15. That means that when the weather is good, there will only be like, five people here. But, we’re lucky to be busy enough during the wintertime to keep us open during the summer. We just opened our bike shop up and that’s helping us tremendously.  credit: Mark Losey The park has a pretty incredible design; who comes up with the lay of the land? Mostly Craig; then we talk it over, hash through it, and see if it’s going to work out. A few other guys help brainstorm, too, and then Craig does the layout. Then everybody critiques it to see if everything’s going to flow right. We had a drawing when we first started but it went through some changes as we built. We used everything in the drawing, but it’s all in different spots. Craig came from riding trails every day, so that’s kind of how he made everything—real fast and flowing. We like to change stuff, too. We’ve only been here for two years and we’ve changed the park up a whole bunch. With trails you change a jump here and there to do stuff, so we’re trying to do the same thing with the park so there’s something new for people to come and see and to keep it fun for everybody. We both ride, so that’s why everything in our park is the way it is. We also have an easier time getting through summer because a lot of riders are traveling through with all of the BMX stuff going on in the area. Chenga and Chenga II in Cleveland and Section 8 in Youngstown are not far away, and we’re only a two-hour drive from Louisville. It’s definitely a dream come true. We’re not making a million dollars, but we’re not busting our ass, unless we’re wrecking on our bikes (laughter). The park may only last for a few years, but we’re going to take it as it goes, enjoy it, and ride it as long as we can. It was built for us, and everyone else is just a bonus. There is a big open spot next to the park. What’s up with that side? Everybody asks, "When are you going to expand?" It’s not even feasible. We only lease half the building, so it would cost twice as much to use the other side, plus the lumber and everything else. There would be no way to make it. Like we said, it’s a struggle as it is now to get by, let alone trying to take on double the rent that we’re paying. The building owners have been trying to lease that side out since we’ve been here. There have been about 20 different things that were going to go in but it never ends up working out. Maybe if a few other parks go under we’ll be able to expand, but it’s certainly not where we’re headed right now.  credit: Mark Losey To check out The Flow for yourself, here is all the contact info you need. www.ridetheflow.com The Flow skatepark is located at: 4252 Groves Rd Columbus, Ohio 43232 Phone: 614-864-1610 E-Mail: ridetheflow@hotmail.com Columbus, Ohio 43232

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The Props Rock n Roll Tour came thru last week on June 29th.  The riding was SICK and the bands... well, the bands rocked!  Be sure to visit the ridebmx.com site and the perspectivesbmx.com site for riding and band pics.  Also - be sure to stop by tomorrow, July 6 for our 6 year anniversary jam.  Sure to be a swell time...

Plan on a session at the flow on Friday July 6th and join us to celebrate the Flow Skateparks 6th Anniversary.  There is going to be a Jam & Bar-B-Que with free eats and drinks while they last.  Over 40,000 squarre feet of the best ramps in the US... 6 years and going strong - See you there!!!

The Flow skatepark is holding registration for its summer BMX Bike and Skateboard camp. Four camp dates will be offered this year beginning June 18 and running through July 20. Come join our top level instructors for a week of extreme fun and learning in what has been voted the number one skatepark in the United States! Boys & Girls ages 8 - 108. Visit the flow at www.ridetheflow.com or call 614.864.1610 for details.

Perspectivesbmx.com and The Flow Skatepark are proud to present the World Video Premier of GOIN' FOR BROKE by Perspectives BMX.

Be at the Flow on Satuday Feb. 24th and ride the night session.  The video premier is free to watch and will show right after the session.

 DON'T MISS THIS EVENT!

More info at www.perspectivesbmx.com or www.ridetheflow.com