Lyn-Z Crashin' the Pool Party

The girls are in the house May 16 at the Pro-Tec Pool Party and Lyn-Z will be charging with the best of them. We caught up with the Encinitas local to find out what it takes to skate the Combi Bowl.  

(Photo: Ryan Boyes)

Never going to be as good as the boys? Yeah, were guessing that might be something Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins has heard in her lifetime, but she hasn’t let that stop her from charging hard and staying in the spotlight. Whether winning an X Games gold for vert, filming for the Uniquely Oakley HD movie or dropping the mega ramp (her first drop was when she was 15), Lyn-Z has pretty much proven she can get down, regardless of the haters. –Shanti Sosienski

>  >  >  MORE PHOTOS OF LYN-Z ADAMS HAWKINS  <  <  <

FUEL.TV: How do you compare skating a bowl contest like the Pool Party, to skating a contest like the X Games?
Lyn-Z: Well, it’s a whole different vibe because you get to go there all year. Everyone starts going like two months before the event. So, you start sessioning with everyone, and even if there’s new people in it you get to know them because everyone’s practicing together. Then when it comes time for the event everyone’s cheering each other on, and you know what people have been working on, and when they land a trick or a line or something then everyone’s stoked for each other. Because they know how hard people worked on that.

FUEL.TV: How do you approach your run in something as gnarly and with as many line choices as the Combi Bowl?
Lyn-Z: Oh, I don’t know, I’m still so lost. I’ve gone up there, like, a handful of times this year. Every year it’s like relearning ‘cause it’s so hard to skate.

FUEL.TV: Who did you look up to when you were a kid skating and how about now?
Lyn-Z: I looked up to Cara-Beth Burnside and Jen O’Brien a lot because they set a good example for me. They always took me skating and took me under their wing. For the guys, man, the list goes on and on. Bucky Lasek always was rad, and Bob Burnquist, Buster Halterman. The three B’s they were always my favorites.

(Photo: Zach Hooper)

   
FUEL.TV: It looks like there are a lot of girls in the event this year. Which other girls are pushing you?
Lyn-Z: There are definitely a lot of girls, even a lot of the guys have been saying “Man, there’s more girls than guys skating this season.” There’s a lot of young girls coming up, which is rad to see. Definitely Julie Kindstrand, she skates that thing like every day. She definitely has some sick lines and she’ll be one to watch.

FUEL.TV: Who else are you looking forward to seeing, both on the guy’s and the girl’s sides?

Lyn-Z: I’m looking forward to skating with CB again since she missed last year. As far as guys, Chris Miller, who doesn’t want to see him skate?

FUEL.TV: You think anybody can take him out in the Masters division?
Lyn-Z: No. Definitely not.

FUEL.TV: You were the first girl to skate the Mega Ramp—how do you sack up for this?
Lyn-Z: I don’t even know, the first time I did it I was 15. The first time I saw it I was like, “Oh wow, I wanna do that one day.” I just set out to do it. Then I got to skate Bob’s last year and I just knew I wanted to do it and I knew that I could so I just went for it. It’s really scary but it’s also one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. It’s such an adrenaline rush and it’s so different from anything else that I’ve ever skated.

                                                                                                         (Photo: Ashley Barker)

FUEL.TV: How do you compare hitting a Mega Ramp to putting together a run in the Combi Bowl?
Lyn-Z: They’re both pretty stressful. Anticipating going down the roll-in and waiting to hit the take-off, then landing and coming into the quarterpipe. With the Combi, it’s just throwing you all over the place. Sometimes you don’t even know where you’re going. There are so many things you can do. They’re equally as stressful, but in different ways.

 

(Photo: Bryce Kanights)

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