Cole beats Paul Rodriguez to win inaugural Maloof Money Cup New York, pocketing $100K
By APSunday, June 6, 2010
Cole wins Maloof Money Cup New York, earns $100K
NEW YORK — Chris Cole won the inaugural Maloof Money Cup New York street skateboarding competition on Sunday, earning his second $100,000 payday in 11 months.
Cole also won the street competition at the Maloof Money Cup in Costa Mesa, Calif., in July.
He went head-to-head with 2008 Maloof Money Cup champ Paul Rodriguez in the finals to win skateboarding’s largest prize purse.
Hosted by Joe and Gavin Maloof, the brothers who own the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, and presented by Vans, the competition was held at the Maloof Cup skatepark in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
The skatepark was modeled after famous New York skate spots such as the Brooklyn Banks and the Flushing Meadows ledge over the grate.
Cole landed a backside 270 lipslide on the 9-stair rail, a front blunt to fakie and a huge switch 360 flip. Rodriguez landed a switch frontside smith grind on the big rail and a perfect switchflip on the 9-stair rail.
Rodriguez won $40,000, and Torey Pudwill won $25,000 for finishing third among the 12 finalists. Pudwill won the best trick contest on Saturday with a kickflip backside lipslide to backside tailslide on the pyramid ledge, earning him $10,000.
The park will be donated to the city next week.
Originally from Philadelphia, Cole now lives in San Marcos in northern San Diego County.
