The Maloof Money Cup is the premier showcase for professional skateboarding in 2008. This three-day festival, and WCS sanctioned U.S. Skateboarding Championship, will take place July 11-13, 2008 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California during the opening weekend of the OC Fair. Including three professional U.S. Championship Competitions – Men’s and Women’s Pro Street, and Men’s Pro Vert – and the U.S. Amateur Championships, the Maloof Money Cup boasts the largest purse in the history of professional skateboarding with over $450,000 in prize money, while setting the benchmark at each prize level.

Here is a picture of the 150 thousand dollar course they built that they are going to tear out after the contest is over.

Ryan Sheckler talks about the contest in this video

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Members of the Maloof Money Cup Advisory Committee:

Rob Dyrdek, Professional Skateboarder. A pro street skater since 1991, Dyrdek is star of his own MTV reality TV series, Rob and Big. The Ohio-native, began skateboarding at the age of 11, winning his first competition 24 days later and went on to turn pro by age 16. His success and accolades renewed his philanthropic endeavors, resulting in the formation of the Rob Dyrdek/DC Shoes Skate Plaza Foundation which provides funding and support toward the development of skate plazas, and the longevity of skateboarding culture.

Pierre Luc Gagnon, Professional Skateboarder. Gagnon, from Montreal, Canada, began skating in 1988, and entered his first competition in 1992. A frequent participant in the X-Games, he has 12 medals (three gold, seven silver and two bronze) in the Vert, Vert Doubled, Big Air, and Best Trick categories. He has also been victorious on the Dew Tour and in the Gravity Games.

Jake Brown, Professional Skateboarder. Brown is most famous for what commentators called the “heaviest slam they had ever seen.” Losing his balance on his final run at the Summer X Games 2007 he flew into the air, and fell about 45 feet (15 meters) onto the ramp below, and still garnered the silver medal in the event. The Australian won the silver medal in 2006 at the X Games for the Skateboard Big Air. In 2005 he was voted Vert skater of the year at the Transworld SKATEboarding poll awards show for an amazing and innovative video part in the Blind video What If?.

Don Bostick, Founder & President, World Cup Skateboarding (WCS). Bostick, a first generation skater and former pro was very involved in the 70′s and 80′s Nor Cal Skate scene. He starting organizing skateboard events to promote his skate shop, which led to taking over the reins of the National Skateboard Association from Frank Hawk in 1989. He and his wife, Danielle Bostick started World Cup Skateboarding in 1993 and are now responsible for organizing and sanctioning over 30 professional skateboarding events worldwide. Involvement in these events aided establishment of a World Ranking system for street, vert and bowl skateboarding for men and women. Don is also the Vice President of USA Skateboarding and the International Skateboard Federation. WCS is the sport organizer for the X Games and the AST Dew Tour.

Dave Duncan, Consultant, Dave Duncan Designs. Double D is known on the World Cup tour as ‘The Voice of Skateboarding’, and will be the Master of Ceremonies of the MMC. The Southern California-native now living in Huntington Beach was a sponsored amateur throughout the early 80′s, eventually turning pro in 1987 for the legendary Alva Team. It was in the 80′s that Dave began judging, announcing, building and designing for skateboard competitions. He is the owner of Dave Duncan Designs which designs, builds, advises and oversees the construction of skateboard parks, ramps, street courses and arena competitions worldwide.

Mark Waters, Consumer Events Group Manager, Sole Technology. Mark Waters has been skateboarding since the early seventies, and has worked in the skateboarding industry for 25 years. Currently the head of the events department at Sole Technology, he organizes events such as etnies Goofy Vs. Regular, the éS Game of SKATE, and Emerica’s Wild Ride and Wild in the Streets. His career highlights include stints as senior writer and photographer at Transworld Skateboarding; sales manager, marketing and team manager at TumYeto; and marketing and promotions manager at Sole Technology.

Tickets for the inaugural 2008 Maloof Money Cup are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, by calling (714) 740-2000 or (213) 480-3232, or at the OC Fair & Event Center Box Office at the Pacific Amphitheatre. Ticket prices range from $12.00 to $35.00, which includes OC Fair admission. The official website, www.maloofmoneycup.com, shares the competition experience with a global audience including contests, social networking, video episodes, photos, news stories, and more.

Here is a video add of the Maloof Money Cup

It’s Saturday morning and I find myself once again heading out to Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Airport for another great skate/charity event. Last time, we were there for the Neil Bogart Foundation, this time it was for Shaquille O’Neil’s annual charity fundraiser “SHAQTACULAR”, which raises money for inner city children. We were all happy to be there because it was just another way for us skateboarders to show we can donate our time and skills to a worthy cause.

The girl skate team closed out the last show! Cara-Beth Burnside, Holly Lyons and Mimi Knoop all showed off their skills to the delighted audience. Cara-Beth busted fast grinds, backside airs with a few inverts thrown in. Mimi was throwing down some nice frontside airs and edged out grinds. Holly ripped the backside and frontside airs becoming a crowd favorite, not too mention getting plugs from the Power 106 FM guys! In a quote I heard directly from one of their DJ’s, “Rad skating and hot chicks, does it get any better than that?!” I think that summed up that session right there.

All in all, another successful day of skating all for a great cause! We’d like to thank every skater involved as they completely donated their time and once again showing that skateboarders are always willing to help and give back to the community! Big thanks again to all involved making this a “Shaqtacular” day! Ha. I know that was cheesy…ok, signing off… = Jeff Ferris

Red Bull Vert Ramp