Looking for video/pictures of the AFA Masters Finals/Manchester, NH 1985 Options

[Waggs85]

Is anyone aware of any video footage of this event. It was held late December in 1985 at the Manchester Armory. Everyone was there, including Mike Dominguez, RL Osborn, Ron Wilkerson, Woody Itson, and many others. It marked a turning point for the AFA by being one of the first truly national events. Some notables at this event included Woody Itson's gold Trick Star, Mike Dominguez riding a Diamond Back, and a couple of huge attempts at a canyon 540 over a wedge ramp that I'll never forget. There were also a few local riders from the Northeast that got to receive a little more recognition from the area, like Dennis Langlais, as well as others.

Here's a pic showing many of the pros, who, at this particular moment may have been getting the run order.
[attachment=9629:Manchest...ro_Group.jpg]

What a great day this was for anyone interested in this sport back then. You can see Mike D. to the far right, helmet freshly spray-painted to cover the Hutch/old sponsors logos. I think that's Fred Blood in the center with RL looking on. Not too sure but I think Eddie Fiola is in the red shirt with the white helmet just left of center.

This was my first competition, and I really had little idea just how significant it was with the exception of all the pros being there. The fact that AFA history was being made never entered my mind. I also got to meet Rick Moliterno that day too. I knew he was a new factory team member for Hutch, but I don't think I had gotten the chance to read about him. He gave me some pointers on getting into a Miami Hopper. Never forgot it. Great guy.

If anyone has any pictures or video from this event, please post. I'm particularly interested in video. It doesn't appear to be out there on the web yet.

Thanks.

[Jeff S]

I have a few AFA contest videos, but unfortunately that isn't among them. I'd love to see that myself.. Woody on the gold Trick Star would be classic.

I'd also love to get a video of the 1987 AFA contest in NJ as that's the only one I was able to make it to.

Jeff

[Waggs85]

Here are some pics of Woody's gold Trick Star from that day.

(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Woody_Itson_Gold2.jpg)


(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Woody_Itson_Gold.jpg)

[Waggs85]

Jeff -> I think I may have come across some of that footage on youtube somewhere. I'll have to take a look around.

Here's Mike Dominguez from that day. I'll never forget the 540 attempt over that kick-ramp. The gap was huge, may six or seven feet. I seem to remember the bike nearly coming down into the crowd alongside the ramp, as he almost grazed the edge of the platform on the way down. Just the most amazing rider. His riding spoke for itself. Crowds would always "rise-up" whenever he rode.

I don't think anyone hit the ramp with so much force, both up and back down. I still remember the pounding that the planks took as they were racked up against the angle-iron frame each time. I think the noise added to it, like pyrotechnics at a rock concert. Just the best to watch. Still remember my folks reaction seeing him for the first time, never seeing a magazine. Oh, it was too funny. It looked a little like this -> (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Manchester_Michael_Dominguez.jpg)

[Waggs85]

I'm pretty sure this is Rick Moliterno. New to the Hutch Team that year and little coverage in the magazines up to that point, he caught me by surprise that day in the practice area. Of course, he would go on from here to dominate ground comps in years to follow. I remember the Hutch he rode, but I can't quite remember those white mags for some reason. Just a great guy. Getting some pretty decent air here to I have to add. I gotta plug his new Standard Bike Co. bike. It has a "trick star tribute" front end on it. A must see.

(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Manchester_Rick_Moliterno.jpg)

[Brett Middaugh]

I have some pictures on my site from that comp.
Right now it's mostly my local buds who went up.
AFA Finals 1985

Side note: That HARO ramp was actually mine! LOL...man that thing was unstable at that comp...

[Waggs85]

Thanks Brett!! Great site. I've actually seen this site before. I was at the Fitchburg comp too! It was the first competition I saw. I can still see the divided hockey rink. I remember it being so packed. It was the first cherry-picker, and Miami-hopper I had ever seen at that point.

Nice work getting that ramp to the comp. It didn't sound easy. It was great seeing things starting to filter out to the east coast.

Some awesome riders from the east coast began to break-out onto the scene around the mid-to late 80's.

You have quite a bit of material there. I haven't read all of it, but I did catch something about a General bicycles team. Nice! Too bad that the overall organization of things started to roll up by the end of the decade. A lot of great talent was out there ready to make there mark, and some were. It seemed by the end of the decade nearly every bicycle maker was designing something for freestyle. If I remember right, General had picked up RL for a time. You may have mentioned it on your site.

Great job with the site!!

Thanks for the pics.

[Waggs85]

Here's a couple of Martin A. Ron Stebbenne is off to the far left, Fred Blood looking on, in this first photo. I'd have to say that Martin is probably a huge contributor to quite a few of the rolling tricks out there today. Just great to watch.

(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Manchester_Fred_Blood_Martin_Aparij.jpg)

(IMG:http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/Waggs85/Manchester_Martin.jpg)

[Waggs85]

I have some pictures on my site from that comp.
Right now it's mostly my local buds who went up.
AFA Finals 1985

Side note: That HARO ramp was actually mine! LOL...man that thing was unstable at that comp...

Brett,

Any chance that the video footage that is mentioned on your site still exists?

[The R]

Top-notch post. Thanks for posting all these pics from this piece of history. Seeing all those riders really takes me back.

I like your first pic with all the guys in the group. When we used to think of all those guys as kids, I think a lot of us thought of them as pro athletes -- most times as rivals separated by teams. I'm not saying some of that didn't exist, but looking at that photo, it looks like all those guys were friends and pretty much liked hanging out together. Yeah, some of them were on this team or that, but from that pic, it doesn't look any different than my local jam circle BITD. Riders having fun. That's what it's about.