The excitement of AMA Arenacross filled the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday night as two-time series champion Josh Demuth, of North Richland Hills, Texas, took the win in his first race for the defending AMA Arenacross Series championship team of Tuf Honda. Michael Willard, of Thornville, Ohio, took the win in AMA Arenacross Lites aboard a Honda.
Josh Demuth is Back
The annual race from Des Moines is a stand-alone race and is not part of the 2009
AMA Arenacross Series.
Demuth, who won on Friday night last year at Wells Fargo Arena, moved up front early and built a comfortable lead over the field. As the 25-lap main event reached the halfway point, Willard, who participated in both classes, began a late-race charge. As the duo came to the white flag, Willard attempted an aggressive pass, but was unable to complete the finish line double, allowing Demuth to hold on for the win.
Nine time world champion Kelly Slater chalked up another victory today at the Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational in Cocoa Beach FL. In its third year, the main purpose of the contest is to raise awareness for skin cancer.
Kelly competed in the invitational the last two years and got second place both times. Heading into the three man finals, Kelly laughingly told the others “Look, i don’t want to break my streak so one of you has to get 1st and one of you has to get 3rd”.
The waves were chest high on the best sets and not all that consistent. The final results really came down to the last wave and with 30 seconds remaining in the heat, Slater paddled into a nice right that enabled him the opportunity to pull three huge turns that earned him the 1st place position and breaking his two year streak—Sorry and Congrats Kelly!
Big thanks to Sean, Skippy, Drew, Mullz, Gordon and the crew and, Kelly too, for letting us film and take pics all weekend long. See you next year!
Kelly Slater is in his home town of Cocoa Beach Florida, competing in the Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational.
Slater won his first heat this morning and will advance to the 3rd round. Judges were awed by his first wave as he pulled in to a 3-second barrel.
“There aren’t any barrels today!!” said competition judge Gordon Lawson.
Proof that Slater can surf anything.
More to come…
