After a weeklong torrential downpour, the Southern California skies finally cleared on February 27 for the second stop of the Wicked Wahine bowl series: BBQ Sunday at Kelly Bellmar's backyard pool. The setup was gnarly, featuring a 10-foot roll-in, 10.5-foot walls, and 2.5 feet of vert -- a sure step up from the first Wicked Wahine event, held last September in the clover bowl at Glendale, California's Verdugo Skatepark. Contest organizers Tammy Tangalin (Bam Bam) and Liz Brandenburg, the first team to run a series strictly for female bowl skaters, invited some heavy hitters to compete in this round. Cara Beth Burnside, Mimi Knoop, Nicole Zuck, Holly Lyons, and Heidi Kreiss were just a few of the women who showed up to skate the first contest to be hosted at Kelly's in 14 years.

But although the top pros were in attendance, the atmosphere was still like your Uncle Rex's 50th birthday bash. With burgers and dogs on the grill, drinks on ice, and a port-a-potty out front, it seemed like a holiday weekend rather than a skate contest. Heidi lit up b/s and f/s grinds like no tomorrow, in addition to throwing f/s airs. Cara Beth fearlessly boosted b/s and f/s airs over the deathbox, and Mimi doled out her patented flawless b/s inverts. Among the crowd of nearly 200 spectators throughout the day were the legendary faces of John Lucero, Christian Hosoi, and Jeff Grosso. Omar Hassan, Benji Galloway, and Dave Ruel were also out to support the ladies.

When 12-year-old Apryl Woodcock pulls a Miller flip (handplant with backflip rotation) for the first time at Kelly's, it's obvious there's camaraderie between the crowd, the girls, and the deathbox. (Hell, if a pubescent girl has no qualms about stomping that trick in such a gnarly pool...) Keep a look out for the third stop in the series: June 25, 2005, at the Baja Bowl in Mexico.

Final Results
"My Bloody Valentine" Award: Juwels Bauer, bloodied thumb attempting to air the canyon
Best Trick: Cara Beth Burnside, Les Twist, rolled in over coping, feeble to fakie
Highest Air: Cara Beth Burnside
Deathbox Challenge: Heidi Fitzgerald, frontside/backside grind over box
Longest Grind: Mimi Knoop
Most Stylie: Nicole Zuck
Rookie of the year/Skater most improved: Pamela Brodowski