Heath Kirchart #12.

Cowboy hat.

Mind Field would feature the last part of entirely new footage from Heath. Coincidentally, his efforts were also the last part in the video. He retired from the pro ranks in 2010. In rewatching the section yesterday evening, I got the feeling he knew he was done and went all out. There are the expected big rails and gaps, but there are other tricks you wouldn't associate with Heath. He does huge frontside and backside 360 flyouts at a skatepark, a frontside noseslide on a handrail, a 180 to fakie 50-50 on a rail, and double flips a picnic table in a schoolyard. Those were all a little out of the ordinary. He does a few opposite footed bangers, with a switch kickflip over a rail and a switch kickflip to boardslide down a rail. Heath adds some ledge lines at the same spots the other guys on the team were skating and even has an inside of the ledge trick with a long bluntslide. The 50-50 he did for the cover of the Skateboard Mag's second issue is in the video, which is probably the oldest trick since it was from 2004 or maybe 2003. The usual favorites are accounted for, meaning lots of backside tailslides and lipslides, frontside and backside bluntslides, and floating ollies over big gaps. Many a trick is either flipped into or out of. He gets a noseblunt on the opposite side down a banister, too. In a tip of the hat to Jeremy Klein, a picnic table is placed down a big set of stairs for a frontside 50-50 and a lipslide. This photo is the second to final trick in the vid, with the ender being a backside kickflip across the same street. The use of Speedway by Morrissey adds a dramatic touch that pairs well with what Heath was doing on his skateboard.

The picture is by Anthony Acosta.

Transworld - September 2008 Volume 26 Number 9