Sixteen young men sit on their bikes, joking, smiling and teasing each other. One departs from the group and leaves the designated athletes’ area to jump some railing and grab a sandwhich to eat while idling on his bike.

Another rider leans over the railing, casually flirting with three of the many young women hanging around on top of the four-story structure constructed in Civic Center Plaza for the BMX dirt portion of the Dew Tour.

But as much as this might seem like just some old friends hanging out and hitting some ramps — it’s not. With thousands in prize money and potentially more in scholarships on the line, riders engaged in fierce competition at the BMX Dirt Semi-Final. Facial expressions changed from jolly to concentrated as riders headed down the take off ramp, and once they hit that lip and dropped into the course for their official run, it was pure focus.

TJ Ellis took the lead early with his first run, where he rocked the crowd and judges with a back flip no-hander, 450, and then a spectacular front flip tail whip to top it all off. His style and technique proved too much for his peers to overcome, and he claimed the top spot for the day, heading to the semi-finals in first place.

In the other big event of the day, the Skate Street Semi-Final, Chaz Ortiz continued the theme of the day — taking the lead early and not letting go of it. Claiming the top spot in the first of six heats with some runs that had the announcers jumping up and down in the booth, Ortiz never let up and finished off the day in first place. Nyjah Huston, the youngest skater in the competition at only 17, finished in a close second.

On Saturday BMX Street, BMX Dirt, and Skate Street all have their finals. And with rap superstar Lil’ Wayne, a fan of skateboarding and friend to many skaters in the competition, making an appearance, it is not a day to be missed.

The post has been revised to omit Shaun White’s name