The 2007 "La Costa Boys Open"

By now, you know that La Costa Boys Racing's attempt to bring slalom back to skateboard racing's oldest venue, the infamous "Black Hill" was derailed by local politics and traffic. It's a "truck route" now, after all... You may also know that the La Costa Boys are puttin' the race on anyway, at San Diego's similarly infamous Pump Station hill. Two days of racing on a genuine 45mph slope. Giant Slalom on Saturday, and Tight Slalom on Sunday. Some traditions are hard to break, and this one's an outlaw, just like they used to be! If you're coming to San Diego for what may be the last big slalom race of 2007, you won't be disappointed by this hill! Click through for details...

Schedule/format:

Friday:: The hill will be open for freeriding, as it is every day, AFTER 4:30PM. The hill is used by municipal employees that drive uphill at high speed in large trucks. Let them go home before you skate, because they get all tense when they have to clean blood off their vehicles.

Saturday::
8am: Kids (12-under), Novice Women, GS at the bottom. This course will be entry level.
11am: B-Division GS. The course will start about halfway up the steep. Expect speeds around 20mph. Any rider who has been skating slalom all summer should be able to make it. Limited kick start or flatground pull.
2pm: A-Division GS. Expect a fast, technical course. Speeds up to 30mph. Start ramp.

Sunday::
8am: Kids (12-under), Novice Women, dual hybrid. This will be a great easy course to introduce these racers to head-head racing. Kick start or flatground pull.
11am: Dual Tight Slalom Qualifiers.
Field will be split in approximately half for A and B divisions. The course will not be a massacre of cones, as the road is narrow, and we want to minimize spray.

Your $50 entry fee can be sent via paypal to: Lynnibob@sbcglobal.net, or you can just click the button here on Silverfish to do the same thing. Send T-shirt size with entry! Email us with any questions: Kdunne@cox.net. You can also call Kevin at 760 277 8570 for additional info.

We have arranged discount rates at 3 hotels in the area. One is at the top of the hill. One is near the beach, about 15 minutes from the race site. One is near the Poway skate park, 10 minutes from the race site. Make sure to tell them you are with the La Costa Open Skateboard Race...

Racer Special:
Marriott Springhill Suites
Phone: 858-635-5723
$109 per night
2 double beds and a pull-out couch
kitchenette
Free breakfast
Located at the top of the hill.

Surfer Special:
Best Western Stratford Inn
Phone: 888-478-7829 (888-GR8-STAY)
$79.95 per night
2 double beds or one queen,
$99.95 for a suite: king bed, sleeper sofa and kitchenette
Located a block from the beach in Del Mar. 15 minute drive to the Pumpstation.

Skater Special:
Best Western Country Inn, Poway
Phone:858-748-6320
~$109 per night, no guaranteed rate
Located 6 blocks from the Poway Skatepark. Park is open until 9 or 10 pm, and is free. Helmets required.
Hotel is 10 minutes from the Pumpstation.

Sponsored by:

Pocket Pistols
Silverfishlongboarding.com
Khiro Skateboard Products
Bones Bearings
Bennett Truks
Leucadia Electric
Sk8kings
Bell Helmets
Osiris Shoes
Abec11
Roe Racing
Fatboy
Concrete Wave
Timeship Racing
Skaterbuilt
Tracker Trucks
Oust Bearings
Bahne
Hi-way Safety
Radikal Trucks
Seismic

This is an outlaw event. This means you're racing under your own responsibility, without event insurance and with the possibility that the whole thing gets shut down if someone screws up. There's never been a bad injury on race day (note how we deftly ignore pre-runs on the day before) and we haven't been shut down in forever. Here's why: mandatory helmet rules, fast skaters pad up, we park in the right places and we clean the place up when we're done... So, get your fast board ready and come out to the Pump Station to rip some cones!! To register for this event, go to the Silverfish Event Calendar . It's $50.00 to race but spectating is free. If you want to see slalom racing at the peak of stoke and speed, get out there!

Active Image

Hart rips the lower course, while Kramer and Fadell charge the Ess turn.

To get to the Pump Station:

From LA: Take 5 south. 56 east. 15 south. Exit Mercy Rd/Scripps Poway Parkway. Turn left. Go to the first signal AFTER the freeway onramp (USA Gas and the Marriot are here) and turn left (east). Park at Chili’s. Walk/skate back toward the freeway on Mercy Rd. Turn right on Cara Way, which runs just behind Chili’s. Walk down about 1000 ft, and you’ll be at the starting line.

From Downtown San Diego, Convention Center, Airport: Take 5 north to the 8 east. 163 North. This will eventually turn into the 15 North. Exit Mercy Rd/Scripps Poway Parkway. Turn right (east). Go to the first signal AFTER the freeway onramp (USA Gas and the Marriot are here) and turn left. Park at Chili’s. Walk/skate back toward the freeway on Mercy Rd. Turn right on Cara Way, which runs just behind Chili’s. Walk down about 1000 ft, and you’ll be at the starting line.

See here for a Visual

Facilities, Food and Pre-Race Practice Sessions:

There is no running water, shade, chairs, bathroom facility or food at the race venue, but there's plenty of food/water on top of the hill where most people park. There's a Wendy's, Chili's and some foo-foo seafood restaurant, along with a gas station/mini-mart. 1/4 mile west, there's a KFC, Starburnts and another gas mini-mart. 1/2 mile east, there's a large grocery store, bagel shop, several fast food burger/mex joints and more. Bring your own cooler of drinks, food and a chair if you want it. Sunblock is a good idea unless you're wearing a burkha. One more thing: pack out all your trash and more. This venue stays prime because skaters leave it better than we find it. Bring a trash bag for your stuff and lend a hand at the end of the day.

Here's that overhead shot we're always usin'...