Maryhill Festival of Speed

HEAVEN ON WHEELS!

Just outside of Goldendale, Washington, easily accessed from the airport in Portland, Oregon lay miles of brand-new, butter-smooth pavement, reserved for you and a couple hundred of your newest close friends to bomb, carve, skate, gravity biike, luge and enjoy.  Shuttle trucks, haybales, fresh water, drinks, sponsor schwag, handouts for craziness, an intense IGSA World Cup qualifying round and Main Event race... not to mention live bands, beers, parties, camping and the projection-screen premiere of the Livin' Free movie.  It's HUGE!!!  

If you're not at Maryhill, we'll do our best to bring you there with updates, photos and posting in the forums.  It's turning out to be incredible, and not just because of the perfect road surface, excellent weather and hoard of top gravity racers preparing for the World Cup race.  It's exactly what John Ozman designed it to be: a FESTIVAL OF SPEED.  Skaters are meeting others from across North America and beyond, finding truth to the saying that we're all one big family.  The campgrounds are already filling with stoked persons, skaters are filling the skatepark that's there, movies projected on sheets after dark while meat roasts on campfire spits and  it's Down Down Down on Maryhill Loops Road all day.  The gravity bike guys are weeping in their helmets, the inline DH skaters are cramping their quads, streetlugers are considering how hot bearings are getting over multi-mile runs and skateboarders are wearing through shoes faster than they can pick the bugs out of their teeth from grinning 3 miles straight!

It all started on Monday the 10th, for those arriving early to get boards tech-inpsected (IGSA Rules) and score an extra day on the hill.  Tuesday, it really picked up:  skaters from around the globe convened in the Ekone Park campgrounds then headed over to Maryhill Loops Road.  The pavement is perfect and the IGSA-set course is immaculate.

Athletes and funhogs have already found or been seen by Silverfish Longboarding's Malakai Kingston.  'Dreads flying, he's been hanging out in the campground or out on Mary herself,  racking off hundreds and hundreds of photos, including all those you see here.  For more of them, check out the massive Festival of Speed Photo Galleries on Silverfish.  We're adding to them constantly, and they're even organized by each day!  At the venue, there's aSilverfish booth, too:  we'll have schwag for fishheads, including some stuff nobody's really seen yet, Concrete Wave mags, etc...   

Marcus Rietema, President of IGSA, has been writing in with reports.  Here's his note from Tuesday evening,

"Day 1 of the Maryhill Festival of Speed saw lots of very stoked skaters and a lot of great riding. All participants made their way through registration and tech inspection before venturing onto the hill. It was a bright and sunny day with temperatures in the mid 80's. Everyone seemed happy with the condition of the track, the safety fencing, straw bales and the overall organization from Volcanic Promotions and the IGSA.

Riders took three practice runs before lunch and an additional five after. Many skaters were suffering from weak legs after taking many runs down the long race course! The day of free riding came to an end around 5:00pm. After the days riding there was a nice skate session at the campground skatepark that went on until dark. The evening was finished off by a large gathering of riders who were able to watch videos on a big screen of the days action. The vibe of the event is incredible and everyone seems to be having a great time.

The David Dean autograph session scheduled for Thursday evening at the Goldendale McDonalds just keeps growing. Today the owner asked me if some more top racers could join Dean. Scheduled to appear are David Dean, Martin Siegrist, Mischo Erban, Kevin Reimer, Fredrik Lindstrom, Erik Lundstrum, Beni Weber, Tom Edstrand, Nate Lang, Noah Sakamoto and Billy Meiners who will all be autographing Festival of Speed event posters from 6:00-7:30pm. McDonalds has also donated $600 in gift certificates so that all of the racers can eat for free!"

Today, Wednesday, it's all about more freeriding for any and every kind of gravity sport descender that's on the hill.  It's also the day the Landyachtz van with Striker and Sam will roll into town, along with even more of the Silverfish crew from the east coast.  Tonight, the campground will feature movies on the big sheet, grilled meat over fire and plenty of "rehydration exercises" for all the skaters that have been busy on the hill all day.  Tomorrow, more skaters and racers arrive, sponsors hit the hill to see the action, there's a gravity athlete poster-signing in town and the Livin' Free movie plays in the local High School auditorium.   

Okay, that's our update, for now.  If you're still thinking of coming out or just need information about the schedule of events, then just keep scrolling down the page for more information!  Until next time, we're gonna Go Skate!   

If you're coming to watch, to party and to skate, then you're gonna want to either snag a hotel in Goldendale, Washington or to take advantage of the free camping/non-stop party at Ekone Park.  For hotel information, check out this list of motels.  They're not the Ritz (and they don't cost like it, either), but they're ready for you, have hot showers, free parking, etc...  If you're staying in Ekone Park, it's got restrooms, two softball fields, picnic areas, picnic tables, gazebo, playground, skatepark, and stream access...

Camping Details
* Free Camping* will be at Ekone Park in the City of Goldendale.
   Appx. 7 miles from the race course.
* Showers will cost $2.00
* City skate park at the campground is free.*

Presenting Sponsor.  Try Some! 

The field of racers in the IGSA World Cup event is filling out, fast.  They'll be racing skateboards, streetluge, classic luge, gravity bikes and inline DH.  Here's a list of some of the speedboarders you'll find on the hill:

Aaron    Hamilton
Tom    Edstrand
Dave    Kercheval
Isao    Kaji
Kelsey    Crozier
Chris    Chaput
Blake    Startup
David    Mitchell
Steven    Doman
Jon    Huey
Martin    Siegrist
Spencer    Brinson
Alex    Newton
Dylan    Gushi
Charlie    Tidd
Brett    Nelson
Tristan    Morrow
Pete    Eubank
Rob    McKendrie
Andrew    Quay
Sam    Andrew MacCannell
Cory    Olsen
Eric    Hovey
Dan    Wehner
Stephen    King
Katie    Neilson
Joseph    Myles Duran
Dusty    Werner

Nick Meehan

RJ Meehan 

Andrew Mercado 

Bryce    Brady
Matt    Shaw
Billy    Meiners
Johan    Zell
Tad    Drysdale
Andreas    Johnsen
Joshua    Weisfeld
Mischo    Erban

Fredrik Lindstrom

Sponsors of the DH Class 

All those skaters are racing for Chris Chaput's sponsor cash, and more.  Check out the podium monies and schwag for just the Downhill Skateboard class!

Givin' you reasons to rip it! 

Parties and Events are going on all week.  Other than the general fun you know will break out when this many longboarders wind up in the same place, there's a world premiere of the new Livin' Free movie on Thursday, Sept. 13th and live bands, food & more in Ekone Park on Friday and Saturday nights.  Check out the schedule and local map: 

Thursday, September 13th

Livin' Free World Premiere

Goldendale Middle School Auditorium

$5 at the door

7:30pm 

Friday, September 14^th

World Cup Pre Race Party

Live Music:

Brian Thompson Band

The Upside Down

Loose Tooth

Ekone Park, 8pm to Midnight

Yer official type map. 

Saturday, September 15^th

World Cup After Race Party

Live Music: 

Point 1

Tempered Cast

Beer Garden:  $3.00/beer

Food: prices vary

Ekone Park, 8pm to Midnight

Of course, all this free riding, partying and getting together is all about longboarding on one of the sweetest roads in North America, the Historic Maryhill Loops Road.  When it all gets real fast, it's racing and the IGSA World Cup Series event is going to go off big.  IGSA's brand-new TAG HEUER Wireless Timing System will be used for the qualifying rounds and their crews will handle race organization, safety equipment and more.  If you are planning to race, be sure to click over to view IGSA's 2007 Rules , (that's a PDF you can print) to ensure your leathers, helmet, board, bike, skates or luge are up to spec.  You can see the partial list of DH skaters, above, and there will be a lot more gravity athletes out to see who goes down on Mary fastest.  David Dean, the former IGSA World Champion Street Luge racer, will be on the hill, trailed by his sponsors at McDonald's, who are also running radio advertisements for the Festival of Speed!  Go into town while Dave's under the Golden Arches and score yourself a Coke in a cup with his image on it.  Play your cards right and you might find your speedboardin' self on there, next.  Who knows: maybe Malakai Kingston, slidin' across the Filet o' Fish wrapper! 

MARYHILL FESTIVAL OF SPEED

 RACING/FREE RIDE EVENT SCHEDULE

Monday, September 10

      10:00 A.M.–   6:00 P.M.                Registration & Technical Inspection

Tuesday, September 11   

9:00 A.M.–   5:00 P.M.               Registration & Technical Inspection

9:00 A.M.– 12:00 P.M.             Open Practice (all classes) and Free Riding

        12:00 P.M.–   1:00 P.M.             Lunch Break

         1:00 P.M.–   5:00 P.M.             Open Practice (all classes) and Free Riding

Wednesday, September 12

  9:00 A.M.–   5:00 P.M.             Registration & Technical Inspection

           9:00 A.M.– 12:00 P.M.              Open Practice (all classes) and Free Riding

         12:00 P.M.–   1:00 P.M.              Lunch Break

           1:00 P.M –   5:00 P.M.              Open Practice (all classes) and Free Riding

Thursday, September 13

  8:30 A.M.–   8:45 A.M.               Racers' Meeting

  9:00 A.M.–   5:00 P.M.               Registration & Technical Inspection

           9:00 A.M.– 12:00 P.M.                Open Practice (all classes) and Free Riding

         12:00 P.M.–   1:00 P.M.                Lunch Break

           1:00 P.M.–   5:00 P.M.               Qualifying Run #1         (Order: DS, SL, IL, GB, CL)  Racers Only

Friday, September 14     

          8:30 A.M.–   8:45 A.M.               Racers' Meeting

  9:00 A.M.–   5:00 P.M.             Registration & Technical Inspection

  9:00 A.M.– 12:00 P.M.             Open Practice (all classes)

         12:00 P.M.–   1:00 P.M.              Lunch Break

           1:00 P.M.–   5:00 P.M.             Qualifying Run #2         (Order: DS, SL, IL, GB, CL)

           8:00 P.M.–   2:00 A.M.              Athlete Party  : see details above

Saturday, September 15 

    8:00 A.M.–   8:15 A.M.               Racers' Meeting

   8:30 A.M.–   9:00 A.M.               Morning Warm Up         (GB, IL, CL Riders Only)

   9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.               Gravity Bike Race         (Top 16 Qualifiers)

                                                   Inline Skate Race          (Top 16 Qualifiers)

  10:00 A.M.– 11:30 A.M.              Classic Luge Race        (Top 48 Qualifiers)

  11:30 A.M.– 12:00 P.M.              Afternoon Warm Up      (DS, SL Only)

  12:00 P.M.–   2:30 P.M.              Downhill Skateboard Race (Top 96 Qualifiers)

   2:30 P.M.–   4:00 P.M.               Street Luge Race          (Top 48 Qualifiers)

   6:00 P.M.–   8:00 P.M.               Athlete Dinner

   8:00 P.M.–   2:00 A.M.               After Party & Awards Ceremony : see details above

Key

·        DS = Downhill Skateboard

·        IL = Inline Skating

·        SL = Street Luge

·        GB = Gravity Bike

·        CL = Classic Luge

***Schedule is subject to change at any time***