i just got into longboarding, but unfortunately i have no hills around here. but i really want to take a trip somewhere and really get into downhill because it looks like a blast!
Does anyone really skate just for a prize purse? I could give two shits about racing for money. Riding with different riders from all across North America and sometimes the world is priceless to me anyways. I will pay top dollar to enter an event just to have the chance to experience all of the great things these events have to offer. If you really see events as a way to make money, I think you are in longboarding for the wrong reasons.
Where do I see racing involve? More outlaw events held by riders for riders. Getting more people into the scene and having experts teach beginners the ropes of skatingboarding on an reclusive / semi hidden location.
I would also like the see igsa grow from it sucess with the extremely organized Maryhill event, and move onto hold more events of that caliber across the US. It would be nice to see an igsa in all of the major areas of the US in the future years. West Coast, Rocky Mtns, South Eastern and the East coast whatveer, more events for the growing population of longboarding. The demand for more events is here, who is going to step and take it?
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If your not skating for fun, what are you skating for?
Nobody races for just a prize purse. Has anyone ever suggested otherwise? List the skate pros that make their living off racing purses.
Who here will win a race and hand the money back to the organizer, telling him, "hey man, bank this for the next event and let's do it again!"? Would Paskapoo be happening this year if everybody that races to race handed the money back and said, "it's not about the bucks?" There's an interesting thought.
Events by skaters, for skaters is what got this whole Silverfish community jamming in the first place. Put together a jam, set up a DH run with your buddies, post about it, meet other skaters, stoke them on the idea. Do it again. Scene reports, crew threads, outlaw race series... all core elements of our sport.
Organized races, put on by racers for racers with insurance, street permits and amenities of an organized race like timing systems, haybales, closed streets, bathrooms, etc... are a different animal altogether. THOSE cost money and time, and time costs money for those attempting to put something big together. Ask the organizers of Paskapoo, Ascutney, Danger Bay, the Sullivan Challenge, the Calif DH Series, the MCGF, the MFOS, the Dixie Cup, the La Costa, etc...whether their events took more time and money than slappin together a skate jam or even an outlaw series. Who here is going to call them a liar if they say it does?
It's those large scale events, even on the smaller scale, that Justin Metcalf notes are cancelling out this year in droves. Even smaller race series in DH and slalom...poof! Not yet this year.
If we don't want to pay entry fees, then we should just do jams with our buddies and/or race for the money we put in the bucket before the race starts. But, if we want lift vehicles, water, bathrooms, timing systems, haybales, insurance, medics, tents, and all the setup, cleanup, breakdown, rental, returns, etc... then somebody's got to do it, and to front the cost. Who's it gonna be?
__________________ Relax, Don't Worry, Ride Your Longboard.
At Paskapoo 07, Paul and Rachel showed me incredible hospitality by letting me stay at their home after the race while waiting for my plane to fly out. they are wondeful people,
Ty would literally not let me sleep outside because I didn't have a tent (even though i do it all the time in colorado) and actually dragged some of my gear into "the barracks" so I would sleep in there.
Everyone at paskapoo was awesome, and I'm so ####### happy to have gone. I am really bummed that it's not happening this year, and even more bummed that the race organizers, all of them skaters themselves, are in so deep.
Even though i raced three events last year and finished in the top third at maryhill, i still feel excluded and isolated from access to the large races- i'm sure everyone is feeling the economic squeeze, but things like caps on race registrations and the entire cancellation of IGSA Cali DH series is really concerning.
IGSA is great and all, but more race organizations need to be formed that are by and for Standup riders, one reason i'm so envious of those of you living in Cali and BC. I know that no matter how many people sign up for Danger Bay, Bricin will be stoked to host each and every one of them, and just like the paskapoo organizers, try his hardest to put on an excellent event. The vibe you get from going to a rider organized and run race is unlike anything else, and next to racing, that's really what it's all about.
The Speedboard and Longboard Association of Calgary will be launching our “Help Save the Paskapoo Downhill Rodeo on August 22”. Tickets will be available for web purchase on silverfishlongboarding.com.
Early bird Draw is on Sept 5th and the final draw for our 9 separate package worth over $10,000 will be on Oct 1st.
We hope this will bring us to ZERO. A big thank you goes out to all that still believe in the SLAC Paskapoo dream.
His artical only got me thinking about one thing, SAFETY.
If you show up at one of you favorite DH spots in town, it is your obligation to teach the groms to freeride on open roads. Helmet and gloves are a must. let them know the advantages of leathers.
Make sure they can slide to a stop, in case of emergency. Make sure they know how to take a blind turn without getting hit by oncoming traffic. footbraking,etc...
I dont wanna see anymore kids dying on youtube.
Re: The Next Evolution of Racing?
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