Ditch Slap '09 on Local News

thokk2 · 04-30-2009, 07:19 PM

It's the first day of ditch slap, and we've already made the local news.
Ditch Slap On The News
But this is not the first, on Tuesday we made the front page of the Albuquerque Journal. (I would post what it says, but you have to pay for it....) The paper said about he same things that this said....

Hope we don't all get in trouble...

schmete · 04-30-2009, 07:57 PM

Sucky! I wish I could be there for it! I've always wanted to shred that ditch :D

MJKam11 · 04-30-2009, 08:05 PM

This is why I love to live in NYC, something like this wouldn't make the news or even the local free papers.

NJ Joe · 04-30-2009, 08:11 PM

hahaha, the legendary cliff coleman got interviewed.

I wonder why they only interviewed the old guys

assumeivan · 04-30-2009, 08:44 PM

Don't you have to agree to get broadcasted? Wouldn't it be more common sense to reject the interviews/shoots..? Just wondering.

I mean, a longboard event being broadcasted on television usually isn't good for the event, especially when they name the location and state 18839x it's illegal.

wooden · 04-30-2009, 08:49 PM

TAD! Haha yeah I love how they only interviewed Cliff and Tad, funny stuff.

I hope no one gets that $300 fine... Wish I could've gone this year with the Eastside crew, but finals had other plans for me...

mancade · 04-30-2009, 09:57 PM

superb! the fools shoulda come to indian today. fools were going 50+ on luges... that would blown their fuzzy little minds!

TM_Cruzer · 04-30-2009, 10:03 PM

Is that what happened today?
Shoot. That's how fast you guys were going?
And I was worried...

ConnorH · 04-30-2009, 10:16 PM

that news reporter looks like mel gibson. haha cool to see good ol tad on the news!

mancade · 04-30-2009, 10:23 PM

ya dude! 50+ carving on a 40pound street luge! if i hadn't seen it i wouldn't have believed it. I like how one channel actually went out to look for it in the helicopter and the other one ripped off youtube. sensationalist bastards. here's why i dont watch the local news.

nugpop68 · 04-30-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJKam11

This is why I love to live in NYC, something like this wouldn't make the news or even the local free papers.

The Broadway Bomb made the NY Post, but they, at least, made it sound cool. No dry snitchin like this blowdried prick.

mancade · 04-30-2009, 10:53 PM

due at least one of the channels tried. the other ripped off the youtube.

sk8nsurfNC · 04-30-2009, 11:21 PM

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Boarders To Converge for 'Ditch Slap'
By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer

It's a skateboarder's dream: racing down a smooth, dry, concrete arroyo, hanging out with friends and seeing who can go the fastest.
It's also illegal.
But that hasn't stopped a group of professionals who, since 2001, have come to Albuquerque from all over the world to compete in an outlaw arroyo skateboarding event called the Ditch Slap.
This year's event is scheduled to start Thursday.
"Last year, people came from as far away as England, Brazil and France," said organizer Joe Lehm, a founder of the Timeship Racing skateboard team.
Details about routes aren't publicized, to avoid entanglements with authorities, but the four-day event is expected to take place in at least some arroyos managed by the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority.
John Kelly, AMAFCA's executive engineer, said skateboarding is not allowed in arroyos because of flash flooding.
"They're setting a terrible example for our main message, which is 'ditches are deadly — stay away,' " Kelly said.
Kelly and Lehm said they met a few years ago to talk about giving the event a stamp of approval, but they couldn't find a way to do it.
Lehm, a Los Lunas native who lives in Santa Fe and has been skating Albuquerque arroyos since he was 14, said about 60 skateboarders are expected. He said registration is $100, which goes to cover shuttle services and organization costs.
Santa Fe-based Timeship Racing has sponsored skateboarding events around the country, including the Sandia Downhill Challenge, Lehm said.
"Skateboarding is illegal pretty much everywhere but at skate parks, so we call that skating in captivity," Lehm said. "We are used to working within the rules; it's not like we're an outlaw group. It's just that they can't give us a permit to do this."
Lehm compared the Ditch Slap to the early days of the Balloon Fiesta, when takeoffs weren't always part of a sanctioned event.
"Similarly, the flood control system here is unique in the world," he said.
As for flooding danger, he said there's water in the ditches a few times a year and it's easy enough to look at the Sandias and see if it's raining.
"This is a professional event. These are not kids," said Lehm, 47. "We're talking guys in their 30s, 40s, even 50s. We wear full protection, helmets, elbow pads, knee pads."
APD spokesman John Walsh didn't seem impressed. He said anyone who trespasses into an arroyo could be warned or fined.

thokk2 · 05-01-2009, 01:12 PM

Thank's Neil.

Here's more!
Ditch skateboarding event piques police

Ditch skateboarding
event piques police

Updated: Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 7:30 PM MDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 5:01 PM MDT

* Reporter: Kim Vallez
* Web Producer: Bill Diven

"ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque police are keeping an eye out for a group of skateboarders who are taking part in an illegal competition in the city's concrete-lined arroyos.

It's called Ditch Slap, a competition where skateboarders perform their best stunts in ditches and arroyos.

Eighty different boarders from as far away as Canada are sign up for the four-day event which started, according to online information posted by the Northern California Downhill Skateboarding Association . But since it's illegal to go into the arroyos participants are staying tight-lipped about the competition.

One organizer told KRQE News 13 by phone they are doing their best to stay out of sights of law enforcement. He did say that participants are avid skaters, some in their 50s, and that helmets are required.

However, police aren't the only one's concerned. The Albuquerque Metropolitan Flood Control Authority , which is responsible for many of the city's flood channels, criticized the event for running counter to the "Ditches are Deadly" campaign it has been promoting for decades.

"I don't care if they are professionals or not; it's not safe to be in there," AMAFCA spokesperson Joanie Griffin told News 13. "We are coming into flash flood season, and even though it's beautiful in Albuquerque if its rains north of here that water is coming in the arroyos.

"That's why it's called a flash flood. It happens in a flash. We've had adults die; we've had kids die. It doesn't matter how strong a swimmer you are."

The response from local boarders? Chill.

"The skaters are not that stupid to go skating when it's raining," Zoltan Leon said. This has been happening for years, he added.

"Everybody does it," he said. "They know about Indian School and the ditches around here."

Albuquerque police said anyone they catch in the arroyos will be cited for criminal trespass. And because of the secrecy surrounding the event, they're relying on the public to let them know where this group is operating."

Petary791 · 05-01-2009, 02:52 PM

Cliff is legit as hell, Libertarianism for life. Newscasters are bitches. Just trying to sell a story. Fvcking Yank journos.

WRSrider · 05-02-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJ Joe

hahaha, the legendary cliff coleman got interviewed.

I wonder why they only interviewed the old guys

Because they were the only guys that we let be interviewed. Most of us weren't in any condition to make a good image for it.

thokk2 · 05-04-2009, 07:12 AM

Well, ditch slap is over. No one got fined, warned, or arrested. We did make the Albuquerque Journal again on Saturday, but they didn't have anything interesting to say. The guy took some cool pictures, but only wrote about a paragraph...

Hope to see some awesome photo's and video posted here soon!

BigDaddy@TactisSkates · 05-05-2009, 12:14 PM

Cliff is the Mannnnn!

His interview was classy and constitutionally correct! The ditches are deadly argument doesn't fly with me... I challenge them to produce any data or stats that prove skateboarders are getting killed in the Arroyos! The people that get killed in the ditches are lured in by the sight of the floods and young kids that should be under better supervision!

Same old story... skaters are thugs and hooligans... so ban it as an activity.

If they really cared about personal rights and safety they would issue a permit and provide for a revenue generating schedule of events for skaters, BMXers and mountain bikers.

The result would be better maintained ditches and greater public awareness. You cant stop stupidity by restricting people... they will always find a way to be stupid anyway.

Daniel M. · 05-05-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddy@TactisSkates

Cliff is the Mannnnn!

His interview was classy and constitutionally correct! The ditches are deadly argument doesn't fly with me... I challenge them to produce any data or stats that prove skateboarders are getting killed in the Arroyos! The people that get killed in the ditches are lured in by the sight of the floods and young kids that should be under better supervision!

Same old story... skaters are thugs and hooligans... so ban it as an activity.

If they really cared about personal rights and safety they would issue a permit and provide for a revenue generating schedule of events for skaters, BMXers and mountain bikers.

The result would be better maintained ditches and greater public awareness. You cant stop stupidity by restricting people... they will always find a way to be stupid anyway.

Quoted for truth.

Hope nobody got tickets or bailed too hard. wish I could have made it up, gonna go look for videos now haha.

Khonsu · 05-05-2009, 12:31 PM

This is every person not a skater attempting to trash the fun others are attempting to do by being creative. Since this has been on since like 2001 I'm sure the cops have some kind of "look away" about the whole thing.