If every "old guy" could get at least one new, young guy into it, than slalom would be huge. I think if everyone tried that, slalom would grow a lot.
Muttlips got me hooked on slalom, and my friend started up as well when i did.
There's two new racers right off the bat.
If you added a younger skater for every "old guy," the rider base would merely double. You're talking about a very small number of riders to begin with, so doubling it makes it slightly less small.
I'm not knocking anyone for riding/racing slalom, but merely trying to point out that it's even more of a niche discipline than folks realize. Why do you think slalom cones cost more than a buck each? Because there aren't tens of thousands of riders who want to buy 'em.
I dont like posting much anymore, but couldnt stay away from this one.....There are more 20-30 year olds in this sport than there were a few years ago....allot more...if you think otherwise, then your opinion is based on the bullsh!t you read on line and you probably havent attended (m)any events....same holds true for spandex, it's not common, but it gets allot of press...and lets get to that for a second....Mollica is the biggest charactor when it comes to spandex....He's also one of the gnarliest bastards on the circuit, fast as hell and down for anything.....he skates everything....and he wins.....he's over 40....he's got greys...and he can party most people under the table.....so if he wants to wear spandex, so be it.....hell, he's skated in a pink thong and butt ass naked too.....he's Kenny...he can do that...
Another thing that you'd notice is that for the large part, when talking about the older guys, is that they've changed allot too....there are more all-around skaters slaloming...most of the BEST slalomers also ride parks or DH....and they're in better shape than they were a few years ago....you have to be in shape if you want to get over the top in this sport...you have to train....It wasnt like that a few years ago,....it's changed....
Finally, and this took me a while to figure out, but i finally got it, you have to have a F*ck it attitude in slalom now, especially on a good GS......if you dont push it to the limit, you're not going to make the cut.
All the guys who say slalom is a foo-foo sport never REALLY got into it....when you crash in slalom, you pay a big price....how many of us had surgery last year?....how many blown out shoulders and knees were there?......and then how many people had to nurse some huge road rashes....this is a tough sport and it takes its toll.....
It will grow...but if it grows too fast or becomes too mainstream, that may be a bad thing
Right on, Bara!
I think slalom is the sh_t!
As someone fairly new to the sport, and it is a sport--- I was happy to see the poll result so far on the Fish--- over half think slalom is growing & flourishing.
I can tell you it does take a whole lot of skill, precision, and most of all--desire, passion, and maybe even a little feeling of lust. Yes, I feel lust for this sport and am looking forward to the future.
I'll be slaloming until I die--- hopefully that isn't any time soon!!
there needs to be a slalom central(like we have here and ncdsa) actively posting events and perhaps a weekly gathering like the old days.
isnt hacket doing that with his new association?
seems like everytime we turn around, there's new grassroot organizations springing up left and right only to fizzle somewhere down the line.
poway pump house road is a great place but it's off the beaten path for spectators and the one thing the sport needs most are the viewers. viewers word of mouth goes a long way!
as for making slalom rock and appreciated may be similar to getting bocci ball popular. niche sports will catch on when the viewers have a package they can enjoy and thus far, slalom races are "long" , "repititious" , and prone to delays. once slalom is presented as a tight viewing package, it should jump leap years ahead of what we got now.
more to come ...
i asked hacket recently if I could help out his organization. he replied "what would you do?" With a name like "Chris Yandall" I would apply pressure on mfg's to pool funds together and keep junior and semi-pro circuits active weekly around the s.cal area to begin.
I can't work for free, but as i have more time in my older days, someone could fire me up to move in that direction for all.
Chris Yandall - 21st Century Skater still riding Trackers(Pool,Transition) Bennetts (Slalom and Flats)
Seismic and Chaput Wheels
SK8Kings Racing and Yandall Deck www.skogging.com
There are indeed a lot of orgs popping up. I think that's good, and bad. When the sport generates enough local energy to spawn local orgs, like DHB, COSS, etc... that's great.
Sometimes, new orgs pop up alongside existing ones just because the ego of the "new guy" won't let him just give his energy to existing orgs, or the egos of the existing orgs won't let new ideas in. Sometimes, it's just a ploy to sell products and to set up rules that favor the organizer of the week. That's the bad side.
Sometimes, new orgs pop up alongside existing ones just because the ego of the "new guy" won't let him just give his energy to existing orgs, or the egos of the existing orgs won't let new ideas in. Sometimes, it's just a ploy to sell products and to set up rules that favor the organizer of the week. That's the bad side.
So, in our little SLALOM WORLD is there any RANKING you'd care to put on this in terms of what's OLD and what's NEW?
Meh. Count me out of the slalom crowd. I've showed up to a couple of these and saw nothing that impressed me. Just a bunch of weenies wearing a ton of expensive gear and body armor talking techie crap about all of their expensive toys, but very few could actually RIDE. But they sure did like to pretend they were tough guys.
Add this to the fact that one of the appealing aspects of skateboarding is that there are no rules. These geeks put as many rules as possible in so they can weed out anybody who might make them look bad.
^
Rules? You mean like...dont hit cones? :\ So essentially you just wanna cruise around? I can dig that. Or you mean, you just wanna bust tricks? Also cool, go do it. I don't need you pissing in my ear about it though. As far as I see it, quantifying competition really only scares people off who wanna be the center of attention but have nothing to offer accept flare. Its easy to blame the rules when you lack skill, is that whats going on here?
Yah I've seen the gear whoring you're talking about, and the inflated egos, sure. I've seen it everywhere theres a plank and four wheels. In the park, on the hill, sure even on the street. I try to skate as much as I can, within reason, and its nothing specific to slalom lemme assure you. There will always be jocks. And yah, sure, the old guys like to wear gear, they also like to be able to walk after a slam, I can't fault em for that. I usually just wear some pads and a helmet, theres nothing saying you can't wear less. I've seen more safety equipment in DH, but uh, you know, whatever. And most of them will outskate most of the people I've seen in or out of slalom. Park, Pool, street, downhill, I've seen these guys rip sh it that boggled my mind. If you skate well, you'll pretty much accel at anything with practice and dedication. Some people skating slalom suck, for sure, we still love to have em around cause for the most part we aren't elitist pricks. The dudes that are using gear and technical wording, etc to make themselves out to be more then they are are quickly spotted and identified as such by the slalom community, and they aren't rejected...they're just the butt of alot of jokes. Nevertheless, these are the guys that will stand out to the uninformed outsider.
I'm also kinda inclined to wager that you showed up and just sorta hung around, never put any effort forward and based your conclusions on what you saw... good for you....maybe I'm wrong, but you're giving me that vibe. I think alot of people are turned off slalom because they're worried about what OTHER people will think, don't want anyone calling them a "weenie" or whatever. I think those people can fu ck all the way off personally because I've never met anything but people totally stoked to see new faces, and usually they really won't take themselves, slalom or you too seriously. Its for some fun, and an excuse to travel, skate and party with new people in a new place. Anything else is fantasy, as is all this product based and infrastructure facade longboarding and skateboarding in general puts up to try and act legitimate. (unlike skurfskates, the most 100% realist most legitimatical skateboard conglomerate ever.) I know I look like a kook skating cones, but ####, sometimes you just gotta take a look around and say "#### it dude", grab your deck, toss it down a hill and have a ball doing it. All this focus on winning, on being the fastest, yah thats cool. Competition is the driving force for innovation and everything, but it will always be the backseat goal of skating.
But thats cool, it aint your thing, and I can totally respect that. But the bottom line is its truly your loss, not mine. I'm sure you're just making observations and I can't fault you for that, but even so don't let the door hit ya on the way out, bruuuutha.
Last edited by Directive0; 01-22-2007 at 12:01 PM.
Personally I owe everything I love about skating to Slalom. Currently I'm a little more focused on riding bowls but anybody that tells you that going 30mph through 6 footers is for "weenies" is doing their best to hide the piss stain in their pants preventing them from trying it.
And if Slalom were to never grow and stay stagnant from today forward I'd still be showing up at every race I could afford to fly/drive to.
Why???? Because all the really gnarly, hardcore, punk rock blow your mind skaters are actually at these races. They may be doing double duty trying to race/hang/watch their kids but they are there. All of you guys making assumptions based on clothing, attitiude and lack of anarchy are the ones that need to not judge books by their covers
Meh. Count me out of the slalom crowd. I've showed up to a couple of these and saw nothing that impressed me. Just a bunch of weenies wearing a ton of expensive gear and body armor talking techie crap about all of their expensive toys, but very few could actually RIDE. But they sure did like to pretend they were tough guys.
Add this to the fact that one of the appealing aspects of skateboarding is that there are no rules. These geeks put as many rules as possible in so they can weed out anybody who might make them look bad.
Sounds like you went to the wrong race. I have not been to a NW race, but would really like to hear more about it. When, where, w/ who, did you try the course, or their boards?
I agree that sometimes the chat at races gets weenieish, but I just go hang out with someone else and talk about music, chicks, and/or how we should funk with the weenies.
Meh. Count me out of the slalom crowd. I've showed up to a couple of these and saw nothing that impressed me.
I would be wlling to wager no one there was impressed with you, either.
Originally Posted by GodlessPinko
Just a bunch of weenies wearing a ton of expensive gear and body armor talking techie crap about all of their expensive toys, but very few could actually RIDE.
In Seattle, Washington? You're either a liar or a poor judge of talent.
Originally Posted by GodlessPinko
But they sure did like to pretend they were tough guys.
As opposed to your obvious "real" toughness.
Originally Posted by GodlessPinko
Add this to the fact that one of the appealing aspects of skateboarding is that there are no rules. These geeks put as many rules as possible in so they can weed out anybody who might make them look bad.
I doubt there were more than two rules to make you look bad:
1, Skate around the cones
2. Display a modicum of sense.
in a.......................holy #### that was the best party of my life, I can't believe I ended up in a hottub with that guy, how old was that girl, was that bartender really 11 and macking on my wife, of course I'll have another Absinthe, mosh to Folson Prison blues, skate your ass off, hang with the most genuine of people kinda way.
The majority of participants are over 40 years old. It's doomed in the long run unless they can convince younger skaters that it's an interesting thing to do on a skateboard. That's a hard sell because young people have many options and can do things on skateboards that are a lot more exciting than going around cones. Make it more like an obstacle course, on boards with kicktails where participants have to ollie things or launch off ramps or whatever, and maybe the younger generations would be into it. And get rid of the damn spandex and rash guard shirts and all that other girly crap. aerodynamic or not, it's not a good look...
slalom is VERY FUN and kids will do what they see others having FUN doing and what's also VERY FUN and kids do get this is is racing 'cuz the clock says who wins, not some judge who didn't like your heal fliip versus some others guys who was wearing the right clothes.
and ...as for the "ugly" and "girly' comment, that show the shollowness of some patricipating the sport.
i think bikers look "gay" with all that spandex AND shaved legs etc....YUK....but then who cares what i think, i don't even care what i think since LOOKS are so non-important in any sport. THIS IS NOT A FASHION SHOW, THIS IS NOT MODELING, IT'S SKATING!?
slalom skateboarding, like all discliplines, RIPS fun!
get our youths priorites sorted-out? i hope, wish, pray and work at just that daily as a parent and teacher.
how to get momentum in our sport, DO IT, SHOW YOUR LOVE OF IT - just skate!
maybe we should all wear lycra????????
nahhhhhhhhhh.......hehehe
I can't understand the negativity posted on this thread.
I practice slalom whenever & wherever I can--- sometimes if I go to a store & the parking lot is prime asphault, I'll set cones & skate .
I have ONLY had positive responses--- especially from kids. Every single time I have run cones in a parking lot, etc....... some kid wants to ride my cool board with the colorful wheels! I can't tell you how many times I have written down the links for the Fish & NCDSA & given it to kids interested in trying slalom!
All I have encountered is a large amount of stoke!
I can't understand the negativity posted on this thread.
I practice slalom whenever & wherever I can--- sometimes if I go to a store & the parking lot is prime asphault, I'll set cones & skate .
I have ONLY had positive responses--- especially from kids. Every single time I have run cones in a parking lot, etc....... some kid wants to ride my cool board with the colorful wheels! I can't tell you how many times I have written down the links for the Fish & NCDSA & given it to kids interested in trying slalom!
All I have encountered is a large amount of stoke!
EXACLTY how i SEE it when i skate slalom.
seems as though we've too many "fishies" out here who like to "bag" not skate, which is going to make THIS site obsolete.
I would also like to vote for D0 as the official 2007 Slalom spokesma-, perso-, err, spokesthing; provided he shows up with the NJ girltoythingy at the official functions.
You don't need anything exotic to ride to have a good time - just interest. Folks who do it will learn what works for themselves and others. Sure, people always gearwhore to fastrack, to fit in, because they want to, to show off, because they can, whatever.
As D0 said, more power to em. The most fun I can remember is just showing up - anywhere, when I can. Skating up a start ramp is fun, in fact, a couple of start ramps have done double duty in the past as impromptu street ramps. If I can figure out how to do it, I'll build four at 4' wide that are set up symmetrically and bolt together to form an S start ramp or break down to form two 8' wide mini ramps and show up at a meet this year. That way kore weasels can have fun in the evening while we sit around and party.
Sorry, I won't be posting any CAD drawings for those. The more formal things get, the less interested I am. Just the way I'm wired.
Wherever two or more of you are gathered to race, so will I be.....maybe.
Go forth and slalom?
Hell, like the lady said, live long and ride.
Ooops, brainfartalert: Regarding D0 as spokesthing, an upgrade from the NJ flavor to a Vulcan inflatable babe would rock! Ooooh, ooh, why settle for vinyl, Kirsty Alley is looking okay in a bathing suite again and probably looking for work. She ought to at least hold up for this season till the weight comes back on. A celebrity Vulcan stripper with an AXE (sorry, no, Lt. Pavel, or was it Chekov? will do) to grind at a Slalom event!!!! Yeah baby, KORE! Whooooeeee, we'd get all kinds of attendance.
Now to wrap up with a little something for our spokesthing;
PS, The original question was "Where do you think slalom is headed?"
I guess my real answer is "What does it matter as long as I get to ride with/without friends in a formal/non-formal event. As long as there are skateboards, people are going to ride slalom somewhere and have fun with it. Sometimes more, sometimes less but it might as well be me and/or you with or without the attitude you know?
And as a background disclaimer, I have exactly one black tee shirt that has cured epoxy on it, several rash gaurds that have never seen the street (can't stand to wear them because they always smell like wet dog) and some techical clothing that gets worn under my uniforms.
And yet I'm a 40+ year old guy that still halfway rides - heh, go figure.
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