Where do you think Slalom is going?

[Momona Boe]

slalom is for girly men in skirts

[brainfartalerts]

Not being able to speak NJ to well, is this what prompted the term "full bag"?

[MrTGun]

Not being able to speak NJ to well, is this what prompted the term "full bag"?

"Full Bag" came from my significant other believe it or not. I will defer proper story telling to the Fatman.

~TG

[brainfartalerts]

Oh, and Boe, is it true? You know, what they say is worn under the kilt?
Because one time, I asked a Scott "Is it true about what is worn under a kilt?"

His answer left me a little baffled at first.

"Why laddie, nothing at'tall is worn under a kilt - it's all in perfect working order."

[worldwide]

slim, why do you always bring up the same points about us not being core and how your 15 year old son and his freinds are the best skaters on the planet cause theyre core and gnarly. no one cares if some 15 year old street skaters like to skate street in pacifica. i like to ride longboards and i dont ride it like a pussy, carving into the sunset like in half the ads in concrete wave.

yesterday afternoon i was riding my rain setup, in the rain. pushing through east vancouver along one of the busiest roads in the city, keeping up with traffic for blocks at a time on FLAT, taking crazy lines, shortcuts, cutting cars off and all that. would your son and his freinds go skate in the rain at all. their probably too worried about getting their emo haircuts wet or their tight pants muddy.


i think slalom is here to stay, at least for the next 10 years. i started racing last year, and i went to 4 races. i met alot of cool people including some of you guys, and expect too see me at many other races in the years to come

[Marion Karr DHB]

There have been a great deal of good posts on this subject. Interesting points from all sides.
(Yes, fella's its me...I took a little downtime after the Dixie but have refilled my Stoke Fuel Tanks and are ready, along with the DHB Crew, to throw down some awesome events in 2007!)

From my perspective, the sport is growing and getting younger. Just this past weekend I was at the first race I have been to since I came back into the sport 2 and half years ago where over half of the field was under 26 years old. Crews are throwing sessions, inviting younger skaters out, loaning them equipment, coaching, motivating, and spreading the stoke.

I don't wear lycra (been there done that a hundred times in the cycling world) but I do wear shoulder protection on the jumbo hills. I agree with Bara, if you want gnarly we can show you some hills........

Growing the sport at this point will still be in the hands of grass roots organizations who are willing to put on quality events, jam sessions, practice sessions, etc. and be willing to put it out there for anyone!

Dudes, I am telling you, if you build it (the scene) they will come!


Oh, and on another note on this topic: Where is Slalom going? I can tell you where it will be in September and November: SKATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA!!!!!!

World Championships Sept 27- 30, 2007
DHB Dixie Cup November 2,3,4 2007

Come GIT YOU SOME!!!!!

[donald20]

maybe you want to see the european take on where it's going?

UPHILL....


but......

there a re a few things i consider essential for the future:

it has to be fast and on a slope and challenging.


a good race is also the fight for traction and control.the courses are smooth and fast,ramps are high!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(most of the ramps in use are kindergarten ramps),you have to be ejected into the course.


the young guns are coming and they are hitting it hard.
CIV is in my team
DOM is in my team
HEIKO is in my team(29)
kathrin is in my team(below 30 you know how girls are hahahaha)

guys like wax or mitch,just for a short example,are bringing the youth in

people such as eddy,richy and so many others are working the grassroots thing


organizations ( we have that issa thing going on here in europe) are not really the future unless they are differently run.
marion karr will have a good role in bringing it this year.

i want to see less body armour and more go for it on the tracks.


racing has to be featured in skate magazines more and more often.
check what i did with the worlds last year.
skateboard companies or shoe companies have to be convinved to show up as sponsors.
that is really crucial.


CIV you know we race on a good level just here where i live and to the others:we get a ton
of respect from the street or pool skaters for doing so.in fact most of them are reluctant to the speed involved when we do it.

so that's good.


IF you want it to grow bring the FUN into each race.

i know that there are guys out there who are 100% fun.
eddy martinez is definitely one of them.


rules are ok but too many and too strict rules are suffocating the sport.

hackett had some good tendencies,i really like his ideas,but some are over the loop or dreaming and he didn't follow through.


one important thing i found out that many people see as i see it.

some slalomers never really skated anything else(especially here in europe),some of them look different from what i have as a perception of the regular image.some of them are considered gay-looking or awkward whatever.
these folks will NOT really attract any other skater to the sport.
others are only in it because it's a sport,take the latvians f.e..
skateboarding is FUN in general.
if you skate,because it's a sport you are missing the whole idea.
i think those folks are lame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dudes such as jason,civ,fadell,dom,heiko...just a few mentioned,will definitely attract others to follow.

the sport will continue,but it has to be more challenging,especially here in europe where they are hosting the euros in a flatland arena this year.two races(tight and special) on flat,on tarmac made for running.this is like a running gag for me.
i'm not gonna support such stubborn stuff in any way.

and ehmmm i can't resist.that one guy who just posted that racing is lame,ehmm hey your icon shows how experienced you are.hardcore heavy skater going loose with a stock longboard in the city or just for taking pics(note the foot dominating the deck,uuuuuuuuuuhhhh)
i think you would #### your pants any time we put on a session,so sucker up!!!!

[Mister Surly]

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.

nice try to ruffle some feathers. do you save this avatar for that purpose?

[Momona Boe]

Oh, and Boe, is it true? You know, what they say is worn under the kilt?
Because one time, I asked a Scott "Is it true about what is worn under a kilt?"

His answer left me a little baffled at first.

"Why laddie, nothing at'tall is worn under a kilt - it's all in perfect working order."

nah, I sported undergear. Chances were good that I would crash and who'd wanna reach into THAT peach basket to carry me off the course?

Oh, and speaking of undergear, Germans, characters, and nut-wrenching courses - here's my buddy Dom. He and Heiko were amazing at the D-Cup!

[pavedwave]

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..

LOL - OK, you're out! But whenever you're ready, come out and race us tough guys again Pinko. Last time I met some DH guys they had expensive toys as well-- and the smart ones wear leathers, so not sure what your point is there. We've had lot of downhillers join us and kick ass, why don't you bring it to the course. Salem's in March-- Cheers-

[Marion Karr DHB]

One more point from a Competition Perspective:

Skateboarding Competition in Street and Half-pipe vert is Gnarly...no doubt about it. Riders going big air, throwing big tricks, taking big slams, etc, etc, etc. Yet, if you really think about it, it's still just like Figure Skating competition! It still takes a set of judges to determine who the winner is by making subjective calls: That guys 720 invert was better than the next guys. That grind to ollie over the channel to switch and fakie into a McTwist was more stylish than the guy before him....I will give him a 9.6. It''s Subjective!

Skateboard racing on the other hand, be it Slalom, Downhill, banked slalom, park slalom, etc. is OBJECTIVE>....The FASTEST and most skilled rider wins...PERIOD. Yes there are rules like going a certain way around the cones but again that is put in place to better level the playing field. The Clock tells the story! It doesn't require a set of judges who have their own biases and hang ups to determine who the winner is! Its one of the things I love the most about the sport.

Riding street or vert is awesome and my props go out to all those extreme skaters that are taking it to a new level but when it comes to competition, its just basically gnarly figure skating!

[Directive0]

Its also good to note that alot of the slalom I do is UNTIMED and not competitive. There is a zen feeling of relaxation in skating with some buds all night and practicing. You don't have to compete or have rules all the time!!! But when racing starts, its ON!

[Joe & Nick]

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!

That's fine Cat, please refrain from giving the children your myspace address as your warrior princess pic is exactly the type of outfit we look to avoid in Slalom.

[brainfartalerts]

Well Boe, Now that I'm official and all, I guess that would have to be me reaching into that peach basket so on behalf of me, and others like me, thank you for your consideration. The prospect of having to wrestle that anaconda you are rumored to sport was terrifying so keeping a net over that sucker is pure kindness.
And thank you for the pic, good to know I'm not the only one showing a little as-, well, you know.

While class should start back up this coming fall, I now have a bit more latitude in my schedule to plan so barring the asteroid or some national hemroid, I expect to finally meet you and others in person this year. Who knows, maybe when it turns warmer, I can coax you and a few others out to the water so we can try some kite-boarding amongst the floaties, hypo's and other medical waste bobbing around off your fair coast.
I'm going to need guinea pigs, err, trainees to work with before I complete any formal instructor certification so I'm soliciting peeps now.

Oh, and Joe, speak for yourself. I would love to see the warrior princess going down-
hill on the course.

[Rustyfriend]

slalom is flourishing like crazy! i don't see its death......ever. such a big community. i believe the growth is due to the older crowd. they accept you with open arms and take you under their wing so that when you get fast enough you kick their ass! lol

[SweetCatarina]

That's fine Cat, please refrain from giving the children your myspace address as your warrior princess pic is exactly the type of outfit we look to avoid in Slalom.

Hmmmmm, was I supposed to check ID's???
Anyway Joe, you were ignoring me!

[Maria Carrasco]

. . . that was not me. Fixed it.

[Richy Carrasco]

Alot of negative posts always seem to be from sidewalk commandos who do not compete or cannot because of lack of talent ! Do your thing and dont worry about us Racers we will be having a blast and looking for the next challenging races! If you look over the years there has been a huge turnover in Racers, Look at the first FCR series year and see how many guys are still around....... They have been replaced and the turnover keeps on going ! Proving that new Blood is continuously surfacing! Right Now we have the best Equipement of all time,.and the best Race calendar World Wide!

[Rustyfriend]

while on the slalom topic..........congrats to duquette on his section in concrete wave!

[RustyBurrito55]

The only thing I don't like about slalom is setting up the cones all the time...yeah lazy I know. I prefer just bombing hills.

I do go to quite a few slalom races though and it seems like I always see a couple new kids so I do think it's growing a bit.