Organiser's Review on UKSSA

Do take time out to read this excellent report of the event by Rob Ashby.
With nearly one hundred competitors to manage amidst conflicting weather conditions, here's the inside tale:

Euros 2013 Review - Click here
Paul Taylor-Crush: Am Hybrid. Picture by Patrick Dumont

It's on...


Please remember to plan your travel to the race track. Transport for London (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/) provide a good resource:
Sam and Rob's contact numbers are on the Media page.
You can also view this website on your phone.

See you at the Redbridge Cycling Centre, AKA HOG HILL!!!

Prudential Ride London: Saturday & Sunday 3rd & 4th August


Warning! - If you are thinking about hiring a car, or staying in Central London, then please be aware that there will be Road Closures on 3rd and 4th of August for a Road Cycling race.


As part of the one-year-on celebrations, the centre of this will be the Olympic Park (Stratford) area. The closures might hinder those travelling in by car from the Central London/ Surrey directions.

It is, however, still worth hiring a car; especially if you are flying in to Stansted Airport. The driving transit time is around 40 minutes, where a train into the centre of London and then back out, will take around 2 and a half hours. The roads to Hog Hill Cycle Centre will not be affected by the road closure. The affected roads are located to the West of the cycle track towards Central London.

Please take a look at the attached link so that you can plan your approach to Hog Hill without hindrance. We will put up more details when they are released by TFL.


Latest Sponsor - Texas Outlaws



Fencing their Outlaw schwag across The Pond, sing like a stoolpigeon if you see any of these dodgy-looking guys in your area:


Tape switches

Fresh switches for the Octane Formula One timing system:

As recommended by James Hunt.

Riders...

Sign up for the Euros is now closed.


The Competitor list can be viewed here:
http://euroslalom2013.blogspot.co.uk/p/reistration.html

Start planning how to 'get one over' your rivals!



Rob's Review of Hog Hill Test Event: 'The Crackling' May 2013

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The UKSSA returned to Hog Hill for the first race of the year at The Crackling, a joint UKSSA/DAS Industries event.  Timmy Peters and DAS Industries organised the Downhill and Longboarding side of things while Team GB stalwart Sam Gordon took care of the lions share of the arrangements for the UKSSA – including some much appreciated grovelling to the management at Lambourne End. This was required owing to a few “incidents” by persons unknown at last years Hogtoberfest which threatened to end our established association with the camp site carefully nurtured by Sam over the last few years. Octane Sport, the UKSSA’s premier sponsor provided the start ramps, timing system, prizes and as ever a veritable plethora of toys – thank you Michael. 

With ever changing weather forecasts and Sunday looking “a bit iffy” for the GS we wanted to complete the Hybrid on Saturday that way if the weather did turn we would at least have results in the bag. To speed things up a bit we decided to cut to the top 8 for the A group with the remaining 16 racers making up the B group. With Paul Price back in the US and Bruno recuperating back in his native Brazil competition for the top spots would be interesting.

UK slalom legend Jim Slater came along and helped out with the cone counting duties taking his place at the timing table along with spreadsheet whizz Paul Keleher who was manning the laptop.  

In the round of 8 Louis cruised through easily despatching Sam Slaven, Jason Martin was looking on good form but despite his best endeavours lost out to Pig City’s Mmedo who was looking all fired up.  Lush/Van Dem gnarly all-rounder Harry Phelps knocked Paul K. out with a fast stylish flowing run and in the battle of the librarians Sam Gordon beat Paul T-C to book his place in the round of 4 against Louis.

In the first heat Harry just edged past Mmedo in a very fast, close race the other heat saw a tied run with Louis leading Sam by just one cone as both riders crossed the line in 15.36! In their second run Mmedo had a great run and crossed the line ahead of Harry, but it was Harry that went through to the final with a margin of just 0.08 and despite a clean run and a really fast time Sam was pushed into consolation round position by Pavel teammate Louis by just 0.03. So it would be the young guns to face each other in the final. Their first run was incredibly close with Louis (14.550 + 2 cones) going into the last run with a 0.2 advantage over Harry (16.650 + 3 cones). The second run was closer still; both racers really powered through the course sending cones flying in their wake, Harry crossed the line with a time of 14.160 and Louis 14.170 it looked like it would be down to the cone count. Both riders had hit 6 cones but with his advantage from the first run it was Louis that took the top podium spot. Sam took third place after Mmedo DQ’d in his first run leaving the deficit too big to make up in his second. 

In the B group up and coming Hyde Park rider James “Lo-Rider” Ritossa, looking to further his slalom racing experience at Hog Hill, despite some cone spraying was looking confident. I was locked in friendly rivalry with Paul Coupe who alas I didn’t get to race head to head with. He went out to Aumary Dumont whose Hyde Park practice sessions were now paying dividends. By the time the field was whittled down to the last four the sun had broken through. I was to meet James in the final and Tim Neal was paired against Aumary in the Consolation round.

Despite finishing just behind James in the first round his cone count meant I would take a 0.16 lead into the second run…but would it be enough? As we left the ramps I just got the edge on him, but he was soon level with me. As I made my way back up the hill from the finish I could see James was shaken but not stirred and up on his feet again. In the consolation round things went bad for seasoned racer Tim Neal as he double DQ’d leaving Aumary to take a well earned third place.

As we started packing up the sun was blazing down on us, the perfect end to a perfect afternoons racing; a smooth set up and quick turn around in the rounds and a speedy breakdown, thanks to all who helped, it makes things so much easier. 

Sunday brought a welcome sight over Lambourne End – a bit of blue sky and the sun peeping through….Oh and lots of bubbles!

After customary Hog Hill bacon butties and coffee and with the GS set, practice was underway. Most riders yours truly included were finding a couple of the offsets particularly challenging and vital to get right if you were to remain on line for the next set.

Practice over, rider brief briefed and with a very bleary eyed Paul “Li’l Ol’ Wine Drinker” K. at the timing table the GS started. Sam seeing an opportunity to snatch a coveted Hog Hill GS victory donned his Lycra and climbed the ramp. Mmedo had set the mark to beat with his first run time of 24.270. Sam’s time of 23.910 with just one cone penalty stood until Harry crossed the line putting in a 23.740 with one cone. Louis could only manage 23.830 but hit three cones. Even running clean Sam was unable to improve on his first run time; Harry however was with his clean 23.770 run. So with just Louis to go everyone’s attention was focused on the clock at the top of the hill, could Slipa pull something special out of the bag? He pulled hard off the ramp and accelerated into the course, 23.090 seconds and one cone later he crossed the line taking 1st place, a truly great ride by theUK number 1. 

Big thanks go out to: Michael Stride and Octane Sport for their continued support and all the good toys they bring, to Sam who started it all and continues to do sterling work on all our behalves - much of it unseen, Paul K. for Timekeeping, Mmedo and Louis for the courses, Jim for all round assistance and cone counting (and the fine display of how a Turner should be ridden). Big thanks also to Timmy Peters and DAS Industries for their work on the sign up, organising the freeride and downhill elements and generally being good eggs and a pleasure to work with and for helping assure the continued success of these events. Paul Coupe for the lift, banter, show and tell and being a good rival on the hill, to all the Ian, Sylvia and the Staff at Redbridge Cycling Centre, Tony and staff at Lambourne End - Special mention to Louis and the clean up crew for sorting out the hut and recycling on Sunday morning and finally to all the racers that made it a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.
Oh and to my GS Mojo…..for coming back and not deserting me in Stuttgart!

Lessons learned:
  • Don't try to knee slide without pads! (James)
  • Nigel's Fibreflex doesn't turn, Tony's Turner does (Jim) - footage soon!
  • Lycra is no substitute for the speed and agility of youth (Sam)
  • Set up separate recycling bins for glass, cans, paper, card and plastic on arrival at Lambourne End so we don't have to sort rubbish out when we pack up!

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Eddie Martinez, Texas Outlaw

A little bit of Texas Pride might be heading our way.


If he makes it then he'll have to tackle some of ours. Pint for Eddie!

Juniors Entry Fee:

Junior (Under 16) Competitor Entry now added via Paypal here.

















21 December 1975: Rain failed to put the skids under Scott Barnard, 13, of Ekibin who kept perfect control of his skateboard in slippery conditions at Indooroopilly Shoppingtown. He was competing in the junior slalom section of the Brisbane Skateboard Championships. Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

Location Update

Euros map with links and locations added to Venues & Maps tab:



View Euros Map in a larger map

The Crackling 18/19th May 2013


Want to check out Hog Hill before The Euros?

Why not try a bit of  Crackling  to fill you up with...


London for Idiots

A surprisingly good basic web guide for finding your way around the sprawling metropolis:

London For Idiots - click here


Prudential Ride London: 3rd & 4th August

Warning! - If you are thinking about hiring a car, or staying in Central London, then please be aware that there will be Road Closures on 3rd and 4th of August for a Road Cycling race.


As part of the one-year-on celebrations, the centre of this will be the Olympic Park (Stratford) area. The closures might hinder those travelling in by car from the Central London/ Surrey directions.

Please take a look at the attached link so that you can plan your approach to Hog Hill without hindrance. We will put up more details when they are released by TFL.


Pavel 2013 Team Announced




Newsflash from Conemeister Campbell:

We have a lot of people in the Team and on the New Page we made different divisions.

This is the new group which is called OTC - Off The Couch Racing. The Colorado guys came up with that description. You will find old faces in there who really race as much anymore as they did a few years ago. Some of them don't even really stay in touch. Still I feature those characters as team members in this section.


Pavel Slalom Team 2013

Dobie - 'We Will Not Harm You' Exhibition/ Album Release

Until Sunday 10th February!!!
Coinciding with the release of Dobie's solo album on Big Dada Records, Hewett Street Gallery are hosting an exhibition of his early 90s street photography, documenting the fledgling skate scene of Covent Garden and the Southbank and the culture around it.

Flickr Pics of the Private View here.



 
Get there while you can.




UKSSA




 



The International Slalom Skateboarding Association (ISSA) Board of Directors and its European Status Marshals have awarded The 2013 European Championships of Slalom Skateboarding to LONDON.


It will be the first time since 1986 that the European Championships have been held in England. Back then it was held in Warrington, Cheshire, and was part of a larger skateboarding championship which also featured halfpipe, freestyle and high jump events. This time around the championships will be held at Redbridge Cycling Centre “aka Hog Hill”, which lends itself ideally to slalom racing (along with a number of other gravity sports). It has great on site facilities including a very well appointed cafĂ©.

The European Championships are assigned as an ISSA Major Status race. Only one race event per continent is granted Major status each year and as such we expect to attract the fastest racers not only from Europe but the America’s too! It promises to be one of, if not The most competitive event of the year.
Over the three days riders will compete in three different slalom disciplines Giant, Hybrid and Tight. So get ready to witness some super-fast high adrenaline fuelled racing next summer – make a note in your diaries now!