ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

The Needham High School is one of the first schools in the country to support slalom and to have a student run slalom and longboarding group. We are welcoming all slalomers to the campus again this Saturday May 19th for another push start hybrid slalom skateboard race.

Needham Massachusetts is a suburb of Boston, about 30 minutes from downtown.



SIGN UP ON NCDSA HERE http://www.ncdsa.com/contest_registrati ... testID=302



The venue is a single lane access road running up the front of the Needham High School Campus. Slight pitch and good pavement. There is plenty of space for parking in the student parking lot adjacent to the race site.

The course will be set the day before or the morning of the race. Expect a fast technial flow hybrid course. New skater friendly so don't be intimidated to come out. It also won't be boring for the professional slalomer in you.



RACE DAY INFO
9AM Practice
10AM Registration
10:15 Rider's Meeting
10:30 Racing Starts


40-60 cones,
.1 second cone penalty for each knocked out of the circle.
Take as many runs as possible, best run counts.

Hey Karl, This race should be awesome again this year but I'm wondering whats going on with that other hill you were talking about using for a gs course, is that going to happen?

Not enough momentum in the organizing early enough to get the town to let us shut the road down. We decided rather than push beyond our resources is to get a really good stoke from this race so that in 2008 we can approach the town and get what ever street we want. Sorry guys!

We'll do some thinking about some kind of low key GS outlaw sunday morning as well as running a TS after the main hybrid event. We'll let everyone know as the race gets closer.

count me in for sure

and bring on the gilmour tight....i need to work on that big time!

RACE UPDATE

We would like to thank POCKET PISTOL SKATES for signing on to be our first skate sponsor!!



They'll be sending some swag... come to the needham race, you could win a pocket pistol. That sounds nice to me, and I already have two.


Remember we do give the prizes out to those who deserve em. The guys on the podium don't need the stuff as much, we are working so almost everyone gets some kind of prize.

Karl,

Will there be any opportunity prior to the race to run some kids new to slalom through some type of hybird course? There are 3 or 4 10 - 12 year old snowboarders i know from grafton, ma area that skate ramp and would like to check out the slalom scene. I totally understand wanting to throw down a good course and not deal with beginner racers the same day. If this is not an option on race day maybe we could coordinate a training session day. Let me know what you think. - John

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! G*D F@#$%&^ D!@#$% KARL! i can't come i have prom that day!!!!!!


grrr...........

Hey John

This sunday the whole needham crew, and the North Shore boys are getting together at the Soap Box Derby Hill north of Boston. It's good for practice and we will be setting one beginner course and another Intermediate course. If you can make it out it will be a great oppurtunity to get some coaching. Let me know if you want to come I'll send you all the info.


Adam

I've been in that dilemia once or twice, here's my solution: Tux in skate bag.

Karl, when (as in what time?) and moreover, Exactly where(mapquest?) are you getting this together?
Lynx says I can go, if I can get this info sorted by this afternoon (friends who would babysit need to know when). Please don't leave me stranded with house chores! :-P

Eric
We are meeting at 9:30 AM tomorrow morning. If you are coming from VT you'll want to drive Route 2 or take the Mass Pike to route 128, that circles Boston. You have two choices depending where you are- go north of the city and get on I 93 South towards downtown Boston and get off at exit 33

OR if you are coming from the south or west of Boston you can now get on the Mass Pike (bring $2 for tolls eachway) if you drive the pike to the very end it splits off into about 3 different exits at the end: just follow the signs to I 93 north(middle lane)- you will go into the tunnel under the city and come out on the big new Suspension bridge. Just go north for another ten minutes to exit 33 in medford.

It will give you an opportunity to see what the Big Dig construction project yielded- 4 lane highways under a downtown city- no traffic.

After the exit here are good directions:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trail ... ectMSF.htm

Just park in any legal spot you can grab. Walk up into the park the Soapbox hill is up and to your right, really close.

hey does anyone know where that bowl is near the school somewhere. One of you guys told me about it last year and i never got to go but i would like to mapquest it for this time and everyone should go.

The best bowls around here aren't really close, about an hour north to Newberryport which is siiick and of course Rye Airfield in southern NH. Ask derek about any other parks, I don't get out to ride park as often as I'd like.

RAIN DATE?

Glenn Garbett wrote:RAIN DATE?

Exactly what I was thinking...

Bryan and I are monitoring the weather conditions and forecasts today. Right now we may get hit with some rain in the morning and be able to run in the afternoon which is what I'm hoping for. But by tomorrow we will make a decision.

If Saturday is a no go we will be running Sunday the 20th. I've already talked to Tim Cayer in NH and he understands so no hard feelings. We can't push our race back a week because our event staff won't be around and we won't have the spot. Our event can only run this weekend and is the result of four years of effort.


Tonight I will be posting pictures of the new big NECF Ramp, tech course ideas and prize pool.

As of now WE ARE OFFICALLY RUNNING ON SUNDAY 5/20. Schedule should be a little delayed so show up around 9:30 AM.

QUESTIONS? Call 781 492 9312



IT'LL BE WORTH IT THOUGH!





Everyone should go home with something!!

ARRGGH, New England weather Sucks!!!

After looking over the pros+cons of either trucking up North to NH, or down south to Mass., I still haven't made up my mind which race is more important.

Anyone else 'on the fence'?

Oh well, I'll figure it out by tonight. Can't be in two places at once (and by this time, I thought for sure we'd have Star Trek Transporter beams! So much for Sci-Fi's promise of the future..).

for me it's easy Berlin is 275miles away Needham is 80miles. I hope Needham keeps most of the people who were gonna be there today. I really want to put faces on the names and writings that I have come to know over the years

Karl, good luck with your race. I am heading to Berlin NH, I had told Tim a while ago that I would help out on race day if he needed it. Pray for dry pavement.

So, after some soul-searching, and looking at the Latest NOAA weather predictions, I'm headin' South to get Schooled.

Good luck to those heading up to Berlin, I hope you'll have dry tar and a good, supportive in-town crowd rootin' for ya!!

Tim, I'd still love to chat about future race venues, if not Dh, Luge, Slalom, and skating in general... Soon, if not next time...

Karl, the whole political scene had less to do with my coming South than the likelyhood I might actually win something! I love Schwagg!

You're heart is in the right place, and you've done very well in your short time Racin' here in the NorEast! We'll just have to adjust and head Further South when you start talkin' with a Southern twang down in Carolina! At least you stayed East of the Mississippi River!

Fun day despite the weather!

Great job Needham Longboard Club and NECF with putting the event on!

Terry

We ran the High School race with great success considering the ridiculous rain we managed to dry off the course long enough for everyone to drop in off the new NorthEastCabanaFlow Ramp!



It was still wet but we ran anyway!! HARD CORE NEW ENGLAND SLALOMERS AREN'T AFRAID OF A LITTLE RAIN.



22 people came to race and no matter how much actual skating we got in I saw a lot of smiles on people's faces, that really kept me stoked! Thank you guys so much for comming inspite of everything. WICKED CHOWDA.

OVERALL RESULTS
THE NEEDHAM OPEN 2.0 May 20th 2007


1. Karl Floitgraf 10.75
2. Bryan Werner 10.78
3. Terry Whalen 12.23
4. Mike Grasso 12.59
5. Jake Hawkridge 12.81
6. Dr. Dan 12.88
7. Nick Chamberlain 12.91
8. Rick Floyd 13.03
9. Ben Volvowitz 13.07
10. Brett Yorks14.06
11. Micheal Ruisi 14.15
11. Adam Proctor 14.15
13. Tony Peters 14.66
14. Glenn Garbett 14.70
15. Tess Herman 14.90
16. Lisa Woodward 15.15
17. Andrew Withrow 17.34
18. Kevin Stein 17.40
19. Alex Powell 17.71
20. Zach Ganley 19.06
21. Nick Baker 20.04


Tess ripping down the ramp with no fear.


The Junior Podium: 1. Mike Grasso, 2. Jake Hawkridge,3. Nick Chamberlain. We had a huge under 18 division( 10 racers).

This was such an amazing time for me especially because it's the last contest I think I'll be organizing in my hometown as I'm headed off to college in North Carolina this fall. Bryan and I have been shredding these streets for a four years now and I'm starting to realize I've got to move on for the next generation of kids to own the school scene.


The next weasel and sausage king? Who knows man?


This event was only made possible by the great team we've built, Myself, Bryan Werner, Nick Chamberlain, Mike Grasso and Adam Proctor.


THANK YOU GUYS FOR SHOWING UP AND SURFING/SKATING!!!! I'M WICKED STOKED.

Congratulations, Karl and crew! Glad you were able to pull it off. I'm gettin' a little worried about our weather myself, so I may have to give you a call. No offense, but I hope I won't have to.

P.S. Ferrari!

Way to go crew! Looks like you hade some fun.

Sorry we couldn't make it just too much going on here geting ready for Europe. See you there!

wattt im not part of the teammmmmmm

u are brett ure just not in that pic hahahha

Watch out for these kids man, remember the last crazy kids from Needham to start slaloming? hah. Maybe it's safe to go to college now. Well maybe not, everyone will be faster than me by semester break!!

Brett your part of the team, but we only get so many kodak moments with that kind of car.

haha i read that acouple of weeks ago and i finally get it now, wow haha

So, Nick, I'm going to recommend you get better Glue on your shoes. Kinda was weird having the bottom of your Vans in my hip pocket at Ascutney...
If you start practicing on some steeps, let me know. The last thing I want to see is you intimidated into an Auld-type mistake by the speed a hill carries. You'll notice I didn't race. Not that I'm scared of Ascutney, just wasn't sure of who'd be next to me mid-turn. As it was, I was impressed with most of the riders. Gotta find newer (um, useable) leathers, sort my gear out, etc, but I may run in Munsville. Watching that race has got me thinking...