United States Grass Roots DownHill Slalom Championship

[Eddy Martinez]

Where would the U SGrass Roots Downhill Slalom Championship be decided. Would the winner be based on a points basis. And would the winner be an amatuer. Would Dave Gales contest in West Virginia be the deciding contest, since it is officially the last contest on the GrassRoots series. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Christopher Bara]

That's a great thought Eddy..........I'd have to say that yes, it'd have to be an amatuer...and the WV would be a great venue for the last race...but make it a points system with scores coming from the other grass roots races throughout the year....but double the points at WV to give it more impact......

give something for us rookie guys to shoot for

[Chris Favero]

chris,good idea but think chicago.we will be posting that race on a contest calender soon.cf

[Dave Gale]

Once I acquire /solidify, that I get the same hill as MSSS1 and MSSS2 with closed intersection, I'll commit to hosting! I wouldn't want last minute blue haired snafus like last year!! I've been assured "iy won't happen again" by the highers in town, But 'til it's in writing uh... you know!

[Christopher Bara]

I would have to say that the MSSS race would still be the best venue for a final "decider" on a Grass Roots Championship. Two reasons. It's the longest running grass roots event. And it's the last event of the year. I dont think it would be right to have a "championship event" with more races to follow. Chicago is possibly the best city in the US (IMHO) and the police there were amazing in the way they let us race last year, but Dave's race has tradition on it's side.
If you all agree, there's a couple things to decide.
First, what races would qualify as a "grass roots" circuit.
Would Luna still be grass roots?....probably, even though it has a pretty big "pro draw" judging from the sign ups, and it's gotten pretty big. however, it looks like it still has that "home town feel", so it should probably be in there.
Chicago for sure
St Louis for sure
Fayetteville for sure
The Gathering?....maybe not, since it's never been touted as a "race", though the one time we visited, it seemed like that's what it was. At least the night before. And it was a decent race at that.
Texas Sizzler?....another good choice, but a tough place to get to

Then once we get 5 or 6 venues everybody (most people) agree on, how would we do points?.....and would the points/final standings be limited to amatuers only?. That would seem like the best idea. When guys going for the Americas Cup Series visit and race, they would still accumalate points for that, but the Grass Roots Series Points should probably be limited to less experienced skaters....that's something that would really help the sport at the start-up-level.

The more I think about this, Eddy, the more i think you had a great idea here

[Wesley Tucker]

I would have to say that the MSSS race would still be the best venue for a final "decider" on a Grass Roots Championship. Two reasons. It's the longest running grass roots event.

MSSS was first held in October, 2002. Da' Farm race was first held in in September 2001. This year will be the 5th Annual Farm event. Also, The Red Clay Cup was first held in September 2002 and hasn't missed a year since. Although it's "not a race," The Gathering is a Grass Roots event held every year since 2001. Furthermore, Da' Farm, The Gathering and the Red Clay Cup are a "Go" for this year. DaveG is hedging his bets on even being able to schedule MSSS for this year depending on the town's cooperation.

[Christopher Bara]

I understand the The Farm and Red Clay both started off as Grass Roots events, but both of these have gotten much more popular and carry considerable points for the Championship Series. I know Athens is a Prime now, (not sure about The Farm). In any case, they attract the best skaters in the country. Last time i looked at the Red Clay calendar, they had about a dozen national/world champs signed up. I dont think these could be considered Grass Roots events anymore. Grass Roots, it seemed, was always know to be for smaller, newer events...possibly in new markets....the North Carolina event you guys are planning would be another good example.

The gathering is certainly a possibility, if the organizers WANT it to be.....from what i could tell, it was always meant to be "something other than a race"

I'm just putting thoughts out there of course

Hey, Wes, by the way....thanks for posting those pics of the Trade Street hill....we dont even HAVE hills like that to practice on up here....so we decided to just put cones up on our rooftop and run down till we hit the gutter

[Rick Stanziale]

Red Clay Cup will always be a Grass Roots Slalom event.

[Christopher Bara]

I didnt mean it as a slam

So maybe i'm not understanding something. How is "GRASS ROOT EVENT" defined?.......

6, you're about to throw a damn big event.....

I've always thought grass roots events were seperate from those getting wide
(inter)national attention

Events that would likely attract a large number of relatively inexperienced skaters compared to the number of seasoned pro's.

[Rick Stanziale]

So maybe i'm not understanding something. How is "GRASS ROOT EVENT" defined?.......

http://grassrootsslalom.homestead.com/

Who are we?

Grass Roots Slalom is a loose knit yet tightly bound group of individual Skaters and other Slalom Associations and Organizations.

Our goal is to promote the Sport of Slalom Skateboarding through a program of training, mentoring, racing, and open communication, with the idea of benefiting both the novice and the experienced racer.

[Christopher Bara]

yeah....that i read.....but for that matter, Breck and LaCosta could fit in there as well....

I can write in grey too.......so what diferentiates a GRASS ROOTS event from a non-GRASS ROOTS event?

[Wesley Tucker]

Chris,

Not to argue (you understand ) but at the first MSSS there were four guys in from California and two from England. I guess it never was a Grass Roots race, huh?

[Christopher Bara]

OK....I can appreciate that....(hey, i never even stepped on a slalom board before summer '03, this is still new to me, really)......

so i've always figured a grass root event was one based on, you know, "ground up"...simpler....smaller.......maybe in a place that's new to the race scene....something that has a bigger draw on amatuers than on pro's

For that definition that Rick quoted, literally any race would be a grass roots race. the only exception would be an "invite only" race which doesnt currently exist

or....

No race that i've seen yet would apply....I have never seen "training and mentoring" at any event i've been to (all small events) including the Gathering ....The closest i've seen to it would have been at last years MSSS....

[Ricky Byrd]

We too, are always a Grass Roots Slalom event. If the Pros want to come that's fine, but my races are for the masses. Even the courses will reflect this. Notice I haven't attempted to entice people with big money prizes or even schwag hook-ups (even though there will be). This years Luna is like "Hey, If you want to race and hang out and have fun" this race is for you.

Next year? We'll see...

Basically to define, I think GRS is reflected in the entry fee, something anyone can swing, courses, something any one can swing, and whether you call it a "Championship" or not. Not Mississippi State Championship but World or US Championship. All races have similar trats, hell, there all races, it's the pressure the racers feel. A non GRS race is high entry fee investment on a course that newbies (and oldbies) would cuss at due to tricky cone placement and speed.

GRS=non-stress and fun atmosphere. I know, I know, all races are fun...

[Christopher Bara]

dammit...so once again, i'll miss the last "small one".......we (the Detroiters) were going to come down this year, but that date didnt work out for one of us.......and with flight costs we could only do one, so Athens it was....i personally prefer smaller races since i have allot to learn......

but i think once you get to the point where you have 50 people there, cash and prizes, heavy points on the America's Cup and so on, that you'd be hard pressed to keep the "grass roots" atmosphere......at that point it would evolve into something else.

LaCosta would probably be the best example....i'm sure at the beginning of the sport, in the 70's, it was what the grassroots website would be based on....and it grew into what it was in 2003...a major event........saying it's not "grass roots" anymore isnt a bad thing.....but it happens

so.......

If there's to be a Grass Roots Series for this year, what would the venues be?......we're running out of time

[Ricky Byrd]

Although I haven't talked to him about it in a while, I thought 66 was compiling a series of races deemed "GRS series". I thought it was a great idea and told him to sign us up for it and that was that. LSJ 05 is low key fun day of slalom for all, on courses that all can love.

66?

[Rick Stanziale]

If there's to be a Grass Roots Series for this year, what would the venues be?......we're running out of time

Texas

Mississippi

Georgia

St. Louis

Chicago

West Virginia

points leader after Chicago gets a plane ticket to Slalom Week

[Christopher Bara]

That looks good......would that be retroactive for this year?......the Sizzler is a toughie for people flying in because there's virtually nowhere near it that you can fly to for a decent fare.....but that's our problem, not Eddy's.....and Rick/Rick......have your events always been two weeks apart?....and will they be next year as well?


yeah

looking at it again

that should be a good list for allot of people........

[Wesley Tucker]

Chris,

I've been kind of purposefully yanking your chain today because it's fun to do ( ), but think I can make this simple: Grass Roots is pretty much anything in the USA except an FCR race. Since FCR is no longer offering a full schedule of races, then it's pretty easy to understand that ALL races now are Grass Roots: local, some sanctioning and certainly lots of folks from all over hanging out for the weekend riding skateboards.

I'm not picking on FCR or demeaning their efforts, but in 2002 and 2003, Smith, O'Shei and Krisik made a determined effort to promote and organize a serious pro/open circuit with sponsors and TV coverage. It was a road show that went to different places offering a similar racing format culminating in the worlds. This is far from anything today that could be called "grass roots."

In 2004 and '05, though, things are a little different. EVERY RACE is pretty much locally organized (thus, "grass roots,") and each race has it's little quirks and perks that seperate it from the others. Da' Farm has Hayes' Party, Luna with the crawdad gumbo and Red Clay with naked people trying to be cool. It's all good. I might even add that even Jack Smith's Slalom Week and O'shei and Krisik's announced Donner race MIGHT even be considered grass roots by the very nature of the efforts they are putting forth.

Although Gary Fluitt's attempts to coordinate things a little with the America's Cup, I think it's safe to say right now that all racing in America is Grass Roots. The Pump Station races, the Cascade Slalom Series, JPL, Texas, St. Louis, Chicago, Georgia, Mississippi, Maryland, New York, Colorado and West Virginia all have one thing in common: skateboarders riding through cones. Beyond that, it's pretty much up to the local guys to decide the direction and racing environment for their event.

That, to me, is what Grass Roots Racing is: scheduling a race, inviting in 75 of your closest friends, skating all day and driving home exhausted.

Totally cool.

[Wesley Tucker]

Rick,

Why are the Pump Station races NOT grass roots? Are we now going to try and distinguish between Grass Roots and outlaw? Our "grass roots" discussion seems awfully East-coastcentric. What about the guys in Oregon and Washington with the People's Slalom? I would think Mike Gorman's efforts at JPL are about as grass roots as it gets.

Hey, I'm not arguing, but Grass Roots being an East Coast thing doesn't seem quite right.

[Christopher Bara]

the Pump Station seems to be a series of it's own already, just like the JPL series....and those are always at the same venue....that's a whole different thang....As for the west coast thing, the Golden Colorado event may be one to add to the bunch...it's a local event for sure.....Cali's events always seem to be either large and well established, or a series...I dont know much about the NW scene though......

I say, just pick a handful of races, set it up and start a forum to track it..

You guys know best as to which events would "best represent the Grass Roots effort as it applies in the present"....like that one Wes?

no problem you yankin' me a bit....i know that if you really wanted to rattle me you could...

[Wesley Tucker]

You guys know best as to which events would "best represent the Grass Roots effort as it applies in the present"....like that one Wes?

It'll do as a working title, but send it over to rewrite and see if one of the copy guys can punch it up a bit.

Now, would someone please get me Make up and wardrobe? Luna is a week away and I don't have a thing to wear.

[Christopher Bara]

you dont have a damn thing to do today, do ya?

[Wesley Tucker]

Worked EARLY this morning, skated a little between 10 and noon and now it's raining like a mofo (see where the Masters is delayed? Same storm is at my house.)

[Christopher Bara]

nope....i wont play golf until they make it full contact

Ricky, 66, chef, TexEd, Goad,Gale.........watcha think?.....Fluitt??

[Pat Chewning]

Cascade races are Grass Roots.

No entry fee.
No "Pro" grouping.
Ladder bracket for more racing runs per person.
Courses set for the masses (i.e. most people can make it through the course)

There is usually some grass of one form or another near the course.

-- Pat

[Rick Stanziale]

okay the races I mentioned weren't meant to provide a "United States Grass Roots Downhill Slalom Champion"....they were just a "Grass Roots Series"

Cali...Colo...NW....they all have legit Grass Roots scenes.......I picked those races because it was my intention to race at those venues

rain and pollen are keeping me out of the skatepark today.....I'm not turning on my computers tomorrow

[Christopher Bara]

good point......East of the mississippi doesnt have the same organized scene as west....and that's only because nobody bothered to put it together yet...can it be done?......

[Dave Gale]

Just got home...WOW!! you guys have been busy! There are several very valuable and thought provoking points and ideas!!
Be assured Wesley, you, could not be further off tho to say I am "hedging my bets"
I have every ounce of support from the town, and they want to make this years better than any to date(won't be hard to beat last years last minute surprise tho) Hence my waiting to get everything in writing before posting. In an effort to afford everyone ample time and considerations. MSSS 4 is ON!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Weatherwax]

Hey 66
why isnt the Windor race in the GRS cup?
Its grass roots for sure, the courses are fast as hell, but not techy pro only courses.

so whats the deal?

[Christopher Bara]

just tossing names out there Wax.....i think this is something we should start this year to be honest....

Eddy called last night and we talked about it a bit

a few things that are for sure....We all like going to races, but the majority of skaters will ride in the b and c classes....

The winners of the A/Pro/Elite class get a championship contention and they obviously deserve it.

However, these races wouldnt go off without the finances and participation of the rest of us, so there should be something for us to go for too.

The whole Pro champ and Am champ has been beaten to death and we can give up on that.

But a Grass Roots Series Champ is a new twist.

A class riders can ride in them and accumalate points to the Americas cup.

B and C class riders can ride them and accumalate points to the Americas cup (where we'll land down the list a ways) AND points for the Grass Roots Series.

Tod Oles made a good point as well that most "grass roots candidates" dont do as much traveling to races as the nations best do(looking at the contest calendars for the past two years, this is, for them most part, true)....so limiting the grass roots series to one race a month would be a wise move, giving as many riders as possible the chance to hit as many races as possible.

That being the case, putting Luna, Windsor and Athens all on the calendar would work to get points to those who can travel most, not the best skaters...they're all within a couple weeks of each other!...but having a race on the west coast, and a race on the east coast...at the same time....may not be bad....racers can go to one or the other....depending on travel costs

It may have to be all of them the first time around, with limited time to put it together, but later in the year, and next year (and so on) doing one a month sounds like a good idea.

maybe we should put it to vote.

and

Lets start this series

[Jim Weatherwax]

So if an event is in your state the same month as a race that would cost $400 to fly to you are out of luck? sounds like a load of crap was added to the reasoning. We have guys coming to my race that cant go to athens or Luna, should they be excluded?
all well attended grass roots races should be part of it if it is true Grass roots championship to crown a real champ, dont you think

[Christopher Bara]

man....do you wake up this intense??

They're just thoughts

And the very sound reasoning is this....Events should be spaced out a month apart. It's easier for family folk to put ont he calendar...i know you can relate....the sports reached a point where this may be something to consider

Orrr, in the interest of all racers going to the same number of races (when at all possible) then make an east/south coast race on the SAME WEEKEND as a west/nw coast race...this way, racers can go to one or the other and not both....it reduces travel costs and gives everyone the chance to race in the same number of events.....both races carry the same amount of points...racers have their choice of which one to go to...

for example...

If Luna and Windsor were on the same weekend, both could go off while attracting different crowds....both would carry the same amount of points towards a Grass Roots title. A skater could not go to them both, obviously

Folks will make the argument one hill is tougher than the other, or the competition is more stiff, but who give a rats ass, really....this is Grass Roots, it's more about having a good time. Besides, the current system gives unjust rewards to those who can afford to travel the most, or have a family life that can allow that.

This isnt a Pro Class series....it can be different...it should be something that can involve as many newer skaters as possible, coast to coast.

Having "dual events" is by far the lesser of two evils.

It's a good thought......

It may not be able to happen this year because this Grass Roots Championship idea only came around recently

That's Eddy's fault for not bringing it up earlier.....heh heh heh

[Eddy Martinez]

When the thought came to me I was looking through some old Skateboarder Magazines. In the Hester Bowl Series. Skaters would earn or accumulate points after each contest As is all skaters are accumulating points after each slalom contest that is held through out the country on the World Ranking System. I was hoping we could have a site for a GRS Championship. The contest would have to be towards the end of the year, not the beginning or the middle of the year. Just a thought. Does not have to be this year just food for thought. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Wesley Tucker]

Just a thought. Does not have to be this year just food for thought. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

NOW he says it's no big deal.

Geez.

See 'ya in a week, Eddy.

[Eddy Martinez]

Then we move forward, progressive motion. Have at it dudes. GRS lives. See you next week Wes. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[John Dillon]

I'd consider The Gathering 5 a grass roots event...as there is mentoring and training,trying out everybody's skates,etc....several diff courses set up and practiced, then raced throughout the wknd....yea, it's not advertised as a race...but there is plenty of racing going on all wknd....last yr was a bit diff as it was held in diff locations on sat and sun...this yr TG5 will be held at the original Cardinal Picnic Loop(same location as sun last yr). Come and race! But, actually, GBJ should respond to this...since it's his deal....just my 2 cents!

[Christopher Bara]

Hey John...no offense...but if what you just described is the Gathering, then i dont know what i was at last year.....what you just described sounded allot more like the MSSS

It was not what we saw in Gaithersburg

I'm not saying it was a bad trip, but ....

"there is mentoring and training,trying out everybody's skates,etc....several diff courses set up and practiced, then raced throughout the wknd"

nope, .....

actually, the night before would be closer to what you described....

[Frank Henn]

Ya'll can split my points. I just want to skate.

[Paul Howard]

Not only do we have "regular" races as Pat Chewning described which are a blast, we will probably try for a 2 day national level race in Salem (possibly instead of Hood River, it's a LOT better surface and hill, and closer to some of Oregon's best skateparks, so far this is undecided) which could easily fit in with the concept of the kind of races a lot of people are talking about as far as putting into an amature GRS series. Adios-Paul

[Eddy Martinez]

Pauliwog would the race be held in July. THe wife and I want to vacation in Oregon this year. Keep us updated. This is really turining into an interesting forum. Lots of feedback and good ideas. Amazing simply amazing. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Paul Howard]

Hey Eddy! Actually Gareth and Steven King are the two most in charge since it's technically their race that they're considering about changing the location. I'm just going to try to help them scope some things out since I'm closer to Salem. As far as July goes, I think that's what Gareth had in mind. E-mailing or posting something to Gareth might get you an answer but I'd guess that right now there's too many details to be worked out for him to know either. Hopefully I'll see him tomorrow at "The People's Slalom" which uses the same site in question and see if he has any news. Should be a good event if we have a 2 day July race, it's got plenty of shade, picnic tables, drinking fountain, bathrooms(sorta ghetto but they're there) and 5-star pavement with no crown wide enough for 2 runs with fairly big offsets. See you in Athens if I don't get back to you, -Paul

[Jack Smith]

Dang, you guys sure do write a lot.

A National Grass Roots Championship (possible name change, as we might be confused with a gardening group) is exactly what slalom needs. I think we need to establish exactly what a GR event is. Age groups, male/female and ability levels. I'm going to try and get my buddy Bill Boothby to chime in on this forum. He knows quite a bit about the way the road cycling world handles this very thing. So Bill, jump in here!

One other thing to consider is that cities and towns all over the country have recreation departments, most on very limited budgets. If you can bring them a package where all they have to do is let you use their insurance, help with street closures and maybe provide a few warm bodies...you might be surprised at the response you would get.

I love the big wing-ding Worlds, but I actually have more fun organizing and competing in GR events. There's nothing better than seeing the look on a kid's face when he drops his/her time by a few seconds over the course of a day's racing.

On another note, two of my pole-vaulters scored personal bests today, one jumped 6" higher and the other went from 11'6" to 12'6".

[Andy Bittner]

Sure, whatever. If grass roots means "been there since the beginning, brought a lot of people to the sport, and contributed significantly to the current level of 'success' enjoyed by slalom skateboarding", then sure... The Gathering is a grass roots event. Most of all, The Gatherings are fun for most of the people that attend. However, if being a "grass roots" event means being part of some kind of points arrangement, where the results of racing at The Gathering comes to mean something tangible in a larger, truly competitive, racing series, then no. The Gathering is not a "grass roots" event.

From the beginning of this current slalom re-birth, I wanted there to be one event, early in each season, where competitors in and devotees of slalom skateboarding could come together, meet each other, share information with each other, and even race against each other without having to be wearing their real "game face" over seasonal points, standings or titles. All of the friendly "mentoring, training and trying out" that JD mentioned has been there in the past, but it's not necessarily going to walk up, take you by the hand and force itself on you. I honestly can't reflect that much on last year's Gathering, T4G, because, for personal reasons, I had to be mostly uninvolved. I have to admit though, Chris Bara, during the brief time I was around last year, I think I remember you. If you are actually the person I'm recalling, I remember the impression you gave me as being kind of a heavy personality, unhappy, and almost even an angry-type of guy, sort of hanging back and not quite in the overall rhythm of everything else that was going on. I'm sorry to put that so bluntly, and I'm perfectly willing to accept that, not only might I not even be recalling you correctly, any impression gained would've been based on a very brief encounter and observation. Nonetheless, if you are the person I'm recalling, then it seems to me you might want to be just a little bit accountable for your own experience and not blame your whole experience on a failing in the event. T4G was very little like how I would've wanted it, if I'd been able to give it my own full attention. Unfortunately, from my brief and somewhat distracted observations, T4G just degraded into a big, disorganized "slalom session", with too many people committed to doing things their own way and too many things trying to happen at the same time, and too many "chiefs" trying to run the pow-wow. It's not going to be that way this year. Nonetheless, I'd be willing to bet that Eddy Martinez, who seemed to me to be a more energetically outgoing individual, probably found his first Gathering experience to be quite different and far more positive than yours.

As John mentioned, this year we are back at the REAL Gathering Site for both days and should be a little more well-structured and purposeful in bearing out the original purposes of The Gatherings. It is also possible, with an annual race schedule that is far more full than 4 years ago, a community that pretty well knows each other now and a decline in Gathering attendance, that next year could see The Gathering mutate into a major race event.

[Eddy Martinez]

G4 was definately a blast. I wish I could return every year. Andy, Geezer-x,PSR Wes E and coach Claude all were very helpful to me, I wish I could skate with you dudes all the time. Mike set an AWESOME course on Friday. I made so many amigos there. The Gathering could definately be part of a points system. There were some of the top racers from across the country there. Chris may be a bit reserved. But the bro has the slalom stoke. I have never met anyone who loves our sport as much as he does. Hope to return next year. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Andy Bittner]

Thanks, Eddy. "Reserved" is so much better and fairer a term than all of the terms I used to give my initial impression of Chris. I'm not going to edit my post, because it's already out there, but I'd like to apologize to Chris for my being a judgemental jerk and occasionally choosing really poor ways in which to express my opinions. There is no question in my mind that Chris has the slalom stoke. I'd like to meet him again, get to know him and modify my first impression for the better. Of course, leave it to Eddy Martinez to be one of the friendliest, kindest, most enthusiastic and most positive people out there.

While there's no question that previous Gatherings had enough serious competitors present to have a race that counted toward some real competitive series and could attract many of those racers again were it added to such a series. However, for one more time at least, I want The Gathering unaffiliated with anything that would make it's results important to a "real" competitive situation.

For the first time ever, here is my original inner-monologue on why I created the Gatherings. I love racing. I love competition. I love competing. For me, the real fun of being in a "real" competitive situation is taking it very seriously. I take real racing situations very seriously because I love racing and taking racing seriously is how I enjoy racing most. Taking real racing situations very seriously may or may not leave room for being friendly with someone, or taking the time to make new friends. Taking real racing seriously may involve seeming quiet and withdrawn at some moments or loud and obnoxious in others. Under real race conditions I might not seem to like someone for no apparent reason and otherwise be pretty unlikeable myself. I created The Gatherings, as much as anything, for myself, because I wanted to meet, get to know and have some fun with the rest of the global slalom community, without all of my own "real" racing stuff in the way.

It worked, mostly. I have friends across the country and around the world, with whom I share the love of slalom skateboarding, and who I probably wouldn't otherwise really know, had I only brushed shoulders with them at some race somewhere. However, a lot of people chose to come to some slalom party I threw in the woods of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and while The Gatherings never managed to please everyone (least of all, me), almost everyone who has attended at least one has seemed glad they did.

[Christopher Bara]

Hey Andy, no need to edit......and no offense taken....but either you dont have the right guy, or you've got the wrong impression.

no need to apologize, but since you did....apology accepted...i'm sure we'll meet again somewhere soon .....


and now...back to the Grass Roots Championship.....


what's next?.........

[Eddy Martinez]

Back to the subject at hand where should the GRS Championships be held. Should it be based on a points system. I know it is difficult and costly for all of us to attend all of the GRS events. I believe that is why 66 formed the GRS Series, so that the events could be close to one another.. All of us skaters are grateful to the Sponsors who have contributed to our sport. And we are grateful to the pros who attend these contest. The majority of them are allways willing to share their knowledge with us. To the bros who hold contest across the country,and there determination to not let the light go out on our sport. Thank You. I believe Dave Gs contest would be the place for this year. Disscuss amongst yourselves. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Paul Howard]

Hey, The People's Slalom was a BLAST(THANKS EVERYONE FOR SHOWING UP, ALL OF YOU MAKE IT SOOOO WORTH MY TIME AND $$ TO DO IT), and since everyone's times were recorded on the Chewning Chronocrome timing system, I would definately say "Put my race in the GRS points system" if that's applicable. Hopefully we'll have our own Northwest Cascade Slalom Assoc overall series points as well. Adios-Pauliwog

[Eric Brammer]

Andy, you've done for Slalom Skateboarding what I tried to do for Snowboard Carving in the Northeast with the ECES events. Only, in your case, you've stayed with it, and it has stayed true to what it is. It is a great early-season warm-up for those who have just left snowier climes; it is a race (several, actually), but not a RACE with a serious attitude; it is a really cool family-friendly event that lets skaters explore new stuff, and new lines; it's an overgrown pinic with the Family, extended family of like-minded go-fast skaters; And it's THE Event I look forward to every spring! It is the best thing for Slalom I've seen yet, just because it's so laid-back, and yet has a good, fun, competitive edge to it. The Pressure one feels is only what one brings with them. So, Thank You from an old-school Slalom wanna-be for putting on a show like no other!