DownHill Slalom History

[Eddy Martinez]

What is the history of Downhill slalom,where did it originate? Who were the pioneers of the sport. I would appreciate any contributions, I am doing an interview for one of the local newspapers. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Andy Bittner]

Eddy,

That's really a very huge question and the answers would depend largely on who you heard them from.

Obviously, the word slalom applies to a wide variety of completely dissimilar disciplines (skiing, skateboarding, water-skiing, automobiles, motorcycles, inline skates, soccer ball kicking, foot racing, dog obedience trials, etc.) and mostly applies to the timed running of a marked, well-defined, winding (back and forth) path. I'm fairly certain that the word originated in Scandinavia and was first about skiing. The word origin definition that I found is "sloping path".

As someone who has remained an active slalom skateboarder through most of the last 34 years, I always felt that slalom skateboarding evolved almost organically, along with the skateboard itself, as an almost natural thing to attempt on such a downhill, gravity-motivated vehicle. Pumping really wasn't an issue back then, since there is ZERO grip from clay or steel wheels, so I'd think you'd probably have to include the word "downhill" in the history of slalom skateboarding from its' first days.

My family is an alpine skiing family and has been since before my birth in 1962. Raised in that environment, the concept of slalom racing was as present and real as the concepts of American football or baseball; and in many ways much more real, because the whole family pursued it on skis at some time or another. For me, the men who started slalom skateboarding were my father and the ski buddies of my father who gave him a Hobie skateboard for his birthday in 1966, suggesting that after the recent arrival of a 4th child, he might want to learn skateboarding as as alternative to the multiple winter ski trips or, at least as a summertime alternative to skiing.

There are people from other parts of the world who can tell you other stories. There's no question that slalom skateboarding existed before my father got his board. In fact, there'd already been organized competition in California and (I believe) other parts of the world as well. I'm sure someone will be able to verify that it was probably pictured in the 1965 Life Magazine article, and it is likely my father or his friends had seen it. Clearly my father didn't invent slalom skateboarding, and from my perspective didn't pursue it from any particular awareness of or attachment to the California surf and/or skateboarding culture of the mid-1960s.

In the mid-1970s the urethane wheel changed everything for reasons that I needn't explain to people on this site. A revival of slalom skateboarding at that time gave skateboarding its' first, real, media-advanced slalom racing "legends". They include, but are not limited to, many people who are still active or semi-active participants in this 21st Century, 2nd revival of slalom skateboarding; such as Henry Hester, John Hutson, Bob Skoldberg, Charlie Ransom and Steve Evans. Others are either long-since-missing or unfortunately passed away, including Bobby Piercy, while still others chose to forsake slalom skateboarding back in the 70s and, although remaining active in skateboarding, have never looked back on their slalom days with any particular fondness or desire to race again. Of course, in this case, I am referring to one of the greatest all-around skaters skateboarding has ever known, Tony Alva.

[Hans Koraeus]

Funny you should mention Tony Alva. I just saw a little film from some old World Championship (Sponsored by Hang Ten and ABC world of sports). You guys tell me the year.

The final was between Henry Hester and Tony Alva. Henry Hester had a fall in the first run which gave Alva a 0.7 sec lead in the second run. The World Champ title seemed packed and ready for Tony. In the second run Henry Hester gets off with a super start and just fly through the course. Tony is behind from the start. Maybe trying to go safe. Hester is over the finish line well ahead of Alva but will it be enough. 0.7 seconds is a lot to take in on the 8 second course or as the commentator says: "It's almost impossible". Well, Henry Hester beats Tony Alva with 0.8 seconds in the second run and took home the World Slalom Champion title with 0.1 seconds. Do I need to tell you that Alva was pissed off? Maybe that still gives Alva bad vibes and why he's not racing slalom these days side by side with Steve Olson.

[Adam Trahan]

Whoa, that clip is in the movie forums here Corky. I thought TA took the overall title because of that win. I've been feeling sort of on the fence bad for BAD H for quite some time now because of that movie. It is such a great clip, even better for me now that I know Henry Hester made it up in the second run. THAT would be a complete classic to have here.

In the recent past (Jan 04) I spoke with Ed Economy. He has told me that he is busy with his personal life but he would soon sign up here and post to the "historical value" of this site. Ed would be a good person for your question(s) Eddy.

I will forward you a copy of my e-mail to Ed asking him if he is not busy and can answer some questions here.

Contrary to what Ed may have written about slalomskateboarder.com or even me personally, I've found him to be a man of his word and no less honorable in the "REAL WORLD."

adam

p.s. Andy Bittner certainly knows his stuff as well. Between the two of these guys, you should be able to get enough for a brief background as your post refers to. The last interview you did was great, when this one comes out, please let me know the link. Thanks.

[Eddy Martinez]

Thanks guys I appreciate the help. My recollections of downhill slalom go back to the days of the race at Del Mar, the races at La Costa,Bob and Vince Turner making slalom boards in the 70s and the guys from the Badlands riding Ick Sticks that were made by Rick Howell. I dont want to give the impression that I dont know the history of slalom. But at the same time I dont want to give the reporter the wrong imformation. Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Jack Smith]

Eddy,

Some of the earliest races were the Laguna Night Rallies back in '63 or '64. One of the guys racing then was Joey Cabell, who went on to start the Chart House chain. He also worked on the Bahne Single Ski with Mike Doyle.

Guys like Denis Shufeldt and Tommy Ryan competed in the 1965 World Championships. Tommy also raced at the Bahne-Cadillac Del Mar Nationals in 1975, Denis helped organize the race and was going to compete until he broke his foot in a non-skateboard related accident a few days before the race.

[Adam Trahan]

...yeah.

I can totally appreciate recall. When I was active in our local hang gliding club, I was the "historian" and gathered all the material on hang gliding that I could to answer the sort of questions Eddy is asking about skateboard slalom. It's really interesting to note the "threads" that weave through the fabric of what makes our sport. These questions and the ensuing answers enlighten a subject that is often overshadowed by current events and popularity.

Thanks for posting some more of the story Jack. It's always good to know where the roots are.

adam

[Hans Koraeus]

I went to the movie forum to have a look at the film. I realized that it was only a part of the complete film. (Even though it was 23Mb! Luckily I'm having a broadband connection these days). I have got 3 other clips from a friend from the same film. I now understand the funny ending of my clips: 2, 4 and 6. The complete film have probably been cut up in pieces and the clip here in the movie forum seems to be clip no 5.

Clip 1: -Missing?-
Clip 2: Introduction of the ABC world of sports (No skating)
Clip 3: -Missing?-
Clip 4: Clips from the qualifications earlier in the day
Clip 5: First run in the final between T.A. and Henry Hester. If Hester did that bail today he wouldn't have just rized up and walked away. Niether would anyone else over 40. Except Olson of course after seeing him doing worse than this twice in the cross slalom in Morro Bay last year. And come to think of it Claude Reigner wasn't too bad either.
Clip 6: Second run in the final.
Clip 7: -Missing?-

[Andy Bittner]

Thanks, Jack. I knew someone would come up with some information on the earliest, formative days of slalom skateboarding in California. In fact, if I'd thought about it, I probably could've guessed it'd be you. For me the '65 Worlds and the '75 Del Mar are old news, but I'm not sure when or if I've actually ever heard about the Laguna Night Rallies. I knew about Joey Cabell, somehow. I'll tell you though, I'm willing to accept that the Laguna Night Rallies would have to be some of the very first, organized slalom racing, as they are by far the earliest I've ever heard of. Thanks, again.

Corky, I'm sorry you didn't catch my big tumbling act at La Costa '01. There's one person out there who told me he captured it in the background of a video shot he was shooting and I don't remember who that person is (Carrasco, Bream, Ick people?), but I'd still love to see it. Not only did I jump right up, I jumped right up and sprinted down the hill to keep my priceless, precious, one-of-a-kind Ick Stick from smacking an El Fuerte curb. Three days later, back on the East Coast, after driving back to LA and flying home, I finally went to a doctor. Not only was I covered with bruises, scrapes and contusions, when we x-rayed the most severe injury, my left hand, it was revealed that I'd exploded one of the bones in my thumb, so severely it no longer even appeared on the x-ray as anything other than a milky haze of bone dust.

[Hans Koraeus]

The first type of skateboards were actually more like scooters. These contraptions, which date back to the early 1900's featured roller skate wheels attached to a two by four. Often the wood had a milk crate nailed to it with handles sticking out for control. Over the next five decades kids changed the look of the scooter and took off the crate and started cruising on two by fours with steel wheels. Tens of thousands of roller-skates were dismantled and joyfully hammered on to planks of wood.

In the 1950's modifications were made to the trucks (the device that holds the wheels) and kids started to maneuver more easily. Towards the late 1950's, surfing became increasingly popular and people began to tie surfing together with cruising on a board. By 1959, the first Roller Derby Skateboard was for sale. Clay wheels entered the picture and sidewalk surfing began to take root.

By the time the 1960's rolled around, skateboarding had gained an impressive following amongst the surf crowd. However, when Larry Stevenson, publisher of Surf Guide began to promote skateboarding, things started to take off. Larry's company, Makaha designed the first professional boards in 1963 and a team was formed to promote the product.

The first skateboard contest was held at the Pier Avenue Junior School in Hermosa, California in 1963. In 1964, surf legend Hobie Alter teamed up with the Vita-Pakt juice company to create Hobie Skateboards. While most skaters took to the street or sidewalk, some brave souls decide to ride empty swimming pools. By 1965, international contests, movies (Skater Dater), a magazine (The Quarterly Skateboarder) and cross country trips by teams of skateboarders elevated the sport to enormous heights. Over fifty million boards were sold within a three year period and then all of a sudden skateboarding died in the fall of 1965.

Excerpt From "The Concrete Wave"
Published By Warwick Books

Since I have spent some time in Hermosa Beach I had got that first skate competition comment engraved in my memory. I have no idea though if slalom was one of the disciplines.