Slalom 2003

[George Gould]

References SkateBoarder Magazine: Aug 1976 La Costa through-out, Tommy Ryan int., Sept. Dec 1976 Shufeldt int. 1977 Bobby Piercy’s “Who’s Hot, , Feb 1978, Bobby Piercy int., July 1978, open the 1st page and there is a Santa Cruz add, most readers would know that 7 out of 9 riders/racers are still active in Slalom: Hester, Brown, Hutson, Krisik, Hart, Olson, and Mandarino in a band uniform! Jan.1979 (Evans & Ransom), by Feb. 1980, slalom has shrunk to one little article mentioning Morro Bay, and guess who put on the race, Paul Dunn and Jack Smith.

I write this not to impose my thoughts, but to try and look at some skateboarding history and try to look at some things as they were and are now. I originally started looking into this after recently reading/hearing about Bobby Piercy and Tight Slalom. I heard the statement “True tight slalom” bandied about. My thoughts began expanding and kinda took off. Skateboarding started in the U.S. , many of the pioneers are still present and racing. History is being lost, both the good and the bad. I have heard many different tales about how things were “back in the day”, but that’s someone else’s story (one of the best JUICE Magazine interview of Steve Olson, because I think the truth should be told). I have heard myths and have searched hard to separate fact from fiction. Equipment is better now than ever before. (See Evans & Ransom, circa 1979, both felt Hutson’s Independent trucks gave him an edge.) Certainly, Turner/Abec 11 wheels are as good, if not better than what was then. Many of us are still on the same or somewhat similar boards. As for trucks that is a whole other argument I won’t touch. But many of the guys winning are still on the same manu’s designs.

In addressing age, it is true most of us are fighting it. Skateboarding is not some kind of club you can buy into. This isn’t like all the people buying a Harley Davidson and becoming an instant biker. A person either skates or they don’t. There are many first generation skaters still kicking ass.

“There’s really no limit yet to the I think, oldness you can be”.... Tony Alva, I got that from the movie Dogtown and Z-Boys. He was 21 years old at the time, as it is an old Wide World of Sports interview. Don’t you just love it!? The OLDNESS! Man, I hope I ain’t there yet! So, possibly many of us have a least a few more years of slalom left, if we don’t kill it again with our own infightings and politics. It is impossible to please every rider. Certainly, I am not always happy about how things are done. When FCR called the race the “Worlds” (2002), I know it miffed some riders. It costs a bunch of money to go race a skateboard. (It costs a boatload more to put on a race). How dare they call some race the “Worlds” when the best racers according to some, were not present? I guess that’s racing. If you can beat Tiger Woods at golf and you don’t have the ability to get to the green where he’s playing, there you have it. There are sanctioning bodies in many sports, and slalom’s resurrection has 3 or more groups right now trying to grow, competing for monies and sponsors. Making rules and regulations. There is no money and much competition for the little there is. Do we work together? Do we even agree on rules?

Some thoughts on T/S vs. G/S
Injuries: As for a person thinking that injuries are less in T/S, while I find it true that you usually go slower, T/S it is/can be no less injury prone. The torque motion that propels a rider through the cones so fast will often “spit” the rider off in the worst position. Whereas, on a big G/S you may know when you are going to unload. Yes, road rash is most assured, but the violence of the T/S dismount should not be underestimated.

Course set up; I have been to enough FCR races now to know that dual 50-75 cone tight course would be a MAJOR undertaking. There would be a requirement for knowledgeable cone heads and cone marshalls. And if there is one thing I have noticed, when you are trying to concentrate on racing, you don’t really have the ability to cone marshall. The best race I have seen for coneheads was the 1st La Costa, 2001. A cheerleading squad made a good amount of cash by doing it. They wore matching shirts and did a great job. A big T/S race to me seems like a large amount of planning and work. One run can lend to numerous cones being displaced. There needs to be separation and proper judging.

Course Requirements; well, G/S takes a big hill. 30 +/- second run times. The course is more spread requiring no less work but often times only 2-3 judges/marshalls. A T/S, 50 cone course with 6' centers requires 400 feet or so. Somewhere in between 2-5 cones per second will be the time requirements and cone penalties.

I know it was a disappointment for a few when Elsinore did not become a “True T/S.” I will say this, I believe the majority of the younger pros from the sideshow dug what was going on. There times put them in the middle of the Open Class for the most part (the vert boys have some talent, don’t underestimate em). I believe a T/S would have turned them off. There is no doubt in my mind that T/S requires a tremendous amount of physical and equipment preparation. To me it is already given that ALL Slalom is mental! The Elsinore hill was utilized for it’s strengths. The course on Sat had 52 cones and was fairly fast for the times posted. I don’t know where the magical limit is, perhaps someone is capable of 5-7 cones per second. I will say it depends on the hill. I don’t think anyone said the course wasn’t challenging or sucked on Sunday. It was big and it was fast, and if the wind had changed to a tailwind it would have been insane, 40+ anyone??? Should La Costa be a T/S? If one looks at tradition, La Costa is where the G/S evolved. There are dozens of photos of Vince Turner in the black hills, bombing the hills and what appears as G/S courses to me. There are many photos of a “True tight” on Catalina, Long Beach and Carlsbad Hang 10. There are also numerous photos of various skaters riding Turners in bowls of skateparks. I write this because many have stated, Turner and Tight, go together, but that isn’t the way it appears to me. TURNER raced and rode everything!

I don’t know where some of you want to go with “True tight” slalom racing. There are obviously some specialists that are advocating 4 foot sections. I see no historical evidence in all the material I have showing anything so tight. I know the European readers will be able to show differently. I know all most of the current US gear and boards would have to change. I also believe that the USA is developing differently. Being different is not wrong. If I go to Europe I would have to race their way (and equipment). The East coast is seeming to support tighter more technical racing. And the West appears to go big. Although WLAC was more technical. Every race and day is different. Wind, temperature, the hill and gradient all play a part in how the course will be set. None of the above are wrong and it is all slalom.

Quotes: Some earlier generations racers thoughts from “back in the day”

“But to take off from the beginning of a slalom course and go straight ahead down the fall line-or just maybe a foot or so off the fall line-just doesn’t do it. I prefer giant slalom and regular staggered, off set slalom. I don’t like the Long Beach type straight slalom courses. I really respect John Hutson for winning several tight courses and then calling B/S on the way they were set up.......John picked a pretty good word for them: “Wiggle Wongers.” “ Bob Skoldberg.

“A lot of racers like short tight courses on a workout basis, while others like myself prefer the G/S because you can’t really prove yourself on a 3-5 second run.” Tommy Ryan

Piercy mentions 50-75 cone courses 5 ½ to 6 foot apart, before that courses were 8 foot apart.
“ On a T/S the cones are so tight and straight, that you don’t have time to bring it back if you blow out...” “Tight is basically 5' foot apart between cones in a straight line, offset maybe no more than 1 foot to 1 ½ foot off the fall line,” Bobby Piercy

“I am also into slalom racing, tight courses, you know, regular slalom racing or giant slalom, or downhill slalom racing; I like all three types of slalom racing more than anything.” Dennis Shufeldt

The thing is, if you want to put on a race, put it on. All this talk about “True tight” and calling G/S, B/S. When readers enter here and start looking around, we should encourage them to try it all. Later, a rider can/will find what they prefer. I would hope that all of you, regardless of your favorite type course, support whatever races you can make it to, for the sake of our sport. You never know, you might even have fun doing it. I have joked with some of you that I like “fast and loose” courses and I do. But, I also know that to be a well rounded slalom racer I must practice all of it, and be prepared to race whatever is out there without bitching about it.

I have not touched too much on the older courses, when things like real traffic cones were used, yea, criddle one of those! I didn’t include every SkateBoarder magazine because I don’t own all of them and that wasn’t my point. We are evolving and growing. There were races in Mississipi and California on the same weekend! Thank the manufacturers, Turner wheels, Abec 11. Better helmets, safety equipment, more bearings, different competitive trucks. The classes are growing. We need to find a way to get the 14-20 year olds into it. I think the Elsinore race was/is a start. I have already heard some of those guys are practicing. This is great. Motivate your friends, family whoever to get into it. One skater/racer at a time is the best, long lasting type growth we need.

[Claude Regnier]

Great post George. Unfortunately politics can ruin, stall and hinder growth of anything.

I think the fact that most of the originals from the sport are still taking part will help to promote it's growth despite some of the bickering.

Despite some good attempts from organisers to get some industry support to promote it's growth Slalom continues to grow regardless.

We will simply have to continue to create our own companies and support groups. Spread Slalom any way we can.

Just look at the list of new registarnt that are finding out about it's resurgence.

Slalom is FUn and is a healthy form of sport.

Enjoy, Many Happy Pumps!

CKnuck

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Claude Regnier on 2003-04-13 21:48 ]</font>