Seismic Introduces Revolutionary Skateboard Urethane Formula
[April 28, 2008]
Boulder, Colorado - Seismic Skate Systems, a 15-year-old Boulder-based manufacturer of high-performance boards, wheels and trucks, is pleased to introduce wheels poured with a revolutionary new urethane compound, code named "Black Ops". "It's a racer's dream, the perfect combination of grip, speed, and super rebound with no compromises," said Seismic Wheels Team Member and 2003 World Slalom Champion Kenny Mollica. According to Team Member Gary Fluitt, the 2004 World Slalom Champion and 2007 World Slalom Champion Runner-Up, "the new formula has a surprising combination of grip and rebound like I've never felt before. These grip so well that I run out of road before I can get them to slide. The roll feels superior, too." Traditional urethane formulations wrestle with an inherent tension between traction and bounce. Crank up either one and you trade off some of the other.

Now you can have it all! Seismic Black Ops!" urethane offers more grip and rebound together, in the same formula, than the skateboard world has ever seen before. "It's like a new page in racing history," Mollica added. "These wheels are smooth, fast, and grippy through hard turns with no mush. Lightweight cores and cool colors, too!"

Said Neal Piper, the world's foremost urethane wheel engineer and owner of the renowned California factory where Seismic wheels are poured, "Black Ops is the result of years of experience in precise polyurethane formulating and unique processing. Starting with a great base of top level science, a huge ration of sweat and skill from many actively competing testers drove this super-tuned racing formula to a new standard of World Class performance." Introduced in 2005 and 2006, Seismic 69mm Hot Spots and 77mm Speed Vents are now available in Black Ops urethane and a new high-contrast color scheme emphasizing orange, blue and purple. Other Seismic wheels will be available in the new formula later this season. "There's all sorts of gimmick wheel shapes out there, but I find that the Hot Spots out of the box are the best shape on the market for slalom racing," Fluitt added. "I don't feel like I have to modify them in any way. In the new Black Ops formula, they're better than ever - just really reboundy and grippy."

In related news, the 77mm Speed Vent, used by downhill racer Erik Lundberg to earn the IGSA World #1 ranking last year, is now poured on the full version of Seismic's proprietary Energy Conversion core (also used for the 78mm Blast Waves and 85mm Speed Vents). The 77mm Speed Vent is nearly one-half ounce lighter than before, with rebound turbo-charged by the spring action of the core's outermost ring. Said multi-time World Slalom Champion Jason Mitchell, "I won one of the 2007 Ditch Slap events on 77mm Speed Vents, so I felt confident about the wheels going into the Indian School race [April 18, 2008]. But I was very surprised with the enhanced performance of the design and [Black Ops] formula. Seismic took a big wheel that was already great, and made it even better." At Indian School, Mollica added, the 77mm Speed Vents "were awesome. We all loved 'em. The core is the perfect size." Seismic founder/owner Dan Gesmer commented, "We're super excited about this progressive urethane chemistry. It's all about continuing the tradition of innovation we began in 1994 when we rolled out the original patented Seismic carving truck."

For further information and pricing, contact Seismic at 720-937-8948 or info@seismicskate.com, or visit www.seismicskate.com

Note: The Black Ops formula is only used for wheels 78A and harder. Seismic wheels softer than 78A, and all 3dm-brand wheels, are poured in the company's classic high-grip formula.

2008 Slalom Racing Season Springs Into High Gear
[March 25, 2008] From Staff Reports
The 2008 slalom racing season kicks off in a big way with the coming of spring. The 2008 Texas Cold Fusion Sizzler goes down March 29 and 30 in Austin, Texas. For the seventh straight year the Texas Outlaws put on this Prime event deep in the heart of Texas. Giant Slalom and dual hybrid racing fills the bill with some of the most fun nightlife available happening all over Austin after hours.

Johnny "Thriller" Miller is putting on a big race in a big way at Morro Bay, California. His April Fools Skate Race on April 5 promises to offer what can only be called the Mother Of All Start Ramps. Miller's Monster stands ten feet and will produce some incredible speeds at the top of the hill. Turri Road is a world-class hill and John O'Shei will be on hand to set a world-class GS course.

The Downhillbillies will hold their Beast Of The East Slalom Jam April 11 through the 13th with an outlaw race Thursday the 10th for everyone who can get into town. Billed as a "Giant Slalom Weekend," the DHBs have hills lined up from Mooresville to Winston Salem, North Carolina for all your big-turns pleasure. The hill in Mooresville is promised to rate about a 9 on the Pucker Factor while the site of the Worlds' GS, Bluegill, will host more racing on Saturday. Sunday will see the party move to the now-venerable Hobby Park hill for one of the DHB's classic jam sessions.

Also on the same weekend but a different continent will see the Pavel/G.O.G. Do-Or-Die Race held in Colonge AND Dusseldorf. Saturday will offer some tight and hybrid dual racing in Dusseldorf. On Sunday all the action heads over to Cologne for Pro and Open Giant Slalom. Not to be outdone by The Thriller Miller's monster in California, the G.O.G. crew promises and three-meter tall start ramp.

More transcontinental racing happens April 19th with events on both the East And West coasts. The Indian School Qualifier goes down in Albequerque. A course set in the legendary Indian School Ditch will be a chance for those without portfolio to get an invite to the Indian School Banked Slalom Race. At the same time in Atlanta, Woody's Halfpipe will host a hybrid slalom jam at the new DeKalb County Skateboard Park. John Karg reports the new park has a pristine new paved parking lot with plenty of slope and plenty of room. This will be both a race and an exhibition to conitnue fueling the growing slalom scene in Georgia and around the Southeast.

Finally, April slalom racing wraps up the weekend of the 25th in Greeley, Colorado for the UNC Spring Slalom Classic. Taking over from the U.S. Nationals run in Longmont, the COSS crew is putting together a full weekend of racing in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Dual Giant Slalom will be at the Windsor hill where the Nationals were run in 2006 and '07.  Hybrid slalom will move to Greeley on Saturday and the tight slalom will be Sunday on the campus of the University Of North Colorado. There will be racing for all classes on CBark-set courses.

Whew. And that's just April. 2008 is already shaping up to be a banner year for international slalom skateboard racing!

England's Cadwell Park Gravity Fest Kicks Off 2008 Slalom Season
[Feb 12, 2007] By Donald Campbell
Welcome to the 2008 season. Winter is still here and taking it's place, but that doesn't mean that skaters from all around Europe and America hold themselves back from traveling to new places, for getting together again and race. After finishing a very succesfull season last year, this season is awakening earlier than ever. Skaters from Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Greg Fadell from the U.S. and many more all came together for their first contest taking place in Cadwell, England. Cadwell is a motor race track with many steep hills and high-quality racing surface closed for a gravity sports weekend. Soapbox, longboarding, sliding, and Slalom was just a little part of the whole event. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and didn't apear to mind the cold weather at all. They were more busy being happy getting out their skatebards again and enjoying their first ride outside this year

2007 - The young guns are taking over!
[Nov 7, 2007] By Donald Campbell
With the resurgence of professional slalom racing this year in particular is showing an increasing number of racers and a change of guard which is slowly but steadily happening. With Ramon Königshausen, Switzerland, spearheading the pack there is a nice section of up and coming young racers waiting in the wings to inhabit future podiums. Dominik Kowalski from Germany showed the strongest rookie pro season so far, the COSS crew is spawning speedfreaks like crazy. This season we had Martin Reaves and Zak Maytum and the very present McLaren clan. England has Ella Roggero who just had an impressive standing at the World Championships in Statesville, NC, USA and there's way more than just mentioned. So in general the future looks bright for this sport. New venues such as Brasil are coming up on the horizon. New faces and new names from all across the world reflect the growth of this sport. Hills got steeper this year and racing got more intense than it has ever been. The future looks bright. Let's see what 2008 brings with new race locations in Europe such as Cadwell, UK which seems to attract even US interest and Amsterdam, Netherlands, waiting to become a big contest. Also Gothenburg, Sweden, as the next possible Worlds candidate looks very promising.

Check list for Race organizers
[Sept 24, 2007] By Wesley Tucker / Marion Karr
The following is a chronological checklist for any race promoter to follow ensuring a great even. Whether it's a grass roots get together or the 2007 World Slalom Skateboarding Championships, following these steps means nothing will be left to chance. Marion Karr of Statesville, North Carolina is one of the Downhillbillies founding members and has jumped right into the slalom race promoter's job since he started slaloming again in the summer of 2005. After just one session of running cones he had made the decision to stage a race in his hometown. Five months later the first Downhillbillies' Dixie Cup was the result. Setting the standard for race organization, promotion and racer amenities, the Third Annual Dixie Cup will be run November 2, 2007. Additionally, after their success with two Dixie Cups, the Downhillbillies and the town of Statesville are hosting this year's 2007 World's Championship Of Slalom Skateboard Racing September 27 through the 30th. Over 100 skaters from 9 countries are expected to participate. It's safe to say Marion brings the necessary credentials to "lay down the guidelines" for putting on a great slalom skateboard racing event.
(Reprinted with permission from CONCRETE WAVE MAGAZINE. Thanks go out to Michael Brooke, Publisher

Slalomskateboarder.com Reaches 1000 Slalomers Worldwide
[June 12, 2007] By Wesley Tucker
After five years of steady growth, the International Slalom Skateboarding Association's official website, Slalomskateboarder.com, reached its 1000th registered user. Springing from a local grassroots resurgence in 1999 and 2000, slalom skateboarding is quickly becoming a major influence on the competitive skateboarding scene.

With registered users from over 17 countries, Slalomskateboarder.com is truly an international medium for the slalom skateboarding enthusiast. Beginning in August 2002 as the brainchild of ISSA founder Jani Soderhall and longtime racing enthusiast Adam Trahan, Slalomskateboarder.com quickly became a meetingplace for skaters in many regions and many interests. The Forums section of the website has over 45,000 posts on everything from equipment to tips on riding. Local groups with a strong racing presence like New England, France and England all have places to post messages to neighboring friends and distant comrades. The newest forum on Slalomskateboarder.com is for the Czech Republic, reflecting a growing interest in racing in Eastern Europe. Also, individual forums for every major (and some minor) manufacturer of slalom equipment has grown to almost 40 different product lines for the slalom skateboard racing enthusiast.

Slalomskateboarder.com is also the clearinghouse for information as slalom racing aficionados work together to make the ISSA a better and more helpful resource for the racing community. Recently-elected ISSA President Claude Regnier of Canada and the Board of Directors are continuing efforts to normalize and formalize racing rules and regulations, assist organizers with getting low cost insurance and helping with the sometimes overwhelming minutae of putting on a race. ISSA also maintains a Slalom World Ranking. The ranking list pro, amateur and youth skaters for both men and woman. Currently over 1500 slalomers have earned ranking points at various skate races over the past several years.With over 100 paying members, the ISSA continues to grow and influence the direction for international slalom skateboard racing.

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