News
COVID-19 - 2020 World Championships
COVID-19: Given the uncertainty of international travel at this time, there will be no ISSA World Championships in 2020. The event in Båstad is postponed to 2021, the exact date will be announced later this month.
There are still chances though that Båstad may host a race August 7-9 2020, just not the Worlds. Information will be available late June at which time the Swedish authorities are expected to raise the 50 person limitation to events. We are also awaiting approval from the local authorities on the support of this event.
COVID-19 - 2020 World Championships
With an announcement in early May we are giving a 3 month notice for Worlds 2020.
The same advance notice will be applied to any and all other Prime, Main or Major events in 2020, on all continents. As of now, we expect all Main and Prime status events planned for May, June and July will be cancelled and any race status granted withdrawn.
In early May we'll decide about the events in August and in early June we'll decide about the events in September.
For now, stay isolated, be careful and stay safe!
Michael Stride RIP (1964-2020)
The ISSA, along with the entire international slalom skateboard racing community, is deeply saddened at the news that Michael Stride passed away at the North London Hospice on Sunday February 23, following a lengthy and courageous battle against cancer. In a tribute posted on the UKSSA website, Michael’s longtime friend Rob Ashby wrote the following –
April 6, 1964 – February 23, 2020
I first met Michael around 1980 or 1981, when we were fresh-faced skaters at Southbank. Little did I know then what a pivotal role this happy-go-lucky chap, driving around in a yellow Triumph Spitfire, would ultimately play in the UK skate scene. Michael was an enthusiastic supporter of all things skateboarding. In recent years his online skate shop, Octane Sport, sponsored many Slalom and Downhill events, as well as a team of riders of all ages.
Michael’s first love was slalom. The international slalom renaissance of the early 2000s drew him to the annual World Championships in the States and to competitions throughout Europe. Historically the Brits have always been very good at tight slalom – where the cones are closely spaced together. In 2003 in Morro Bay, California, Michael beat Chris Barker to be crowned Amateur World Tight Slalom Champion.
When Sam Gordon first secured Hog Hill as a race venue, it was Michael who offered help – providing starting ramps, timing gear, speed guns, and prizes. This was a most welcome continuation of the support he had provided in years previous for the Wasteland series at Hillingdon Cycle Track. However he didn’t provide for just one event; Michael and Octane Sport were Hog Hill’s title sponsors for over eleven years!
Michael saw it as his duty as a skater to keep the stoke alive. At the start of the millennium, Michael was a decisive presence (along with Chris Linford and Mog and Barny from Brixton Cycles) at the UKSSA’s inaugural meeting, at the Punch and Judy pub in Covent Garden. Octane Sport was always the organization’s prime supporter.
Michael’s love of gadgets and “Heath Robinson” engineering led him to gradually amass a fair bit of eclectic timing equipment. When the word spread, Michael and kit were in demand. He timed everything – from Joel King’s (and Jason Bradbury’s) jet luge World Record attempts on “The Gadget Show,” to running the clock on Guy Martin’s street luge when he was in training for an attempt on the toboggan world speed record.
But his TV work didn’t end behind the scenes. He appeared as a judge on an episode of “Scrapheap Challenge” that tasked teams to build giant skateboards. Michael also proudly won a “Blue Peter” badge for coaching English television personality Helen Skelton (then co-host of the BBC children’s program “Blue Peter”), so that she could enter the Eastbourne Speed Days Downhill race as part of her very first “presenter challenge.”
Donning his engineering hat, Michael designed and produced a range of CNC trucks for slalom and LDP use. Octane Sport sold and distributed them under the Virage brand, and they were introduced to the international slalom scene in April 2009 at the Tunnel Race in Zurich.
Michael’s 50th Birthday present to himself was a Caterham 7 sports car, which was finished and tuned to an astonishing degree – just as he would have done with a skateboard. Michael joined the “7 Club” and made many like-minded technical friends at the group’s drives and rallies. He would turn up to slalom events with the Octane shop crammed into the Caterham’s passenger seat, with just a few bolts and bushings squeezed into the tiny boot space. In between races he would gleefully take people for a quick burn up round the block.
Everyone who knew Michael well has lasting images and fond memories of him. The news of his passing rapidly spread throughout the worldwide skate community. A testament to his much-loved character, a great many heartfelt and beautifully-written tributes immediately appeared on social media, capturing the various facets of his personality: generous, playful, witty (though never crude), irascible, yet always inclusive and considerate.
Thank you for your kindness, endless enthusiasm, encouragement… and above all for your friendship. I shall miss your terrible jokes and your trackside presence with the Ol’ Jalopy Shop – C7 SKT. Farewell Michael, and enjoy the ride.
Our most sincere condolences to Michael’s mother, sister Susan, and the rest of the Stride family.
– Rob Ashby
ISSA BOD 2020
Hans "Corky" Koraeus (SWE), re-elected with 21 votes
Joe McLaren (USA), newly elected with 26 votes
Michal Subrt (CZE), newly elected with 25 votes
Welcome to the BOD Joe and Michal!
Rogerio "Sammy" Nogueira (BRA) - 14 votes, although not re-elected, remains in close contact with the BOD as he is the Regional Status Marshal for Brazil.
ISSA 2020 BOD
Jani Söderhäll (SWE) - President
Patric Duletzki (GER) - Vice President
Hans "Corky" Koraeus (SWE) - Ranking Supervisor
Maria Carrasco (USA) - North America Status Marshal
Michal Subrt (CZE) - European Status Marshal
Janis Kuzmins (LAT) - BOD member
Joe McLaren (USA) - BOD member
Indoor Euros 2020
Season starter in Europe! First ISSA Prime race of 2020. Book now!
ISSA BOD election
(the link is only functional for members with a forum login as of Nov 30).
Please vote, thanks!
ISSA BOD election
The following BOD members are nearing the end of their term 2018-2019:
Hans "Corky" Koraeus (SWE)
Rogerio "Sammy" Nogueira (BRA)
Robert Thiele (GER)
Sammy and Corky volunteer to continue for another two year period. Robert, however, has chosen to step down after a good number of years as EU status marshal and later as a BOD member. Thanks for your years of service to the skate community Robert!
The nomination period is now open for two weeks until Nov 30, noon (Central European Time).
If there are more than one additional candidate (in addition to Corky and Sammy), we'll follow up with a vote among ISSA members.
Voting rights are available for:
- current BOD members
- current ISSA co-workers 2019
- Any racer that has participated in an ISSA sanctioned race in 2019
Members must have an account in the SlalomSkateboarder.com Forum on Nov 30, noon (CET), as that is where the voting happen Dec 1-15.
Nominations can be posted here:
Thank you!
Worlds 2019 - Overall
Pro
1. Janis Kuzmins, LAT
2. Joe McLaren, USA
3. Arturs Liskovs, LAT
Women
1. Lynn Kramer, USA
2. Mare Erika Belta, LAT
3. Tezzan Redman, SWE
AM
1. Paul Chestnut, USA
2. Will Fogel, USA
3. Tom Weisenbach, USA
Masters
1. Frederik Lieberath, SWE
2. Scott Hostert, USA
3. Brad Jackman, USA
Juniors
1. Benjamin Andros, USA
2. Chloe King, CAN
3. Devon MacMahan, USA
Complete results on the ISSA event homepage
Worlds 2019 - Tight slalom
Pro
1. Janis Kuzmins, LAT
2. Gustavs Gailitis, LAT
3. Viktor Hadestrand, SWE
Women
1. Lynn Kramer, USA
2. Mare Ērika Belta, LAT
3. Therese Tezzan Redman, SWE
AM
1. Will Fogel, USA
2. Paul Chestnut, USA
3. Tom Weisenbach, USA
Masters
1. Frederik Lieberath, SWE
2. Alex Lutz, GER
3. Brad Jackman, USA
JUN
1. Benjamin Andros, USA
2. Chloe King, CAN
3. Devon McMahan, USA
Worlds 2019 - Giant slalom
Pro
1. Arturs Liskovs, LAT
2. Joe McLaren, USA
3. Janis Kuzmins, LAT
Masters
1. Michal Subrt, CZE
2. Patrick Lehrmann, USA
3. Scott Hostert, USA
Women
1. Lynn Kramer, USA
2. Therese Redman, SWE
3. Mare Erika Belta, LAT
AM
1. Paul Chestnut, USA
2. Michael Peck, USA
3. Nathan Favero, USA
JUN
1. Chloe King, CAN
2. Benjamin Andros, USA
3. Devon McMahon, USA
