OK guys, I'm ready to get back on my slalom board. Where/when are you racing?

Curt

TK,

there is mild pitch, a bit more than park and ride, and great run out, it's a loop road that goes down and back up again. I think it may be best to run an outlaw race first and see what everyone thinks.

Curt

St. Mary's County Skatepark has newly resurfaced asphault covering the loop around the park. County officials avoided installing speed bumps so we could use the area for slaloming. They would be thrilled to have us run some cones in their parking lot, and bring some additional skaters to their park....

Andy,

Keep rocking. I'm sure the Gathering 4 will be something everyone enjoys.

For fun, comraderie and slaloming, this event is the best.

Curt

Greetings Skaters, Per weather.com it is supposed to rain on Saturday until about noon. Sunday looks cool and dry. So...we're moving the Charles County Skatepark contest to Sunday, May 18th. We'll start at the same time: registration 8:00 am - 10:00 am, riders meeting 11:00 am, competition starts at...

Start the clock on the 4th beep.

Curt

Glenn, Absolutely, let's test. What I really want to compare is the relative differences in times. If the tape strip timer shows you to have been a half second quicker than on a previous run, it should also show a half second on the My-Chron. All these timers are merely a stopwatch chip and display ...

I will have some timers at the Gathering as well. You'll be surprised how simple it is, and that is the beauty of it. The system is being used by thousands of kart and motorcycle racers, and has been for several years. This is not a prototype or something you need to "work the bugs out of". Stick it...

I believe the beacon transmits a beam with a divergence angle of 17 degrees (the light comes out of the transmitter in a cone shaped pattern). You can easily modify the shape as Glen mentioned. When the sensor breaks the edge of the cone, it senses the beam and switches the timer. As Vlad mentioned,...

Things I learned timing every run last season (based on timing and logging thousands of runs last year): Wheels: One particular set of wheels is always faster. Sometimes the fastest wheels feel rough and uncomfortable. Only by timing will you know which are perfect for the course you’re riding. For ...

The nice thing about these wireless timing systems is that you can set them up in a few seconds. Place a beacon at the top and bottom of the course and start running. add additional beacons if you want split times. They'll tell you immedeiatly which wheels are faster, if your board is working, if yo...

I've been testing the My-Chron timer for about a month and am very impressed. It is small, easy to use, takes seconds to set up, and gives immediate feedback. I've mounted the sensor and display to my board, and also to my leg, both methods worked well, though I prefer the board mount; I like to loo...

Adam, If you make one race, make it Da Farm. The hill is perfect, the racers span all levels of ability, Tway's place is relaxing and comfortable, and it won't cost you a thing (other than plane fare). Vlad's offer to hook you up reflects the mood of the event. Don't miss it, everyone will make you ...

Cabbage,

Great to hear all is going well. You are in the right place, at the right time!

Curt

We need to leave the longboard class at 30 inches axle-to-axle. I had Rick Howell build a custom Ick longboard specifically for our 30 inch axle-to-axle requirement that we raced all last season. The 30" axle-to-axle requirement works well and creates a longer, flowing type of turn that is easy to d...

The 37" Winged Swallow Tail in the photo is the board I'll be racing this season in our 30" (axle to axle) longboard class.

It is as fun to ride as it is beautiful.

Thanks Rick,

Curt

Let's make the spec board a reliable, good handling, easy to inspect racing platform. Allow RTX front, RTS rear. Unlimited Bushings, wedges and bearings. The RTX/RTS combo is far superior, inexpensive, and easy to get (they come with the board if requested). Bushings and wedges are cheap and provide...

When we go legit we will grow rapidly here in the Mid-Atalantic region. The media appears very interested in slalom racing, especially races involving older skaters. My son Willis and I were recently asked by a reporter of the Washington Post about a new skatepark built nearby. The reporter really b...

Looks very good.

Thanks Adam,

Curt

"Slalom is not a sport, it's a discipline"

Vlad Popov, 2002

Insightful. I agree. This is the reason Vlad has developed so quickly.

Have the kids ride their park boards. Loosen the trucks, or provide softer bushings, add a set of slalom wheels and they can start racing.

Curt

We are going to start a spec class here in the DC area. Everyone must ride the same board/truck/wheel combo. Only bushings, bearings and risers can be changed. this class will be in addition to our extremely popular longboard class and our traditional open class. Currently the plan is to go with the...

I’ve been testing trucks for 9 months. Here’s a synopsis of what I’ve found. Board: Roe Wide Tail Bottle Rocket, medium flex. Every run timed on a variety of permanently marked courses in the street in front of my house. I typically wedge the front, and dewedge the rear. Indy 101/Indy 101 (several h...

I have been riding PT bearings for several months. They are fast, smooth, long lasting and easy to maintain. I prefere the shielded bearings vice sealed, but I don't mind cleaning them from time to time. Ed Lynn and his wife Stephanie are always quick to fill an order or respond to any questions. Go...

Wow, you guys need to run your times out a couple more decimal places. Looks like you have some very competitive racing going on up there.

Good luck, and we expect to see some of these names a lot more in the future.

Curt

My Roe has held up beautifully. I have raced it regularly for 8 months, and have riden in practice dozens of days. It looks and feels like new. In particular, it is very light and snaps back quickly after each turn. As others mentioned, it is very comfortable to ride, feels good at high speed, and h...

John,

It would be great if you could post some info on the various types of courses, or parts of courses as mentioned in your post.

This is the kind of info I was hoping to find on this sight, something to make you think, and something you can learn from and improve.

Thanks,

Curt