Rookie Of the Year

Eddy Martinez · Post by **Eddy Martinez** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:16 am

For Rookie of The Year I nominate Steven Daddow from Australia the dude came over and totally ripped at several slalom contest in our great country. For the Ladies I nominate Lisa Woodward she to a bad fall a Breckenridge recovered from her injuries and ended up getting 4th place at the Worlds this year. Isn't that what it is all about is trying, overcoming obstacles. Facing your fears. Eddy Texas Outlaw

Rick Stanziale · Post by **Rick Stanziale** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 2:22 pm

ROTY

I nominate Joe McClaren Boys/Junior, Katii Campbell Girls/Junior, Lisa Woodward Womens, and the TEXAS OUTTLAW Eddy Martinez, Mens

Eddy Martinez · Post by **Eddy Martinez** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:34 pm

Kattie Campbell gets my nomination for the girls. Thanks for the nomination 66. Red Clay ROCKS. Eddy Texas Outlaw.

Marcos Soulsby-Monroy · Post by **Marcos Soulsby-Monroy** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:46 pm

I also cast my vote for Eddy martinez the texas outlaw. Top 16 in Athens. I would also like to say the Will J from Mississippi is worthy of noting.

Jeff Goad · Post by **Jeff Goad** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:43 am

Can someone put a list of the rookie racers with their states together?

Gary Fluitt · Post by **Gary Fluitt** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:23 am

Most Improved Award 
This award has to go to Chris Barker. No questions.
In 2002 this unknown from Colorado came to Avila with a few points in his pocket and didn't even qualify to race in the Men's Open class. DID NOT QUALIFY
So CB buys a Tway timer, another Pistola, and trains like a mad dog for Breck. He moves into the top spots, but Noah comes in and sweeps the High Peaks Drifter.
So CB practices even more, cuts down wheels, customizes his trucks, and goes out to SoCal to get some more race experience. Races at JPL, WLAC, Bicknell with SSS.
When the Worlds rolled around this year, Barker was dialed.
He took down the #1 qualifier, Dekeyser, in the SX. He dominated the Slalom on Saturday with smart, strategic racing, on the most physical course many of us have ever ridden, and he nearly took down Michael Stride on Sunday leaving it up to the final race. 
Your new Men's Open World Slalom Champ worked hard for this title and he deserves it.
Getting the Most Improved Award is just icing on the cake.
Now I better get out there and run some cones...grasshopper has just snatched the pebbles from my hand.
 
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Claude Regnier · Post by **Claude Regnier** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:32 am

I would have to agree at this point. I expected noah to be the New Open Champion.

Way to go Chris. Not only was he on fire but he had a smile all weekend long.

He helped make this competition the most enjoyable one of my life.

Vlad Popov · Post by **Vlad Popov** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:37 pm

If the rookie of the year is chosen based on progress and results, then choosing the one is extremely easy (for me). Alex Abramov. Moscow, Russia. The guy’s 23, just finished his Master’s in engineering. He obviously takes a scientific approach to slalom. In April this year Alex didn’t know the difference between a longboard and a slalom board. It’s all here in Russian on the Russian forum (trust me!). After he got some slalom goods from Paris and the Howard/Jani 3DM mission, he started practicing almost daily. Downhill, uphill, flat, tight, Super G, everything. His pumping improved tremendously in a short period of time. Probably because he knows what he’s doing, watches others and, most importantly, he actively listens and learns from others. After a couple of months of slaloming (while working full-time and spending hours to get from home to work), Alex takes second in an Open Slalom comp in Moscow in August and a couple of weeks later he scores a podium behind Jani and Matsukevich (1st and 2nd in ISSA points in the 1990s) in his first slalom pro comp! His online nick “matches” his speed. It’s “Infection”

Unfortunately, the weather would not allow any more practice this year in Moscow. Regular practice will resume in late April –early May. So if Paris 2004 is scheduled in the spring, many Russians aren’t going to be prepared. And Alex is certainly a Paris 2004 material. On the other hand, the entire Moscow Slalom Club (every boy and girl) will be spending this winter carving the snow on alpine boards. Young engineers know that there is no correlation between slalom performance and hardbooting. But they do recognize a direct relationship.

If we choose a rookie based on progress rate (and race results), then Alex is my choice.

Shown here are Anatoly Matsukevich (#8), Jani Soderhall (#13) and Alexey Abramov (#5).

Honorable rookie mentions: Andrew Muzikin, Moscow, Russia- first year slaloming. Top 4 in two comps. Organized a major slalom comp in Moscow with Max Blast (from Siberia, lives in Moscow), in which every cone judge was paid $35, prize purse exceeded $2000 and admission (for racers and spectators) was free. The amazing thing is that there were no major sponsors this year. I don’t know how the guys pulled it off. In two weeks.

Can I pick (a) rookie organizer(s)? Andrew&Max?

SS.com is an international forum. Isn’t it nice to know what’s going on the other end of the planet? Kinda puts some things in perspective. Don’t you think?

Rick Stanziale · Post by **Rick Stanziale** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 6:49 pm

Vlad Popov wrote:SS.com is an international forum. Isn’t it nice to know what’s going on the other end of the planet? Kinda puts some things in perspective. Don’t you think?

My guess is you won't be watching the World Series.

Vlad Popov · Post by **Vlad Popov** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 7:37 pm

I assume you are talking about baseball.

I think the name “World Series” was first used in the early.....

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Oh, what am I saying? It's all for fun and friends. Lables don't mean a thing! Plus it's offtopic.

Mike McLaren · Post by **Mike McLaren** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:15 am

Rick Stanziale,
Thanks for the nomination for Joe McLaren as Juniors RotY.
Joe and I would like to thank Flu and Grasshopper (World Champion-Chris Barker) and the manufacturers who have helped us out-Jonathan Reese (Comet), Gareth (Roe), and Peggy (Turner)

A proud father,

Mike McLaren

Ricky Byrd · Post by **Ricky Byrd** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 8:24 pm

I'm with Rick, Joe is Junior Rookie Of The Year at my house. Josh has enjoyed racing with Joe so much. Joe came out at Breck and showed everyone it's not just the Josh & Dylan show anymore. Thanks Joe, Mike and Kyle for getting involved!

Michael Stride · Post by **Michael Stride** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 8:47 pm

I vote for Chris Barker too. Great guy. He left me strugelling at the worlds, till the very very last run of the tight slalom. Neither of us knew who'd won at the bottom, one of the best races in my life.
I put him top of the list of guys I don't want to race again....in a nice way though.

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Rookie Of the Year - 2003

Rookie Of the Year - 2003

JROTY

Most Improved