ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

wow... people really like the Slalom eh?

My buddy Dave and I have set up a couple of times now on a bike path in various spots in the city of Edmonton. A rare sight indeed around these parts. At first I originally thought we might get flack from people for hoggin a big chunck of the bikepath. But people just love it!

From young to old almost every one cruising by was checking us out and asking questions and stuff... even a 94 year old dude was liking it.. and not to mention the young punk skaters, they all seemed to think it was pretty rad. Specially when you show them how fast paced and fun it can be.

Anyways.. just thought I'd share my thoughts... with such a positive feedback from the general public, I think I want to try and promote the sport out here in Edmonton. Have the backing of a cool Longboard shop, just need to get more people intrested.

Was almost thinking a guy could rent a Roller hockey arena and set up a ramp and do some indoor Slalom.. ?!? its winter here now. Any thoughts on that? anyone else do that? Can't be the first guy to thik of that.....

Hey Trystan, nice to see you on this forum! Its great that you've been bitten by the slalom bug.

I wonder if a roller rink would be big enough for some cyber slalom or trap?

ya Erin,Slalom rocks... and if a roller hockey rink 'does' work out, then I'd be able to skate all winter long.... that would be awesome.

I'd imagine there would be enough room for a ramp for speed, straight into the cones and hopefully you could have at least 20 - 25 cones and still have room for a good run-out to stop. Also, having two runs beside each other would be nice. How many cones is cyber slalom? (haven't gotten that far yet)

Guess I'll figure out how long a standard rink is, and do the math. Also will have to check out price's. Will need more boarders to afford it, I'm sure.
I'll let people know just incase anyone cares....

just figured it all out..

FYI - if anyone cares

Hockey rink is 200 ft, so 25 cones at 7 feet is 175 feet, still leaves 25 feet for ramp and stopping. lol

and the Roller hockey rink here in E-town costs $40 to $50 an hour to rent.

cyber is 6 foot centers. 7 feet is too long. you lose your pump.

I've been toying with the idea of an indoor race. Here is my idea;

Course in the shape of a U with a ramp at each end with tape strips at the base. You would run it in both directions and add your best time from each way.The ramp would help you start and then the other ramp would help absorb your speed at the end.

Don't know if it would work, but I'm thinking about it.

Joe

Joe Iacovelli Posted: 12 Dec 2005 20:12 Post subject:

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Don't know if it would work, but I'm thinking about it.

Joe

WOW Joe Iacovelli was THINKING!!!! :>

Joe, Without knowing the size of the room, the surface, the radius and span of the U or the basic scale of the whole thing, it's hard to know exactly what you're thinking. My only concern would be that, with the wrong combination of conditions, the biased pumping action of pumping around the arc might become a slide-out fest. Otherwise, I like the bi-directional, ramp at both ends logic.

Andy,

Rollerskating rink is the size of the room. The bottom of the U would be set in an entirely makeable loose spacing, just looking to link the two sides with something.

Slide fest? Perhaps. There in is the challenge.

I'm going to see what it will cost.

Joe

Marcos Soulsby-Monroy wrote:

Joe Iacovelli Posted: 12 Dec 2005 20:12 Post subject:

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Don't know if it would work, but I'm thinking about it.

Joe

WOW Joe Iacovelli was THINKING!!!! :>

Marcos,

What were you thinking when Eddy beat you this weekend?

Joe Iacovelli Posted: 13 Dec 2005 05:55 Post subject:

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Marcos Soulsby-Monroy wrote:
Quote:
Joe Iacovelli Posted: 12 Dec 2005 20:12 Post subject:

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Don't know if it would work, but I'm thinking about it.

Joe



WOW Joe Iacovelli was THINKING!!!! :>



Marcos,

What were you thinking when Eddy beat you this weekend?

I was Thinking "damm Joe I will NEVER let me live this down!!

The U shaped Cyber sounds interesting. The add slide in 'the middle would keep it interesting. Would we get points for Style??

we've run slalom in our garages here in toronto a couple times, its always kinda a compromise from actual slalom as its a short run. But its dry and often not too cold, so its ideal.

Chris,

It looks as though Canadian parking garages are the same as they are around here: very low ceilings.

There are parking garages all over the University I attended and I used to try and skate in them but found it to be almost dangerous. I stand 6'2" and when I stood on a 4" skateboard, it put me up around 6"6". Then when I skate I ride in a slight crouch, but it's still really close to those concrete beams running across the ceiling.

Well, I wouldn't bump my head, but if I ever on occassion raised my arm (usually instinctively for balance while pumping,) I would find that concrete beam. A couple of times I clunked my hand and knucles on the overhead. It would hurt like hell. I haven't slalomed in a garage in 25 years, but I doubt things have changed that much.

Wesley Tucker wrote:Chris,

It looks as though Canadian parking garages are the same as they are around here: very low ceilings.

if I ever on occassion raised my arm (usually instinctively for balance while pumping,) I would find that concrete beam. A couple of times I clunked my hand and knucles on the overhead. It would hurt like hell. I haven't slalomed in a garage in 25 years, but I doubt things have changed that much.

never considered that downside, but I could see it being a big hurdle to the taller guys. Luckily our diet of beaver and our regiment of fur trapping keeps most canadians pretty tiny.

That being said, we have a LOT of garages in the downtown core (those pictures are of a car lot garage, 0 traffic and heat, in the more industrial area of toronto) suitable for some makeshift (slow) gs and some cyber challenge, although we haven't tried cyber yet. They have decent floor to cieling heights for the most part.

I don't know about the U shape for me, but the 200 foot Roller Hockey rink would be good for two runs of 25, easily with 6 foot spacings. (I was using 7 above just for the widest measurment)

Going to have to rent it for an hour by myself to see how the surface holds up. It is a surface literally made for roller blades, and roller hockey. Hopefully not too slick.

Parkades in Edmonton suck, just about as much as the outside. They are ok for a while, but all the snow and salt and grime gets in on the bottom of the cars and in a matter of a week the garage's are all NASTY. Better off going on wet rough pavement outside, than the oil and salt infested wettness of the garage's. sucks.


cool pics by the way!