[2008] Send George Pappas to Sweden for the Worlds

Gary Fluitt · Post by **Gary Fluitt** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:28 am

Most of you know George Pappas. He had two 1st place finishes in the last couple of weeks, in Morro Bay (hybrid) and in Hood River (TS). George needs to get to Sweden to represent the U.S. and take his stab at the World Championship title. He is right now one of the top four or five racers on the planet, he has his passport, but doesn't have the dough to get there. This is where we can help. If everyone in the US slalom scene pitched in a few bucks, George can buy the ticket and get his skinny little ass over to Scandahovia to kick some butt. Click the donate button to make a donation of any amount. We've done this a couple of times. I'll throw down the first $100. We helped get Mitchell to Antibes that year, and Jack Smith to Paris another time. The ticket is about $1500 right now. Help a bro out and send him to Sweden. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?c ... et=UTF%2d8"> CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE GEORGE SWEDISH FUND </a>

Pat Chewning · Post by **Pat Chewning** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:40 am

that is a wonderful idea gary. keep us informed. i might make a 2nd donatt\ion if it puts us over the top.

when is the drop-dead date?

Jani Soderhall · Post by **Jani Soderhall** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:30 pm

This is a really good idea! When I get to the office tomorrow and I'll throw in a contribution too. George was one of the biggest "rookie" surprises for me when I visited the worlds last year. He's definitely on my favourites list - good style and fast. He could easily have won the TS & Special events. I'm glad he's taken home some trophies since then.

/Jani

Gary Fluitt · Post by **Gary Fluitt** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:02 am

We're getting there. We're up to about $600. Ticket currently is $1200. Need about a dozen more $50 donations....

Erik Basil · Post by **Erik Basil** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:00 pm

I heard George is over the top, thanks to a corporate sponsorship! No, not Mattel or Honda.

Rick Floyd · Post by **Rick Floyd** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:13 pm

Nail it Jorge!!

Ramón Königshausen · Post by **Ramón Königshausen** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:38 pm

Thank you all who helped sending George to Europe! We've had such a great time during the last 2.5 weeks travelling from Sweden to Czech Republic, Germany and Amsterdam, Racing, Partying, Practicing...lag festing...enjoying pretzels without mustard, going to Amusement parks and so on....Thanks for making this possible. Czech out the Chinese televison report:

http://www.airflow-skateboards.com/presse/policka.mov

rmn

Ramón Königshausen · Post by **Ramón Königshausen** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:14 pm

George struggling in the European TS

George rockin' Czech special slalom:

rmn

George pappas · Post by **George pappas** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:45 am

Sorry it took so long but THANKS EVERYBODY for the trip of my life.

Gary Fluitt you are The Man for making this happen for me. I will never forget. And in chronological order of your contributions thanks:
Pat Chewning, Mark Harris, Gib Lewis, Zack Levitt, Gary Glasser, Jack Smith, Jonathon B Harms, Cedric Cornel, John Ravitch, Art Pride, Pirnack, Carl Floitgraf, Christopher E Favero, Anissa Malady, Earl Cephas, Jeff Goad, Wax, Jani Soderhall, Chris Sullivan, Bruce Brewington, Revin' Kevin Delaney, Greg Fasell, Judy Oyama, Burt Beaves, Brian Delaney, Marion Karr, Gib Lewis (again with a second donation!) Corey Moy and Joe Iacovelli. Donations came from a dollar all the way up to a cnote, and I am infinitely grateful for every penny!

I still cant believe that this has happened, and I cant tell you how much it means to me .This trip has been the greatest skate adventure I've ever had. I am truely honored. It's so killer that you all came together in such a short amount of time and made this happen.Oh yea, last but not least, Dennis Schufly and Whit Reaves, you two are the bomb and you know why.

Huge thanks to Chris Chaput from Abec 11 for kicking down a grand, no strings attached, to send me on my way. I will never forget this chance you gave me, Chris. You have been an inspiration to me and one of my heroes since I went to Venezuela with you in the seventies. It wouldn't have happened without you either.

Europe has been a non stop adventure. The World Championships in Gothenburg was,by far,the biggest,smoothest run,contest I've had the honor to attend.The g-burg crew did an awesome job of organizing and dealing with all the inclement weather and other acts of god that seemed to hit.Hats off to Helejna,from Space Display,the main race promoter,for organizing the 13 bands, mini ramp, product display tents,and promotions that brought upwards of three thousand people to the race! What a site it was. The field was super deep, just like the states,and I was happy to podium in the GS. I'm sad to say that it just wasn't my day in the HS and the TS. The Euros rip. Congratulations to Dominic Kowalski,WORLD CHAMPION.

after Worlds I just couldnt go home right away and so with a little prodding from Dom and Ramon, I canceled my return flight and continued my mini euro tour to world cup stops in Czech Republic and Amsterdam. Two top notch events in two totally rad cities. Policka was a blast. A thousand Euros for first, and money paid, on the spot, all the way down to fifteenth. The people are great and the HS was a blast. Not flat , but down, up, and back down. Super challenging and something new to experience. Amsterdam had challenging courses in the TS and Hs with a super tech GS that wasnt hard to run, but it was hard to run fast. I wont even mention the red light district. Between the two world cup races, I stayed with Dom and Ramon at Doms place in Cologne for a week. MTVs Real Life has nothing on this place.One hella party for one hella week. Nuf said. Oh yea, we also skated

Bought my train ticket to Denmark before my last night in Amsterdam. Hopped the train after another night of the full Amsterdam experience and woke up in Berlin. Broke. Found my way to Denmark, eventually, and tried to chill for a week. ha ha ha.

Now I'm back in gothenberg working construction for Kaj Gustavsson, skating, and still trying to chill. Gothenburg is a skaters dream. Bike paths on nearly every road. My friend Kaj and I just found some more killer tracks to skate if it ever stops raining. The g berg crew is killer,Kaj, Ulf, robo Jörgen,Yoda, Emrik, Martin and of course the Hadestrands and Henric Wadsten to name a few. Watch out for a seventeen year old kid named Sebastion. Pirnack power, Fluitt style,and Zak hunger. The Martin Reaves of TS. Also ten year old Alexander has a new stick, Complete with my treasured 70 lime super cones and has been to all of our sessions in the past week. G berg has a solid next generation of racers to add to thier already solid base.

Today I booked my flight back to the states. So the dream ends soon

Thanks again everyone. I've been trying to email you all personally and if you haven't heard from me yet, you will.I've got alot to pay forward, and it will be fun doing it!

peace,

George Pappas

Join the ISSA 25 cone series. One cyber race every second month!

Regular sessions allow newbies to join our community and discover slalom racing.

[2008] Send George Pappas to Sweden for the Worlds

[2008] Send George Pappas to Sweden for the Worlds

George goes to Sweden

Thank you for sending George to Europe!

My European adventure