ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

The legendary slopes of Trocadero are once again open to the worlds
best slalomers to battle it out in in Pro / Am and Womens categories covering
3 slalom events and a slide contest.



We hereby welcome all slalomers, longboarders and roller skaters to
Paris, May 29-31, 2004 for an exciting three day slalom event at the
famous Trocadero site opposite the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The final approval from the Mayor of Paris came in this week and we're now proud to announce the Paris Slalom World Cup 2004, which promises to become the biggest slalom event ever at the Trocadero. The honour of competing and winning at the Trocadero is something that'll stay with you forever. The 3.000 euros in cash prizes, however, you're welcome to spend right away!

Disciplines:
The contest will feature the following disciplines for skateboarders:

• * Tight / Straight parallel slalom, Pro/Am/Women
  * Special slalom, dual, Pro/Am/Women
  * Giant slalom, single lane, Pro/Am/Women
  * Longboard slide contest, Open

Short summary of rules:
Basically we're running the event with the same set of rules and similar courses to last year. Tight straight will be 2.0 m for Pro, 2.5 m for Am and women. Two different special slalom (Pro/Am) will be set shortly before the race, probably a few days before to avoid wasting time on race day. The giant slalom will use the full length of the hill and will also be set in advance.

The dual races (straight and special) will have a qualifier to determine the top 16 of each Pro and Am class who'll then race in a traditional head-to-head format. In the womens class we'll bring along the top 8.

Starting ramp
There will be 2 starting ramps, approximately 1m high. That will be more than enough to give the speed necessary for the Trocadero slope.

Time penalty
Time penalty for a hit cone is 0.1 sec in all disciplines. No maximum cone count.

Entry fees
The entry fees are based upon the number of events you participate in. Amateurs and women pay a maximum of 30 euros to participate in all events. Pros pay 85 euros to participate in all. There will also be combo packs including 3 meals and a t-shirt at 25 euros. Those who register online, and pay before May 15, will save 10 euros on the entry fee.
Online registration, fees and payment options to be announced at www.Event.Riderz.net soon.

Trophies, prizes, prize money
There will be specially designed trophies (to continue the tradition of last year) to the three best in each category. In Am and Women's classes and for the longboard slide contest there will be sponsor prices distributed in addition to trophies. For the Pro event there will prize money down to 8th place in each discipline: 350, 250, 150, 100, 50, 50, 50, 50 euros. There will also be a surprise random prize purse of 100 euros awarded by a lottery draw to one of the Pro participants outside of the top 8.
3.250 euros in cash prices!

Women's category
The three slalom events will have a separate womens category and they'll use the Amateur courses. A winner will be awarded in each category. However trophies will only be awarded to the best three female skaters in the overall ranking (only counting the slalom events) (based upon the ISSA points system).

Best overall
An overall ranking of all three slalom disciplines will be defined. No special trophy, other than the honor is planned.

World Ranking points
With the new ISSA World Ranking in place, you cannot afford to miss out on this event! As you know the better the status of the event, the better the points awarded. Chances are this will be the European Major of this year. To be determined shortly.

Website:
http://www.riderz.net/site-troca - It's still only in French, but we're working on the English translation and the online registration should be up in one week.

Sponsors
To be announced.

Questions?
Feel free to ask them! Post them here or send an email to me (jani @ slalomskateboarder.com) . If you speak French you can also follow the discussions on the www.Riderz.net forum.

The Riderz Association and the ISSA are pleased to welcome you to Paris once again for three action packed days, in beautiful weather this time and with an audience larger than at any other slalom event!

Welcome / Bienvenue !


One of our international participants last year. You bet he'll be back this year!

Yes! This will be one of the highlights of the year. There will be more Swedes coming this year to defend last years results. Some new Swedish faces will even show up in the Pro class this year. It will be very interesting indeed.

I'll be there.

2m straight...how steep is the road?

rmn

Ramón Königshausen wrote:2m straight...how steep is the road?

The hill is pretty steep, at least speed builds up very fast. I wrote in last years invitation that it's probably around 6% but honestly I don't have a clue. Going any further than 40 cones straight at Trocadero is a challenge. Up to 45 is doable. 50 will be a real challenge. Let's consider that for 2005!

When I decided last year to go for 2m it was because 1.8m looked terribly fast on that hill and I didn't want to scare away any pros or have a bowling game. I thought I would be heavily critisized (like Jack Smith had sometimes been in the US for setting too easy courses) but everybody turned out to be pleased with the courses as they were.

PS. Ramon, remember not everyone has an S-Camber...

/Jani

I think I'll come...

I need some serious training in order to be not too ridiculous...

I think I need a lot of training...

29/30-31 mai 2004 ?!??!

Oh well..., i shouldn't be in front of my desk....

Oh my! Is it happening again? It just happened last year...

Vlad,

It's time to take off those roller skates, or we may sign you up for the roller skate event rather than the skate event in Paris.

Better be careful.

/Jani

No comment at this time.

Italian memories of Paris 2003...

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The online registration is now open for the Paris Slalom World Cup, May 29-31 at the legendary Trocadero site.

Your registration is welcome at http://event.Riderz.net

/Jani

Hi Jani!

The original dates sugested 28, 29, 30 now we are racing 29, 30, 31.

Is there anyway the tight can be moved from Monday to Sunday? As per the schedule and the pre-booked flights I will miss the TS.

I would much prefer to miss the GS. Are there any others in this situation?

Thanks

Ooops,

Sorry Claude if the original dates were unclear. The original dates included the Friday because that remained in my head as we had asked for the Friday as a day for preparations in the application to the mayor of Paris.

For us who knew, there was never any plan to run an event on the Friday.

I could reconsider switching GS from Saturday to Monday, if you can gain solid support. I still wouldn't promise we'll do it though.

/Jani

Isn't that only a mistake that they put Giant on Saturday?

I've thought all along that Tight was on Saturday and Giant was on Monday. I.e. the same order as last year. Seems also logical due to the fact that Giant slalom will be much quicker to finish than Tight slalom. And according to the plan they have less time planned for Monday. I bet it's a simple mistake by the person who draw the program table.

There's also an advantage to have a less time consuming event the first day. At least GS has less complexity when it comes to running the event.
Worth thinking about.

jani,

I to for some reason thought is friday, saturday and sunday. I think I will be OK on travel arrangements but definitely prefer to run tight slalom before GS. It seems like tight is always run last and suffers when there is a rain delay. Just an opinion. Looking forward to having some fun.

Bobby

I guess this will be a showdown of who the real SSS is! I saw on the signup list riders listing as. What does the other SSS stand for? Sadines, Salad and Suds? I think Simon is coming! Hopefully we will one two the other squad! The Hammer is coming Down! SSS racing Crew!

SSS is the slalom crew from Marseille ( France)...

Our sss stands for Sunday Slalom Sessions in fact, i hope it won't offense you. ( i do like salad and sardines tough)

We're actualy three (but growing) and as David said we're from Marseille south-east France

Following several requests the program for the three days has been changed.

Saturday: Tight
Sunday: Special + slide
Monday: Giant

We have also done a preliminary schedule for the practice sessions on the second slope (shared with inlines and snakeboards) to allow skateboard slalomers to use the slope as much as possible just before their events.

Link to the site: http://event.riderz.net/eng/programme.htm?id=8

Here's the new one:

Given that the Amateur TS is early on the Saturday, I've realised that despite having entered this competition and having booked the earliest viable transport to Paris that morning, realistically I will not be able to make that race.

Would it therefore be possible to enter the Pro Qualifying instead and to race in the other disciplines as an Amateur?

As the saying goes, "Someone's gotta come last!"

Sam Gordon wrote:Would it be possible to enter the Pro Qualifying instead and to race in the other disciplines as an Amateur?

Basically I wouldn't like to see any switching between the disciplines, but I'm more worried about the Pro's going to Am, than Am going to Pro, so maybe we'll start to make exceptions to the rule (which BTW isn't yet a rule).

Consequences:

- Entry fee?
- Not eligible for prize money?
- Ranking points?

Those of you who for one or another reason needs to apply for a switch of category, please do so personally to me and I'll figure out how to handle it.

After all, we're only here to have fun, so rest assured that we'll fix it.

/Jani

Thank for you reply, Jani. Rather pre-emptively I booked the Eurostar journey before the race schedule had been released. I agree that one should either ride a full grouping of either Pro or Am events.

Because I am asking fo special dispensation in order to compete, I am happy to pay an adjusted entry fee and also to suffer the penalty of losing ranking points. Eligibility for prize money, I assure you, won't be an issue.

Aha! Can't help commenting this.

Prize money
I think personally (as Jani) that Am testing the pro class shouldn't be so worrying. I think that even if they test the Pro class they should be able to remain Am's. In these cases they can't take prize money when entering pro class.

Entry fee
Since normally a part of the entrance fee is for prize money should the Am racer pay the same? On the other hand they will take World ranking points for Pro's instead of Am points. Up to organizer to decide. Best is to let all pay the same for a class entered I guess.

Ranking points
No problem for World ranking points but for ranking points to find out the overall winner for a competition will not work. At least if used the way it is used today. If using the world ranking point system though it could be solved.

Thank you very much for making the above changes to the schedule.

I am looking forward to my first trip to Europe, let alone Paris.

We will see you in a few weeks.


Luca if you read this please contact me. Civ, Mike Cividino is going to be in Italy for two weeks before Paris. I would like it if you could meet up for a sk8.

Mr. Stroble are you going to be there? Contact me, please.

Hans, Cya soon bro.

I don't know if it has been clearly said, but I'll repeat it here to avoid any doubt:

Cone distances in tight/parallel slalom:

- Pro: 2.0 m (center to center)
- Pro: 2.4 m (center to center) (slightly less than last year).

Approximate course length: like last year, 40 cones for the Pro's, 32 for the Am's and women.

/Jani

I just wanted to let you know we're pleased with the registration, especially top level, so far.

- Lynn Kramer, USA
- Elena Sinodalova, Russia

For the first time ever a US/Russian encounter in the womens class! Cool to note that both signed up in Pro, although for women we only have an Open class.

Among the men, Pro:

- Jean Paul Alavoine, local boy, relaxed last year, watch out!
- Christophe Baumann, German champion
- Richy Carrasco, always ready for another podium!
- Bruce Brewington, Team Wall Street back for another round
- Luca Giammarco, World Champion, trippel winner in 2003
- Keith Hollien, Team Radikal, looking for revenge on European ground
- Peter Klang, Swedish surprise Pro. Place your bets
- Ramón Königshausen, Junior turns Pro. You better watch out!
- Vincent Langlade, one of the most stylish giant slalomers!
- Chris Linford, we finally get to see you in Paris. Great racer!
- Bobby Mandarino, Team Radikal, Florida, Ranked #10 in the world
- Steve Olsson, Black Leather Racing, Wow! It'll be great to have you here!
- Vlad Popov, hungry for more! Only the podium counts.
- Paul Price, World Champion, always present when it counts
- Claude Regnier, Welcome Canada!
- Manuel Schaub, talented young Swiss racer
- Marcus Seyffarth, Am winner last year, pro this year
- Michael Stride, World Champion

If you haven't signed up yet, please do so.

For those of you who have signed up, but haven't paid yet, please do so before the 15:th.

Race day sign up is possible, but you pay extra.

See you all soon!

Jani

I am going to live on Roast Duck!! Hey is Stobel, Hart, Levene, Fleischer coming to the event?

Chris Hart and Maurus Strobel are coming for sure. I don't know about Levene and Fleischer but I hope theire going to come too.

Richy,

I spoke to Dieter the other day to make sure he was coming. And yes, he plans to come. I forgot to ask him to bring a few guys from his club though. He regularly trains a little group of slalomers, so maybe he could bring a couple of ams.

I've been hoping to see Simon sign up and come hunt for revenge, but no news so far. Guys like Michael Stride probably talks to him regularly. Would love to see a couple of other UK slalomers, Chris Charalambous for example. He would be right up at the top. I'd love to see my old friend Frank Wheeler come over too. He hasn't been skating lately, but it would be great to see him.

There should be a few more Swiss signing in, pros, women and ams and a whole lot of French amateurs. Venez nombreux !

See you all soon!

/Jani

We are going to race Silverstone the next weekend after Paris, Olsen is going with us! -- Hope most racers at Tracadero can make it !

Is there anyone travelling to London after Paris that wants to travel together? I don't know France at all and a little help would be great.

well you have a direct train between downtown Paris to Downtown London....It takes 3 hours..... (http://www.Eurostar.com)

Jani, I was skating at Trocadero this afternoon, and i think that 2.40 is a little too big for A.M.....

This is a reminder to those that have signed up but not yet paid:

Please pay before May 15:th.

Registration remains open until 24 hrs before the event, after that you can register at the Trocadero in the morning before the race.

If you pay after May 15:th, you will have to pay 10 euros extra.

Save yourself 10 euros and help us get sorted in time for the contest. Register & pay now!

http://event.riderz.net/eng/inscriptions.htm?id=7

Thank's!

/Jani

hello,
if some riders likes old school bowl riding, ( i know it's not slalom....), we gonna go ( maybe during the roller run..) with guys from Marseille in a bowl next to the troca during the 3 days of the contest.
If you want to come.....

we've already planned a session at the "la muette" bowl on Friday, the 28th. We'll probably be there afternoon or in the evening...there's no "old-school stuff & tricks" just fun !

I' was afraid during few minutes!
I though I was not registered!
But I am. Jani just forget me.

Jani or anyone else that knows,

Saturday's tight slalom is 2M on center pro and 2.5M on center AM. Is that correct?

Is 2.5M like 8 feet? Need to know what boards to bring. Thanks in advance for your help.

Joe

Hi joe.
2,5 meters equal 8,20 feet.

see you in paris !

I don't know if it has been clearly said, but I'll repeat it here to avoid any doubt:

Cone distances in tight/parallel slalom:

- Pro: 2.0 m (center to center)
- Pro: 2.4 m (center to center) (slightly less than last year).

Approximate course length: like last year, 40 cones for the Pro's, 32 for the Am's and women.

/Jani

---> 2.40 m, so approximately 8 feet center to center!

For those that haven't heard..Sharon didn't meet up w/ Alan @ the airport!!! All the info is on the other site in the Slalom Forum incase you hear from her!!

Jani,
do you think the skating event will be televised?

Barry,

It's difficult to get guarantees of TV coverage. What we have so far is an interest from the national France 3 channel, which some times in the day show regional stuff rather than national. If they would do something even on a regionial level that would be super cool, because that's one of the two most watched channels on French TV.

We're also in discussions with ESPN and so far they've said they'll be there, but we have no guarantee.

We've also got one TV show that'll film one of the young participants in his preparation for the event. That's guaranteed.

There's another show on fear in extreme sports. They won't really cover the event, but chances are they'll shoot something at the event.

Last but not least, Maria Carrasco will bring her equipment along and do her usual coverage. Most of the time little pieces of her stuff ends up on TV one day or another.

Not bad!

I'd say it all depends on how the days turn out in the end. If it sunny, plenty of people and we pull together a good show, we have a better chance of getting coverage.

/Jani

The PRO class is much too expensive...

Martin Siegrist wrote:The PRO class is much too expensive...

Martin,

It was my decision to increase the entry fee to 75 euros for three days of racing and offer prize money to the best racers. In my mind that makes for an even more interesting race and the best racers get a little bit of fincancial aid for the costs they've had to make it to the race.

By paying down to 8:th place in three disciplines we are making sure than all the money doesn't go down in one persons pocket. Quite a few racers should be able to access that money and if you place 8:th in two disciplines you're sure to come home with more money than you spent on the entry fee.

In the Amateur class we've kept the entry fee low as we want to encourage participation also by those that are not as serious about racing as the Pros.

In the end, of course, it's your choice to come or not.

Hope to see you here!

I'll make a deal with you Martin: I pay your entry fee and you refund me all the prize money you win. You get to keep the trophy(s) and any give aways (mostly reserved for the ams though). How about that? Three days of racing for free!

Others, who still haven't signed up yet, may apply too.

/Jani

that would be cool! but I still don't know if I will make the trip to paris

I just talked to Sharon Sidlo who's already in Paris. Tomorrow she'll be slaloming with the local guys at Trocadero. Actually when out in town yesterday she already met some longboarders who talked to her about the event. Seemed pretty natural, but this is a town of 12 million people!

She'll be sightseeing for a few days and then get ready for the race!

Wow, Sharon, it's so nice that you could make it!

/Jani

Just looked through some pictures from last years race and thought I'd share some of them with you:



























In 5 days the action is on again!

See you!