The "Gathering" 2004

Slalom Skateboarding in Washington, U.S.A.

Moderators: Jonathan Harms, Ron Barbagallo, Maria Carrasco, Russel Cantor, Lynn Kramer, Brian Parsons

John Gilmour
Team Roe Racing
Team Roe Racing
Posts: 1207
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am
Location: USA

Re: Seneca Creek

Post by John Gilmour » Mon Dec 01, 2003 6:33 am

Kevin M. Gamble wrote:I agree with TK; there is still a lot of untapped potential at the Gathering site. Especially the back hill. Last year John Gilmour set a very difficult course on the back hill late on Sunday. Nobody completed the course without blowing out. Communication could be a problem on the back hill since the last sections of the course would be out of the line-of-sight from the start line. Radios would help a lot.

Both hills were perceived in the past as being too narrow for dual racing; last year's events disproved that theory. Might still not make sense to run duals on the back hill, but it could be interesting because of the curve.
KMG you came awful close to making it- you were tearing it up, it is worth going just to see KMG ripping through at speed- way improved. I did set a good techSL on the steep hill. I would hope to set another this year.

The gathering I look at as a growth phase for the slalom where newbies don't have to feel intimidated to get tips from others and everyone can meet and discuss future races.

I don't look to the gathering for high level racing- the hill simply don't support it- save for perhaps a TechSL on the steep hill- but realistically there is no chance for a great GS course there- but I don't see a need for that either when we are trying to grow the East Coast scene. This is the event where it happens- GBJ delivers.

It really was never supposed to be about racing- we have plenty of races for that. Of course....if you HAVE TIMERS what happens?

In racing we concentrate on winning. In just practice I think there is more help doled out to newbies.
One good turn deserves another
john gilmour

Terry Kirby
Team RoeRacing
Team RoeRacing
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Hampton, NH USA

Post by Terry Kirby » Mon Dec 01, 2003 4:04 am

Right, I also would like some advanced ,timed and organised racing. Initially (correct me if I'm wrong gbj) the G. was meant to be a non competative event where slalomers could get together and discuss rules and format and ride courses.
I think now, through the hard work of GBJ, Parsons, LBK, The GAmbles the scene has grown and the talent pool expanded. The first year Simon showed up, the next year Chaput, this last year we had Kenny(for a little while) Vlad, Dunn, JG, Dong, Noah amd a bunch of upper middle packers.
Guys want to race, I want to race. I'm sure GBJ will take that into consideration. That said. The current site can host some great dual racing . I can think of 5 guys who attend who can set a duel course on either hill that would be fast and complex. The site is not a GS site. People know that going into it.

PS, you want GS, come to Da Farm. If its dry we will set from the very top to the bottom this year with no speed killer cones. T

Slappy Maxwell
Posts: 343
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 am
Contact:

Post by Slappy Maxwell » Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:55 am

Terence Kirby wrote:Slappy, is it head to head racing you would like to see at the next Gathering? I bet Andy could do it. I travel all the way from NH and always have a good time at the state park. TK
Duals would be nice. I think even more official races of single track would make it more interesting. I have a good time as well. I just think the Friday night race might be showing what's missing from the Gathering.

Slappy Maxwell
Posts: 343
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 am
Contact:

Post by Slappy Maxwell » Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:45 am

Seth Levy wrote:how old do you have to be to go to this thing? it sounds fun. is there ts or only gs?
There is no age limit. It is a ton of fun. There is mostly TS, flatland, and regular slalom. No GS.

My point... maybe there is a place in the area that could also include GS and duals for more than just TS?

Terry Kirby
Team RoeRacing
Team RoeRacing
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Hampton, NH USA

Post by Terry Kirby » Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:40 am

Dave, didnt know about the article. I wonder who wrote it, not me. I did see one of the local mad men taking out a zodiac to one of the outer reefs last month. Crazy...

Slappy, is it head to head racing you would like to see at the next Gathering? I bet Andy could do it. I travel all the way from NH and always have a good time at the state park. TK

Slappy Maxwell
Posts: 343
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 am
Contact:

Post by Slappy Maxwell » Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:32 am

Let me clarify, I agree a challenging course can be set there. A course can be set to be challenging at any spot.

But being limited to running single lane and most courses not even being timed or recorded for comparison makes it just a practice.

I can understand this might be fun for people coming from isolated places that don't have the opportunity to practice with more than one or two people. But the addition of one or two real races would really bring it to a more interesting level. Maybe this was intended last year?

Is the current spot as good as a legit place as can be found in the DC Metro Area?
Have all other parks the have rental areas in Montgomery County, Fairfax Co, PG, and PW, and DC been checked?
I've checked a few in Fairfax Co. but not all of them.

Bull Run would just be comparable to the current site except longer and better pavement for Cyber Slalom. The bonus would be camping on the site. (I also found another isolated road in Bull Run that is smaller than the road some have skated there-giving two spots in the park with pitch.) I know Brian checked into renting it and they required insurance. I know this was the snag at the time. I don't know if he checked with the US Rollersports insurance that Rick has used?

Kevin M. Gamble
Stahlstown, PA
Stahlstown, PA
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2002 1:00 am

Seneca Creek

Post by Kevin M. Gamble » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:45 am

I agree with TK; there is still a lot of untapped potential at the Gathering site. Especially the back hill. Last year John Gilmour set a very difficult course on the back hill late on Sunday. Nobody completed the course without blowing out. Communication could be a problem on the back hill since the last sections of the course would be out of the line-of-sight from the start line. Radios would help a lot.

Both hills were perceived in the past as being too narrow for dual racing; last year's events disproved that theory. Might still not make sense to run duals on the back hill, but it could be interesting because of the curve.

David Riordon
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Denver

Post by David Riordon » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:22 am

The Gathering Spot is as good as a legit place you will ever get without having to go through the permit game. I hope the parking situation doesn't ruin the location for Andy. BTW, I hear that all the other parks had an entrance fee hike except for a few including Seneca Park. That is good news to start out with.

Also, I like the idea of some sort of Friday night separate event as a way of rewarding those that to travel out to the Gathering on Friday. Last year it was Park N Ride racing and the year before that was a Banked Slalom Contest. Both times the racers did stay out too late and that impacted the first few hours of the Gathering. If something independent of Andy does go on the Friday night of the Gathering, we should try to end it soon enough for the people to make it out to the early part of the Gathering.

DR


On a Side Note:


TK,

There is an article in this month's Surfer Mag. on NH Tow-In Surfing by a Kirby. Any relation to you?
lbk

Terry Kirby
Team RoeRacing
Team RoeRacing
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Hampton, NH USA

Post by Terry Kirby » Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:04 am

The Gathering site can be plenty challenging. You don't need a steep hill just a good course setter. TK

Leonardo Ojeda
Venezuelan Racer
Venezuelan Racer
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Stamford, CT and Venezuela in the heart
Contact:

Post by Leonardo Ojeda » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:23 am

hmm maybe a 2 line course in the back hill setted by vlad and johnG may change a few things


now really, i think the back hill has the steepnes necessary for more challenging courses, just one thing will worry me and thats the wood fence.

leo
"I`ll see you at the end of the hill"

Andy Bittner
GBJ
GBJ
Posts: 394
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

Post by Andy Bittner » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:56 pm

Fair points, Slappy, although I'm not sure all the information is in yet. Last year, I had a gameplan for the whole weekend that included racing for all levels, including some significantly challenging advanced racing. Unfortunately, I did a very poor job of sticking to that plan, allowing incidents, delays and personalities to throw me way off point.

For me, The 3rd Gathering: Slalom, Slalom and More Slalom was an unmitigated trainwreck. In fact, I'm still dealing with the wreckage. I'm currently not able to rent The Gathering site until I have a meeting with the park manager over parking issues. This is happening because some people decided to interpret my giving parking directions as some kind of personality issue and went ahead and parked wherever they pleased.

I do have one other question to ask you though, Slappy, then I have to run to work... Did you really feel that none of the courses at T3G were challenging above the intermediate level? Of course, I wasn't setting most of them and didn't get a chance to run most of them either, so I really wouldn't know. I know the course that I had set for a dual, advanced TS was never used during the weekend, and was being called very difficult by many of those that rode it on Friday.

Seth Levy
Posts: 254
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2003 5:48 pm
Location: DC
Contact:

Post by Seth Levy » Sun Nov 30, 2003 6:58 am

how old do you have to be to go to this thing? it sounds fun. is there ts or only gs?

Slappy Maxwell
Posts: 343
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 am
Contact:

Post by Slappy Maxwell » Sun Nov 30, 2003 6:00 am

To continue the discussion from DC Sessions...

Andy, I think the Friday night race is showing what might be missing from the real Gathering for people that aren't beginners and have previously attended a Gathering.

Realistically there isn't anything challenging about it anymore for intermediates and above at it's current location. The hill isn't steep and we have all seen and ridden most of the product that is now available. Anyone that has attended a few races also knows what the different types of courses look like.

Should the Gathering be geared more as a clinic for beginners?

If it is intended to be all-inclusive, shouldn't intermediates and advanced skaters also have a chance to race and be challenged beyond the Cyber-Slalom?

Leonardo Ojeda
Venezuelan Racer
Venezuelan Racer
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Stamford, CT and Venezuela in the heart
Contact:

Post by Leonardo Ojeda » Fri Nov 07, 2003 10:26 pm

Good, I'll try to save as much I can to be there!

leo
"I`ll see you at the end of the hill"

Andy Bittner
GBJ
GBJ
Posts: 394
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

The 4th Gathering... tentative

Post by Andy Bittner » Fri Nov 07, 2003 9:02 pm

Pending confirmation from the park, I expect to hold The 4th Gathering on the weekend of May 1 and 2, 2004. More news soon.

Wes Eastridge
WesE
WesE
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 2:00 am
Location: northern Virginia, suburb of DC, USA

Post by Wes Eastridge » Fri Nov 07, 2003 4:42 am

I hope it is the same time as last year's. The first weekend in May couldn’t be more perfect for me.

David Morris
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2003 2:00 am
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Contact:

The "Gathering" 2004

Post by David Morris » Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:09 pm

Hi Guys,

Next month on December 1st I have to hand in my vacation picks for the 2004 calendar year at my job. Depending on what time of year it is etc sometimes its sort of hard to get the days that you want. As I am figuring out what days I would like to have off next year one time period I would definately like to have off and thats whenever the 2004 "Gathering" takes place.

So my question is when is the 2004 Gathering going to be held? Any idea or is there already a date that is sort of penciled into someones calendar? Andy??????

I am definately want to make it to the next "Gathering". Anyone who missed it last year missed a really great time of skating.

Also a little off topic from the "Gathering" I have also emailed the organizers of the Morro Bay Slalom Race because of the scheduling issue. I know Aaron really wanted to make it to last years Morro Bay so this coming year I am really going to try to get him out there. And of course I would like to participate too since it looks like a really cool course.

So any ideas on a date for the 2004 "Gathering"????

Thanks,

David "davmo" Morris

Post Reply