Start Ramps for 5.5 ft.

Brian Morris · Post by **Brian Morris** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 7:05 pm

At my local skatepark, the people are interested in building some start ramps, similar to Hester's. I want to use them for my next attempt at a 5.5 Tight race. Anybody know dimentions for such a ramp? Would a ramp even be feasable for a limited amount of space and 20 cones? I'm going to have access to them for future races, so expect alot more racing in Northern NJ....

"Brain"

_________________
Wobbler

John Gilmour · Post by **John Gilmour** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 2:16 am

I happen to like tight slalom- but 5.5 feet is very tight for most people starting out.

Have you tried any other distances in this space?

And are you referring to the distance on center or the space between the cones?

Brian Morris · Post by **Brian Morris** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 4:36 pm

Its 5.5 feet between cones. We had a really good race this year using 5.5. Everybody eventually made it through the course after a few tries. The space really isn't big enough to hold a race with anything more than 5.5 feet. I hope to hold the North Jersey Skate Jam vol. 2 early next season.

Regards,
"Brain"

Chris Linford · Post by **Chris Linford** » Tue May 13, 2003 1:31 pm

5.5 feet
can I bring a book it is so wide?

Chris

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 14, 2003 3:08 am

Brian are you thinking of running the skate jam v2 in the same place you did las year? If soo we REALL need more room, if for that day we could back up 20-40 feet from where we were last year that would be a good idea. I realize all the issues from last year but for one day for a few hours it won't hurt anyone. Try to negotiate it.

Start ramps. Hester or jack smith would have the plans.

Brian...go here http://www.pcpal.se/issa/ , that is the ISSA rulebook. It would be cool to have this event an ISSA spec'd event. Parallel slalom, who else does that in the USA. We might as well look to what the ISSA did.

Did the ISSA rules cover the design of start ramps? If they did I can't find it. Jani?

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As for the 5.5'ish (1.7m) spec. Last year everyone made the course after some practice, even some flippers who never saw a slalom deck before. Only a few were competitive though. The skill level has gone up this summer so it should be better.

I understand the thinking to offer courses anyone can make, but sometimes that gets too limiting.

Vlad Popov · Post by **Vlad Popov** » Thu May 15, 2003 4:12 am

It's about time we use International rules. 30 or 36-cone parallel race at 1.7m or 5.5 ft with ramps would be great for that place.
International rules would also be great for competitions that carry an international title. Otherwise it's just a big and pretty name.
Vlad.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu May 15, 2003 5:37 am

Vlad Popov wrote:
It's about time we use International rules. 30 or 36-cone parallel race at 1.7m or 5.5 ft with ramps would be great for that place.
International rules would also be great for competitions that carry an international title. Otherwise it's just a big and pretty name.
Vlad.

Agreed!

Vlad Popov · Post by **Vlad Popov** » Thu May 15, 2003 5:56 am

agreed!

Agreed!

Ricky Byrd has some really good ramp design. He offered the drawinings for the Gathering (but we didn’t care). As for 5.5ft beeing too tight or too loose. Take a board for 1-meter slalom, and you’d wish for more cones between the cones. Run it on a regular GS board, and it’s way too tight. Everyone could make the course on a piece of plank with 20-inch wheelbase (between axles). I ran 4.5ft on Sunday. It was a GS for my set-up.

Vlad.

Hans Koraeus · Post by **Hans Koraeus** » Thu May 15, 2003 5:48 pm

Chris,

The ISSA rules says the following about start ramps...

"A starting ramp is compulsory, and it shall have a height of at least 1.8 m and a maximum angle of 20 degrees."

This rule is however something that have been under much discussion. With a downhill course there is normally no need for this height. It is also much more complicated to build and transport such a ramp. So this rule is not top priority so to say. The 20 degrees is for "straight transision" type ramps. For ramps using a curved transision there are no recommendations.

Jani Soderhall · Post by **Jani Soderhall** » Thu May 15, 2003 8:44 pm

The 1.8 m rule was enforced by the Swiss, who had an excellent ramp mounted on top of a minibus. Most agreed after some arguments and the vote got through. It seemed logical though because we we're often racing on flat grounds, so this was a way to make the races even faster.

Today, most races are held on slopes so it is logical not to use such high ramps.

We're going to have ramps only 1m high for the Paris Slalom World Cup 2003 because at the Trocadero you don't need such a high speed at the start to get going.

The other day I was watching some old videos from 1981 from the same spot and at that time there were no ramps, but simply a set of barricades from the local police that you'd pull off from. (Similar to Wesleys post in the Ramp forum). Go and have a look at it it's great!

Vlad Popov · Post by **Vlad Popov** » Fri May 16, 2003 1:14 am

That NJ place is almost flat. 1.8 m should be fine. 1 m would be enough. But the faster- the better.

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

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