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| Speedboarding (19049 Posts)
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Speedboarding |
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Gilmour's Swimming Record
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On 12/5/2000 GBJ
wrote in from
(205.177.nnn.nnn)
This'll probably get moved to the Guest Book, but once Gilmour sets that World Speed Swimming Record (under "optimized" conditions, of course), I'll finally be impressed. I might even want your autograph John! Thanks for several consecutive, out-loud laughs.
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Parameters
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On 12/5/2000 Craig
wrote in from
(196.34.nnn.nnn)
John said something about staying within certain parameters of the sport.
These parameters are impossible to define. I have just completed a half year zoology/botany course in systematics and evolution. The basic jist of the course is that we do not know what a species is because of the gradual continuum existing between slowly evolving forms. Despite the impossibility to define a species, hours and hours of intelligent thought over the years have been applied to the topic. Basically i'm pointing out the futility of applying parameters to things in life.
I skate down hills. I try to go as fast as i can on slow hills, fast hills, in tail or head winds, whatever. Sometimes i don't even try to go fast, i just carve. I have managed to reach 90km/h, purely under gravity, but i could have done better with a tail wind and more practice on the hill. That was fun, that was real, there were no cars or bikes or space ships involved! On the other hand, i once towed on the side of a car up a hill at 100km/h, let go at the top and bombed the other side under gravity. I thought that that was pretty f****n radical. The other day we were towing into a hill at 80km/h and the drafting the car to the bottom at the same speed, in a strong head wind. I didn't give a flying f**K about parameters, i was having fun. I was on my skateboard, what a blast! If i was towing across a salt pan at 300km/h behind fancified automobile, and survivng...you can bet i would be stoked, and you could bet that i would very proudly want to write in here and tell you guys about it...if guiness was interested, fine! just give me free beer! Whatever.
Basically when it comes to downhill and speed boarding, i believe the best and funnest way to do it is under gravity. But the parameters will always be pushed, and suddenly we'll be doing ludicrous things. Maybe the equipment will become too aerodynamic for some people to impressed. So what, it's all fun. I wouldn't slam those guys too hard who screwed their bikes to whatever and went however fast. They might be thought of as less hardcore than a tour de france winner by some, but i bet they were going fast enough to be proud and to have fun.
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Fast People
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On 12/5/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Anyone familiar with the Red Bull downhill (speedboard) and streetluge races knows that they know how to put on a great "made for television" event and they know how to party. The riders and fans all have a great time. Sometimes the race itself suffers in the name of a good "show". The Streets of San Francisco Luge Race was a straight course but offered jumps along the way to make things interesting. At the end of the day, when you could afford to thrash your equipment, they put a launch ramp on the hill and had a "Big Air" competition. All the riders know that this has nothing to do with streetluge but it is fun to watch. Jeff Schonzeit went 83' (compared to my 82') and arguably holds the "world record streetluge jump" title. All the riders are happy for Jeff and respect the effort but Jeff will be the first one to tell you, it doesn't count for much in racing. I passed on a picture of myself to GoFast Sports (not related to Dr. Go-Fast) and they posted it here: http://www.http://www.gofastsports.com/fastpeople.htm.com. A video clip can be found at: href="http://www.chrischaput.com/video/luge_jump_chris.avi" target="_blank">http://www.chrischaput.com/video/luge_jump_chris.avi
As much fun as these stunts are, they don't say much about my luge racing (which is weak), but if you want to think of me as fast, go ahead ;)
p.s. Kurt, got the tape. John, Tell us how you really feel!
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Drafting
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On 12/5/2000 Kurt
wrote in from
(63.232.nnn.nnn)
Personally I like the "Draft car" to FOLLOW very close behind ME. This adds a new terror to going fast! Chris, You get the tape?
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Speed record my a**
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On 12/5/2000
John Gilmour
wrote in from
(64.197.nnn.nnn)
http://www.tcom.co.uk/hpnet/webike.htm
"These absolute records attempts are only possible under conditions of no wind resistance, so they are conducted on rollers, with the cycle securely bolted down to prevent rider(s) and machine from taking off! "
So If I bolt a skateboard to the aisle of a airplane I am "downhilling" at hundreds of miles per hour.
Look at those cyclists- they don't even look as strong as your average Olympic sprint cyclist.
Bolted down, no wind. I guess that makes NASA Astronauts who went to the moon the world record holders for the high jump.
I'm going to become the worlds fastest swimmer....but I'm not going to do it in the water...I'll do it in the air because water offeres too much resistance. I'll calculate how fast I can flap my arms to how fast I would be swimming "IF I WERE IN WATER" . "Even with such a sophisticated set-up, the noise and smell of of my swirling arms during a high speed run is nothing short of terrifying to the onlooker."
But I know I won't be able to hold onto that record because some astronaut will use a low resistance space suit in a vaccuum and "swirl"...I mean .."swim" even faster.
It's one thing to modify the equipment touching your body and stay within the perameters of the definition of the equipment...it is another thing to totally change the environment within which you are performing the "world record".
I could do the world's highest skydive if I went to Las Vegas and just hovered over their ground mounted "SKYDIVE" fans for a 1/2 hour. Ahhh but someone might have an extra 35 minutes to kill and beat my record.
You can fight the environment, but you can't change it- or the sport you are doing is now something else. Sky surfers are not the worlds fastest wave surfers- they are the worlds fastest sky surfers.
These guys are not the "world's fastes bicyclists" (unless they actually do hold the record on pavement without a drafting car- doubt it) they are "the worlds fastest out of shape fat cyclists who have wallets big enough and sponsors stupid enough to waste 8.5 million pounds on a complete farce and insulting mockery of the serious sport of cycling and wish to belittle the achievements of others who really worked for a world record cyclists."
What a total load of crap.
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Roller Boarding?
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On 12/4/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Over 233mph on a bicycle! Check out these "world record" bikes and riders: http://www.tcom.co.uk/hpnet/webike.htm
My favorite part:
"In order to push the machines and their technology to the edge, Bursford's team set out to break world absolute speed records for solo and tandem machines. These absolute records attempts are only possible under conditions of no wind resistance, so they are conducted on rollers, with the cycle securely bolted down to prevent rider(s) and machine from taking off!"
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Too Much Draft?
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On 12/4/2000 DT
wrote in from
(24.4.nnn.nnn)
one must also consider the possibility that a car/truck may put out too much draft, to where it may be dangerous. it would be fine while your in it, but should you slip out, you may find yourself forced to the ground and worse yet the hospital.
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Records
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On 12/4/2000 Herbn
wrote in from
(216.107.nnn.nnn)
I'm all against drafting a car also but;; what if;(get ready);;The car was coasting too,down a hill and all,a car rolls much faster,weight,wheelsize,smooth aerodynamics,ect,just tuck in and ride it out..We'll call this "Herb's loop hole",even if i'd never use it.
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skateboards
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On 12/4/2000
claudia vergara
wrote in from
(199.242.nnn.nnn)
is the smoothest skateboard surface always the fastest
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OZZ
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On 12/4/2000
Simon Gunning
wrote in from
(212.161.nnn.nnn)
From Jon Warburton
We arrived at almost 3 am after a 24 hour journey and made our way to the racecourse that afternoon. My first reaction was to turn around and get on a plane back home as the hill was unlike anything i have ever seen b4. super technichal and steep with the roughest, sharpest surface ever.
It was only with the support (or is that pressure?) from other riders that i decided to ride the hill at all, and i found myself on a real steep learning curve as well as a hill. The hill had a shutdown about 50 m long on a left hand blind bend and super steep with a cliff at the end. It turnedout ok though, and after 3 minor tumbles in p[practice which totaled my leathers i placed 6the in qualifying, just 2 seconds behind Gary Hardwick. The next morniung we had another 6 am start and only 2 practice runs. unfortunately I got knocked out by eli smouse in the first round , leaving me 9th overall and just out of the prize money, but thats ok because i learned so much about controlling drift at speedwhich i had never done b4. we are heading into melbourne for the games tomorrow and will be partying with waldo and the guys for a few days. This is the first major event i have been to and walked away from relativly unharmed, so it was clearly a success. Rumour has it that the games will be in the UK next year so you brits better get practising as there will be spots available for you!!!
results
1 Manu Antuna F
2 Dane van Bommel USA
3 Darryl Freeman USA
4 Eli Smouse USA
5 Dallas Oberholzer RSA
6 George Orton USA
7 Werner Something Austria
8 Gary Hardwick USA
9 Jon Warburton UK
10 Johnno Brereton AUS
thats all i can remember at the moment, there were 16 entrants
BADASS
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/badass1
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Drafting Behind Vehicles and Speedsuits
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On 12/3/2000 tn
wrote in from
(209.208.nnn.nnn)
I don't speed board but I know when to call a spade a spade.
In simple terms: drafting behind a vehicle with vacuum chamber is pure BS as a meanngful speed record. It should be called "assisted skateboarding" or some crap like that. It's about as legit as those bikers on the salt flats behind their vacuum car. No one takes that seriously except Guiness Book of Gimmicks. Theoretically, a balloon could stay aloft in a vacuum chamber. If the car went several hundred miles an air would you say "damn, that's one fast balloon!". This crap is right down there with Evil Kneivil's Snake River Canyon Jump.
Someone earlier mentioned that what's the difference between this and CC's speedsuits. Please. That's apples and oranges. A speed suit is not using anyone elses power (ie. the motor of a car) but your own and gravity. Speed suits are standard issue in downhill skiing, biking, now swimming, bobsled, and practically any other speed spot and should be with any gravity sport with the word "speed" in it. With skateboards so specialized for speed in a sport where aerodynamics are key why not the suits. Limiting racers to leather, you might as well force people onto 80's vert boards with kicktails too.
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leathers
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On 12/3/2000
Joe
wrote in from
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
Well i just hit "old skate geez" and the knees just aren't what they used to be.So my safety gear is now available.My leathers have only been used a few times and amazing enough never met asphalt!They are AVG sport,black and gun metal grey,size 52 (i'm 6'tall 215lb),one piece,armour at elbow,shoulder and knees,full ventilated.Also have black HJC helmet with clear wind screen and great ventilation.I know how the $ adds up the faster you go but there is no other rush like 40 mph on a longboard.So if anyone's interested. It sucks getting old!!!!
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Helmet recomendo, and riding Denver
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On 12/3/2000
Lew
wrote in from
(205.168.nnn.nnn)
What motorcycle helmet, by brand and model, do y'all like for
speedboarding? I finally threw my old junker in the trash so
I wouldn't use it anymore - now I need recommendations.
Also, anybody speedboarding the Denver area, email me at ,
maybe we can bomb some hills.
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Low and Legal
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On 12/3/2000
Chris chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Steve, Low CG decks are legal. Here are the links to the IGSA (International Gravity Sports Association) and EDI (Extreme Downhill International). They sanction races which lead to ESPN' X-Games and NBC's Gravity Games respectively. Marcus Rietema is the main man behind the IGSA and Grace Quinn and Biker Sherlock run EDI.
The IGSA rules on skateboards can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/ozmans_streetluge/Speedboard.html
The EDI rules on luges, skateboards and equipment can be found at: http://www.downhillskateboarding.com/gravity.htm
Note the interesting addition at the bottom of EDI's page:
3. Full leathers, or leather/Kevlar combination. Kevlar only suits are not acceptable. Can be one or two piece.
Hmmmm... when does the "no speedsuits" clause get added?
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Is GMR a bust?
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On 12/3/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
I am posting this information because I think it could potentially help out some fellow skaters. You can choose to believe the sincerity of the police officer in question or to disregard it completely, I'm just telling you she said.
Because of the number of skaters and lugers who have recently ascended upon the newly repaved road, a "sting" operation is being planned which would result in the confiscation of the rider's luges and/or speedboards. The dates and times of the operation(s) will not be disclosed and the effort will be to the word out that the hill is bust and you'll leave without your ride.
When the cop was telling us this, I have to admit, I was thinking to myself that if weren't true, it's a helluva good story to keep people off of the hill. If it is true, I can't afford to lose a board and another race helmet. The question becomes how badly do you want to know?
She told me that she almost hit a luger herself (we do tend to drift in and out of our lanes) and that the police can't afford that kind of PR. Personally, I don't doubt her and I'm not going to push my luck. If the road were closed to traffic, life would be good. It's not closed, it's not safe, and it looks like they're gonna take a few people down to set an example.
Where the hell are we going to train for the DHX now?
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Low CG Decks
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On 12/3/2000
Steve Mobbs
wrote in from
(195.102.nnn.nnn)
Are low CG decks with drop-through trucks race legal? I've made an experimental board (thanks Chris and Hughr's websites), but whilst I'm personally impressed i'd be keen to hear what anyone else thinks of them!
Steve
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Gravity Bikes
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On 12/3/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Herbn, The Barrett Junction races in run speedboards, buttboards, streetluges, inlines and gravity bikes. February of 2001 gives you time to collect airfare. Fun, fun, fun.
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Winning
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On 12/2/2000 Herbn
wrote in from
(216.107.nnn.nnn)
I race DH Bikes and if there's ever a DH skate race that i can be at i will,but winning does = fun,as bad as it sounds,at a cold muddy downhill race,with a few crummy practice rides, i swear i'm giving this up, until i get a first or second, then its all cool.
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Beat the Heat
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On 12/1/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
In racing, you don't get to choose who you want to try and beat. Since the qualifying times determine who race races in which heat and in which bracket, there's a 50/50 chance that the only heat in which two riders could meet, is the finals. Except for the finals and Dual (2-Man) races, you don't have to beat the other guy. In the Mass (4-Man) race you only have to be one of the top 2 riders in the heat to make the transfer. The name of the game is to "not lose" and to not go home early. This means that even if you do get the Gold medal, it doesn't mean that you beat everybody, it just means that you finished ahead of everyone else.
So Mr. Kludy, you are absolutely right. Beating one guy isn't the goal or even a priority. Unless of course history repeats itself. If we find ourselves together in the semifinals of a 2-man race, or both behind Hardwick in a 4-man race, I maintain that beating me would become a high priority, not because it's me, but because you like having fun and winning is FUN. I've only known you for a little while but I know one thing for sure. You are a competitor. It's in your blood. It's in your eyes. There is no way that you could win and not have fun. I'm sure there will be lots to see in S.A. and I hear the view from the podium is spectacular!
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FUNNY STUFF
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On 11/29/2000 KLUDY
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
I LOVE IT , SO ALL I HAVE TO DO IS JUST BEAT ONE GUY. I DONT THINK SO. JUST HAVING FUN WITH YOU CHRIS. I WILL DO AS ALWAYS AND JUST RIDE THE HILL THE BEST I CAN. BEATING YOU IS NOT THAT HIGH ON MY LIST AND NETHER IS WINNING. JUST LOVE TO RIDE AS FAST AND AS SAFE AS I CAN. SA RACE WILL BE A GREAT ADVENTURE AND A GREAT TIME TO RIDE WITH SOME TOP OF THE LINE GUYS.TO SEE A PART OF THE WORLD THAT I HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF AND TO WIN IN SOMEONE ELSES PLAYGROUND IS NOT THAT EASY.I AM NOT THE GUY YOU SHOULD BE TRYING TO BEAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS AS YOU WILL SEE IN MARCH.I WILL NOT BE ON LINE FOR A WHILE . SO SAY WHAT YOU WILL , ITS ALL ABOUT THE RIDING.KLUDY SIGING OFF
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Leathers info
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On 11/29/2000 Nick
wrote in from
(203.96.nnn.nnn)
Cheers for the leathers info Chris.
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Australia Results
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On 11/29/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Unofficially:
1. Manu Antuna
2. Dane van Bommel
3. ? perhaps Eli Smouse ?
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A Leap of Faith
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On 11/29/2000
Chris Chaput
wrote in from
(63.168.nnn.nnn)
Kludy, I'm assuming that all this talk about a draft and head could only mean one thing. Beer. I'll buy you one if you beat me. Or, I could extend my board another 8" in the back and you could jump on when I'm going by. That way you'll be in the picture at the finishing line ;-)
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The finish line
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On 11/29/2000 kludy
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
hey chris , HOW is your jumping, if I feel there is a white thing behind me I will just jump off my board and hold on.If you can get up faster that I can , you will win.Everyone will tell you I can and will jump off at any speed .So ! DONT LOOK FOR A DRAFT. '' A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU HEAD''. LATER GATOR OR SHOULD I SAY GHOSTMAN. My family needs the $ SO ,I will try to win this one at all cost.
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