The Gofast Speedays IGSA Eastbourne race was the last European World Cup Race of 2007. It was also the fist to be held here in the UK for several years, and bought most of the IGSA circuit over the channel for the first time. We sponsored and helped out with the event. Here is Mike River's take on the weekend...

Words: Mike River Photos: Rich

Day one- my event started early on the Saturday morning with the three mile skate to the train station. Tunes in ear, bag on back, carving the slick hills of Hastings on fast empty roads. Arriving in Eastbourne I chat with a Cabbie who drives me to the race location. It’s sunny and chill and a few bodies are milling about, I cruise around slowly checking things out. This is my first official race riding for Lush, I have no fears about the course (Midnight speed boarding in Bristol and trips to Europe have honed my skills) so I am looking forward to see just how far up the ranks I can get. I have acquired a new Lush Spooky in time for the race, good news as my old deck is knackered after being abused by me. The new Spooky is stiffer and has nice concave, its length is spot-on, and I’m a lucky boy.

First impressions of the course are that it is short, but the section of corners is interesting. The amazing thing at this event is the range of riders, everyone from world class racers to complete newbie are here. All saying the same thing, ‘Beautiful surroundings, nice hill, but the rough surface and strong head wind are a bit of a bummer’. Some of us are used to gnarly surfaces, I actually enjoy it some times- it adds a sketch-out factor that I think a lot of skaters secretly love. Ok so it slows you down but it makes cornering and holding your line more ‘interesting’. By now the trade stands are being assembled, the riders meeting has finished and the practice runs begin.

Epic setting...that's the last corner at the bottom.

It is clear that the wheels i am using are a tad hard for the rough road- every last bump and chunk rattles my bones and wreaks havoc on the legs. Most riders are swapping wheels after every run, looking for the winning choice. Me being lazy, stays with the good old kryptos. I could of course buy some new wheels for the race, Stridey has a colourful mixed bag of big softies at a good rate for riders, but I pass. Perhaps if a had nabbed the BigZigz I might have gained a few seconds in the qualifier but what ever, I’m not here to prove anything. Just skate hard, have fun and support the event. Lush team rider Jojo switches to Seismic Speedvents, a popular and successful wheel for this road.

There is also luge, gravity bike, buttboard and soapbox racing, and some people enter in more than one discipline, which can mean multiple prize winning opportunities! But for me it’s all about the Stand-up skateboarding, it just looks so damn sexy. Downhill skating events are noticeably different from other kinds of skating events. Its super relaxed and friendly, and you get total respect for just being there. This is a sport that is easily accessible, no matter what your skill level. Newbie’s are very welcome, every single rider gets there own timed qualifying runs and the race organisers give freeride priority to those that don’t get through to the racing.

Bassi Haller leads a pre-qualifying freeride...

I’m fully into all kinds of skating, not much good at it, but I do love it. At downhill events, every one is welcome and everyone gets props. Its all about the buzz of riding a hill, one of the girls had a huge grin on her face every time she dropped the hill, which is just pure gold to see. I love getting on the bus at the bottom and watching the reactions of other riders, we all share the same experience of the addiction to the downhill scene. Killer stuff. By the time the qualifying rounds come up I am well in the zone, I take two clean runs and am confident that I will go through to the race.

UK downhill legend Jonny X returns! In the bus back up from a qualifying run.

Later we head up to the campsite car park for an impromptu skate session. Skaters run some cones, there’s a bit of street malarkey, and me and Rich bust out power slides as the evening darkens. Eventually we realise we have missed the free riders’ bus to go to the party so we grab our skates and head off to the venue. The subsequent skate was the most intense bit of skating of the day, bombing steep, near dark sketchy narrow roads in traffic. I completely rinsed my foot-breaking shoe, Rich has a few near death moments and Beiran is struggling with his jeans, they keep snagging on his wheels. We arrive miraculously intact at the Bar, wide eyed and ready for what ever is gonna happen next.

We enter the club and receive a very warm (!) welcome from the Gofast hospitality crew, free drink and free food, OH MY GOD HOW SWEET IS THIS! A downhill first! Gotta hand it to the GoFast guys, they really pulled out the stops and looked after us. Although I was a bit bummed out that there was no dance floor, and that we were in like a proper bar, not a tent or barn or something. After some grub and drinks a few Brit skaters are restless so we ditch the party in favour of a night skate on some of Eastbourne’s plush hills. Cops pull us over but give no hassle, they suss that we are savvy and just having a bit of fun. Another group (Darren, AJ, Jonny X and Nat) had skated down from the campsiteearlier and pointed us in the direction of the sweetest hill – three lanes wide, butter smooth, and it went on for ever… Later on back at the party, Me, Rich and Berian blag a lift back to the campsite from a proper sketchy American possibly Canadian, (I swear he said ‘aboot’) lets just say I feel lucky to still be alive…

Beiran disappears to his tent while me and Rich open some cans and switch on some tunes for a bit of chat. The kind of random mind expanding chat that is born of adrenaline-focus and skate-trip joy. The moon emerges from a clouded sky, pouring soft milky half light over the cliffs. We head off for a walk, watching the procession of fairy lit ships far away on the horizon of the world’s busiest shipping lane. Its cold but we don’t shiver. Then the lush wagon converts into comfyland and sleep descends easily.

Day 2. I wake to the sound of Rich fumbling around for the noisy alarm clock, it’s bright outside and I need to recycle some bodily fluid so I fall out of the van. The sun is low in the sky, perfect photo light, so I force Rich to eject from his pit. We suit up and head off down the hill to shoot photos. I’m feeling fairly ropey from the night before and as race day gathers pace around me. Soon it is the riders meeting, practice runs, then waiting around for the heats to begin. By this point I have no clue what’s going on. My number gets called out, I’m on the start line. Barely registering the other three opponents- they could be anyone! We get the green light and its on, now I realise I am in no state to get a good stomping push going, the roll in ramp whispers in my ear ‘Mike, drop me and you will be fine’, but it’s a push start race. The other racers get away quickly, I am easily out pushed in my overhanging apathy. I flop into a tuck and manage to keep a consistent distance, but no chance of overtaking. Ah well, lesson learned! On the bus I actually fall asleep. I’m out of the race, now I can relax.

Mike with a hangover... ooops.

I hang out on the Lush trade stand with Beiran, he is busy chatting with punters, selling this and showing that. Slowly I return to normal service and I feel the wind. Far stronger than yesterday, hindering the speed buzz. I stay here and watch the racing, yelling for the competitors, yelling for my friends, yelling for those I just met, and yelling for people I don’t even know. It’s cool. Now the event is in full swing, but I am feeling that day one was better for me. I was faster, and the atmosphere was more relaxed, but I enjoy watching Pete, Wookie, Darren, Jonny X, AJ, Jojo et al as they progress through the heats. I also watch the luge, buttboard, bike and soapbox racing but they aren’t as appealing to my skater nature.

Union jack on the back of Joel's helmet - on home turf for a change!

Downhill skating is different from other forms of skating, I don’t quite know how to express it in words. There are some very talented fast downhillers that don’t skate other stuff like ramps, so they couldn’t drop the start ramp. But they are hella fast down the course. Then there are folks like AJ and Darren Rathbone from Bristol, all round rippers. Darren is an experienced racer and AJ is new to the whole downhill thing- he is hooked on it. Then there are folks like me, I’ve only a few years of skate experience. I don’t consider myself to be any good at it, and it is melon twisting that I’m riding for Lushlongboards in an IGSA race! How did I end up here? What the hell is going on? Ah well I like speed skating so I am in the right place. All this goes through my mind when I hang with the other riders, I can see how they got picked up by their teams, then I question my situation: perhaps Lush chose me for my fine singing voice??

I won’t talk about race results here, those will be available elsewhere. But the prize giving was accompanied by yet more relentless coastal winds. Then, as swiftly as it all began, the riders fade away, trade stands are dismantled, vans are packed and drive home, I get dropped off at the train station. It is Sunday evening and all is quiet.

Erik from Sweden took the win - again! Check out how bumpy the road is...

The list of props is long, but here I will mention GoFast for the amazing sponsorship, IGSA and UKGSA for the organising, Tom Worsely the ultimate legend, thanks to Lush (WOOOP!) all the riderz (YOU RULE) the burger van, the smoothie van, the Bristol skaterz (NUFFIN MEENA) and everyone that bothered to turn up and join in or just watch. I was a turning point in the UK downhill scene, A Big Thankyou. See you in Eastbourne 2008??

Like Mike says, a lot of people worked super hard to make this event possible. They know who they are... For an alternative take on the weekend, check out January's Sidewalk magazine.