On the 5th and 6th May, the annual High Rising XDH event was held at the Houwteq Science Complex, Houw Hoek. The course is one of the shortest on the South African racing circuit, but what it lacks in distance it more than makes up for in technical difficulty and notoriety.

First impression immediately after the initial push-off with a sharp right-hand 90 degree corner. This is followed by a steep drop in elevation around a long left turn leading into a haybale chicane. Hereafter riders are met with the pinnacle of the hill; the incredibly steep drop in elevation down to the second and final left hand corner; affectionately dubbed Carnage Corner. This corner is a 90 degree plus left hander, which is banked on the inside line, creating a “dipper”, but severely off-camber on the outside of the corner. Riders need to negotiate this bend by losing speed (which could be in the excess of 90kp/h) by carving, footbraking or pre-drifting and then attempting to take the correct line. It’s not unknown for some riders to do everything and anything in their power to slow down and survive the drop. If the corner is entered too fast or too wide a line is taken, carnage will ensue. It did.

Read the full article on the SAGRA website. http://www.sagra.co.za/v2/?p=580

Gerhard Nel intervies Mike Upham:

Mike Upham is a pretty underrated skater. A formidable street skater, his images have graced the pages of the (now extinct) Blunt Magazine more than once. Mike jumped on the scene a while ago, and his original prawn-like style, fast, low tuck, loooooong slides and skills on the jump ramp soon started turning heads. Now that the intro is over, it’s an honour for me to introduce you to Mike!!!

Gerhard: First things first, what setup do you run at the moment?

Mike: Boardyard custom deck, Sabre trucks, Biltin bearings, Seismic bootlegs 83a, Vans shoes

G: Why did you start skating downhill?

M: My brother John started building boards in the backyard and I just started foaming to try one out.From that day on I can’t stop dancing.

G: On the topic of your brother, his aero lids are getting faster and faster, with international interest growing…will we see a prawn-fada pro model anytime soon?

M: I am getting my spoet kop which is gonna make me poes faast. I got it in orange and don’t smark that colour – it reminds me of an apartheid telephone booth. So now I am gonna get it in lime green with a pearl over coat mos.

G: You have been riding Sabre Trucks since you started skating downhill. Why are Sabre Trucks that rad?

M: In my opinion they rad because of the perfect angles used and the 190 mm width. They also can be flipped without a problem and any bushing fits in them without any issues. Cape Town Fizzers had started as a Facebook platform to get people together for sessions, and had grown to a full-fledged Cape Town skate community. Tell me about the idea behind the Fizzers and how it has grown?

CTF started because of the need to fizz (skate) everyday. The original CTFizzers started off with about 5 to 10 of us that used to skate town area every night. We would charge hard knowing in the back of our minds that the ale after will be well deserved. Sometimes if we felt brave we would go for a second bath after our refreshments.

We used the page to communicate time, venue etc. CTF has grown with about 400 fizzers. It still serves its main purpose to organise bathing missions and arrange meeting spots. Its main function now is more of a trading platform for us to sell and buy skating equipment.

G: Being a Fizzer, you skate with anyone from little groms to the Dark Father himself. Any skaters, up and coming or settled in the scene, that inspire you?

M: A lot of skaters inspire me, every skater can teach you something. But My father Richard Dweza inspires me the most and has spoon fed me from birth. dankin papa !!

Alex Troy Meyer has the natural skills embedded inside him by his parents. His skills and board control are at a higher level than most kids his age. He inspires me a shit load!!!!!

G: Most skaters have a dream or a vision of what they want to achieve in a few years…any big plans?

M: My plan is to keep on having fun and to feel free on my board. If I can achieve this, winning races and free stuff will just be a bonus for me. I wouldn’t mind being the Pope of South Africa in a couple of years though.

G: You are a designer of occupation, churning out pretty amazing stuff under the brand Amaquondo. Do you think being “a creative type” has influenced your skating?

M: Yes , I think skating is an art. The more creative you get with your skating, the more amazing things you will be able to do.

G: Favourite meal?

M: Eisbein

G: Favourite saying?

M: Craig

G: Favourite beer?

M: Erdinger weissbrau, wurzig aromatischer weissbiergenuss

G: Favourite SA race?

M: Hot heels

G: Favourite book?

M: Scope

G: Favourite thing to hate?

M: The high petrol price

G: Do you believe in a zombie apocalypse?

M: Yes

G: Most disgusting thing you’ve eaten?

M: Human feecees

G: Choose a number between 1 and 666?

M: 28

Look out for Mike frothing a hill near you!

Over and Out

G

The 2012 range of Lush longboards is now available in South Africa.

Lush Longboards Ltd is a company based in the UK with over 10 years experience in longboard manufacturing. Their expertise realy shows in their latest range. Rocker Concave, Camber Profile, multiple wheelbase options on top-mounts and drop-through decks, X-Flex and 4X construction are just a few of the tech specs that these boards feature. Finished off with Chrome Graphics by artists like Pete Fowler, Jethro Haynes and Phil Harvey, the new Lush Longboards stand out from the many average longboard designs available these days.

Lush Vandella Deck

Lush Antuna Deck

Lush Shocker Deck

Lush Sequel

Lush Symbian Deck

Lush Elevator Deck

Lush Machine Deck

Lush Generator Deck

A fresh shipment of Cult Wheels has just landed in South Africa and they are ready to be shredded. To witness that feeling of laying that sweet Cult urethane on a street near you, join The Cult now. 

Cult Traction Beams - The ultimate in speed and traction.

Cult Gamma Rays – Grippy gripness.

Cult Death Rays – The wheel that reads minds.

Cult Classics – Mystical freeride wheels. Available in 4 colours.

Cult Converters – This skid wheel will have you converted. Available in 4 colours.

I should write an awesome intro about my friend Paul.

I should tell you about his backflips, high IQ or big-ass toesides. I should tell you about how he single-handedly “invented” the modern standup slide (or powerslide, if you are one of those skate everything puritans) for us South Africans. I should tell you about Paul’s serious cross-stepping skills, which he only uses to make fun of bamboo skateboards, because he’s PFR like that. I should tell you all this stuff, but I’m not going to, because it’s cheesy and reeks of sop.

Instead I will just say aweh Paul, welcome to the Cult! I am super glad you gravitated towards the Cult in the astral plane. Sometimes the Doctor’s trans-dimensional projections are so strong I struggle to sleep at night. No wonder he found you…

Gehard: First fings first, what setup you running?

Paul: Board: Fibretec Flying Pan top mount.

Footstop: Fat Ant

Trucks: 170mm GOG.

Bushings: soft Fat Ant bushings.

Wheels: Gamma Rays.

G: If you were given a return ticket: what would it be…andes or tibet? (ahem, exploring and shizz)

P: Not so much interested in the whole self-immolation thing so going with the Andes, around the time of the IGSA being around there.  Also I have an urge to go do some serious boardwalking on Bolivian salt pans and watch the flowering of the holy cacti.

G: When did you start skating?

P: 12 years ago on a Supermarket plastic-wheeled plank.  Then street skating up to 2008 when Chris Lubbe (aka the oracle) invited me for some mild evening longboarding, it’s all clichés from there.

G: For some weird reason you ended first on the SA ranking, granting you the esteemed Pope title. is there a story behind becoming number one?

P: Some luck, skating all the races fast and enough PFR stickers just to make sure.

Pic by Amaquando

P: Difficult question Nel.  I like Horritica for blasting smooth tar at hyperspeeds, it has that frictionless railed feeling as I’m sure you know.  However I will have to go with a sleep deprived psychathane, specifically the Traction Beams.  It without doubt grips more and slides further than any of your wheels.  Although, the foam frothing from my mouth is in anticipation of the new duro’s, beveled edges and famous names.  The holy battle rages on, all we can do is follow the signs and stay true.

G: You have been to Europe twice and competed…I heard a whistle about you hitting the land of cheese, chocolate and Chrigi for a longer period…actually I know all about it, but tell the fans (gromlets and that crazy bitch from Flight of the Conchords) about your plans for Europe this year?

P: I’ve spent winter of 2010/11 over there with our hero, road skating narrow 8 kilometer hairpins on the Italian side of Switzerland with the best!  Spent many days staring at carbon and hanging with the friendly legends of Fibretec and finally met Benjamin Malherbe, sic skater from the gardens of Zurich.  Overall I felt like a stoked fat kid in a candy store.

Last year I went over for Kozakov (the downhill challenge). We were 6 SA riders at the event, most Saffas ever!  The rain and gradient had me looking for my depth, it is an extremely technical course and the average European skates on a completely different level!  The people are all friendly, the party is amazing and despite the wet quali’s the race was rad.

When the good marks arrive I plan to finish my law degree at the University of Bern.  The semester runs until January 2013.  Definitely going to try get to Peyragudes, the track looks ridiculous!  Hanging with Ben, Chrigi, Duss, Reinke and chocolate cheese will follow.

G: Your capoeira skills have melted many faces around town.  You still rocking those flips?

P: Last time was this weekend when you asked: “Hey Paul, want to risk everything for my entertainment?”  I did, and strained my neck. So no.

G: Yoga or tai chi?

P: Chai Tea.

G: Trance, drum and bass or dubstep?

P: Triphop fusionbreakbeat.  Also yes.

G: Tell me about longboard Stellenbosch?

P: The oracle made decks in his living room with a heater and hand built press.  A few of us went skating every Tuesday night back in 2008 which led to the creation of the group to organize sessions and such.  Now there are 500 members and serves as a platform for organizing sessions along with the occasional auction, technical advice, life advice, gnarly media and tasteless ranting.  Matt Arderne is largely responsible for the growth of it, that man has a way with internet and words I tell you.

G: In terms of hills to blast, Saffa’s are blessed with a pristine balance between class locations and utter shit (not as bad as the UK, but still close to the worst J). Tell me about travelling in SA?

P: While on the road I’ve only had good experiences.  Travelling here is highly recommended and for the foreign friends considering it, our exchange rate is bitching.

Myself Raoul, Gerhard, Chrigi and Anel just finished a grand 4 day trip into the jungle featuring the sauciest passes, friendly backpackers with marble tabletops, jacuzzi’s and actual hairpins.  South Africa’s real corners and smooth tar are few and far between (the patches of utter shit) so to safely push yourself a bit of driving is required.

Travelling isn’t essential for developing your PFR, but then again if it wasn’t for skating we’d need a different excuse to travel.  I’m not one for making new excuses…

G: How do you keep bread on the table?

P: Wild rounds of dice with my breakfast until my studies start paying off.

G: Do you like making videos?

P: I like making the odd video yes, creative outputs and all that.  Videos are important to the development of the skate scene and should serve as an example of safe riding while still being PFR.  Our sport is not the most spectator friendly of sports.  Public knowledge of responsible practice is essential for the development of the skating.  It is time for people to realize that this isn’t a juvenile phase or a death wish.

The only way this will change is through media that raises awareness of the fact that when on public roads, we are sportsmen taking calculated risks while staying well within our limits.  Races are there to be gnarly, looking for the edge and so forth.  On open roads and in media it is everyone’s duty to be on their best as we are representing the scene as a whole, we should spread the stoke to everyone.

G: Is duss our hero?

P: If by “our” you mean “everyone’s”, then yes.

G: What is PFR anyway?

P: It is a sticker brand.

G: Pick a number between one and 666?

P: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288.

G: If this was the apocalypse and you had to bag a sleezy hooker for immortality, would you rather enjoy a Thai ladyboy (womanly curves, but oh so manly) or the R20 Saffa-mama with holes for teeth?

P: Neither, I believe, now with my involvement in the Cult, my prospects on a relaxed afterlife looks promising.

G: Best shoe brand?

P: Fibretec

G: Worst person you know?

P: Gerhard Nel, such a badass.

G: Best meal?

P: Pie.

G: Worst meal?

P: Not Pie.  See you around then…

]FN[

We are very excited with the new shipment from Sabre. We have the Raw/Silver Gravity Cast 190mm trucks from Sabre that we have all grown to love and are even more amped to stock the Hollow/White 190mm trucks with their hollow lightweight kingpin.

Sabre trucks are super stable at high speeds yet at low speeds they are still quite turny. They are a top class all round truck. Freeride or downhill, these trucks are awesome.  Still cast with the classic Sabre 190mm wide hanger which means controlled slides, deeper carves and more cornering control. Sabres are made from gravity cast virgin aluminium with 4130 steel/chromium alloy axle and kingpin; it will take a lot more to bend/break these than it would other cast trucks.

The new Hollow/White version has a slick white powdercoat paint job and a hollow kingpin which means it is the same solid Sabre truck yet lighter.

Check out our Sabre Trucks page here

Congratulations to Gerhard on his new sponsorship with Lush! Read the interview on the Lush Longboards Blog.

Lush: Here’s Gerhard, the newest member of the Lush family and our representative in South Africa, the aptly nicknamed “Steezepony,” likes to core wheels, and wishes he had Albatross wings.

Lush: If you were a wheel, what size, colour and duro would you be?
Gerhard: A 74mm Cult Mystothane Wheel in the Death Ray Shape, 78a, with leopard print.

Lush: What was the last book you didn’t read?
Gerhard: Some fancy Noam Chomsky to-do about understanding power. It’s good to strategically place the book around the house to impress visitor’s, though.

Lush: What’s the best ginger/blonde put down you’ve ever received?

more…

March is our Birthday month and what better way to celebrate than with a massive sale? Get25% off all First Nature brands until 31March, while stocks last.

First Nature Brands:

Rayne Longboards

Lush Longboards

JET Skateboards

Penny Skateboards

ABEC 11 Wheels

Cult Wheels

Sabre Trucks and Bushings

Timeship Racing Gloves

Biltin Bearings

Vicious Grip

Triple 8 Safety Gear

Send your orders to orders@firstnature.be. Quote “HAPPYFN” in the subject to qualify for the discount.

If you haven’t raced in Mossel Bay, start filling that piggy bank.

Mossel Bay is a sleepy surf-mecca, new to the sport of downhill. Waves Surf Shop, the local surfstore/skatepark, organised the race. Much like the town, the organisers (Sheppie and Co) are on a mellow vibe and new to the sport of downhill. Their experience in organising events, though, made them pass the test with flying colours. They ran the event unmatched in efficiency, warmth and vibe, with no niggles whatsoever.

Riding Road Mountains is one of the best events since the invention of sliced steeze. They basically closed off the main road of Mossel Bay and half a neighbourhood to create a fun, interesting racecourse. The course consists of a mild slope, followed by a speedbump, a left-right chicane and a big dipper drop to the finish line. Pure glory. If you are not convinced, just look at the photos!

Two shuttles took us to the top of the hill on a different route than the racecourse. The resulting conveyer-belt of runs ensured everyone the necessary bang for their buck. Freeriding on the hill was encouraged, providing riders of all orientations with copious amounts of stoke. Big pack runs, hard ball sliding runs and all kinds of debauchery…

Although most riders were on a relaxed schedule, the racing was tight and fast. With a single, bisexual open categoty and cash prizes to the first four finishers, the ladies and the top speed, it couldn’t be any different. The final saw Matt Arderne, Murray Chandler, Raoul van den Bergh, Glen Phillips, Adam Lincoln-Lewis and Anton Pratt battle it out for that coveted R5000.00 cheque. Matt and Glen went on a nice crash date in the chicane, other stuff happened and Murray won the drag race to the finish line. Raoul was second, Anton third and Adam fourth.

Adam deserves a special mention for his focus and determination, being the only grom to make it to the final. The two lovely ladies that attended, Cheri Morris and Gabi Murray-Roberts, both won cash prizes for being awesome and pushing their limits (almost hitting 70km/h) and Matt won a cash prize for a top speed of 90km/h. All riders mentioned deserve a pat on the back, a high five and an ice-cold refreshment.

This is the perfect event to bring your woman, friends or parents with. It’s a scenic town with heaps of beaches, surfers, a few pretty girls, rad restaurants and various options for cheap accommodation. There’s a campsite on the point (a few minutes from the race) and a backpackers one block from the Surf Shop. Depending on how much time you have, it’s also a short drive to various super rad hills, and lots of exploring to be done. This is pioneering country – just ask Paul and Duss.

I would attend this event just for the party. The crew represented in large numbers, bonded and got up to unprecedented levels of drunken mischief. Unfortunately I cannot elaborate more on this point. What happens in Mossel Bay…

All and all Mossel Bay was a great event and was executed smoothly. The Cape Town and EP crews represented in large numbers, and some locals also made an appearance on the hill. I would like to urge all skaters, local, international. standing up or lying down, to keep your eyes open for the next event, buy that plane ticket or steal a car, and make the pilgrimage to Mossel Bay! I can assure you this race will only get better in years to come…

Pushing your skateboard is a mission. Pushing your skateboard for 15 kays is agonising. Racing your skateboard over 15 kays in a humid, hot Cape Town, is suicide.

The Mega Skop started at the Cape Town Civic Centre and covered the 15km’s to Tableview, along the city’s new NMT lanes (“non-motorised transport” – all the rage). Skateboarding is now legal on these paths. And, as skaters would have it, if there’s a road, there will be a race. The format was basic: R20 buy-in, and winner(s) take all.

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

Riders met at Pakalolo’s in Tableview, parked their cars and took the MyCity bus back to Cape Town. After a few high-fives and bear hugs, the 30 odd riders were ready to kick off. The starting format was everyone standing in a line, then running to grab their board and start kicking. From the kick-off a pack of riders pushed out far in front and worked hard to stay there. The rest of the field was spread out, some brave souls trying to catch the front pack, but the most of us in vain.

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

Within the first three kays, Reece Trout used his über-strong push to gain a lead on the rest of the pack. His break-away broke up the front pack of riders, and the distance between each individual rider and the next slowly grew bigger. Reece eventually won the thing, with Matt Crevald taking a tight second. Anel Van der Walt was the first lady across the finish line.

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

After the race had finished and everyone had cooled down, we proceeded to Pakalolo’s in Table View for a few well-deserved beers. Riders enjoyed the refreshments, reflecting on the race and just having a good time. For some riders it was the first time since Hot Heels to see old faces again. For other riders, it was a new experience to hang out, wait, and enjoy a good ol’ faff with the skating crew.

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

Photo by Sharon Le Grange

A few drinks later, it was time for prize giving and the crowning of the 2011 Downhill SA Champs (Rankings will be posted on the SAGRA website soon). The winner(s) in the luge/buttboard/junior categories were not present unfortunately. The first three spots on the 2011 ranking were filled by Glen Phillips in third, Raoul van den Berg in second, and Paul Du Plessis taking top dog.

All in all it was a fun afternoon and a rad day out. A big thanks to Alex Duss for creating the facebook event, Justin Boast for organising it and Candice Bouwer and Sharon Le Grange for helping out with admin and taking photo’s.

This event confirmed one thing to me, namely that the SA group of skaters really are a closely-knit family, and no matter what the event, keen to get involved and have a good time. It was rad to see old faces and, as always, meet new ones.

Cheers to that!

Photo by Sharon Le Grange