Outlaw: “a person, group, or thing excluded from the benefits and protection of the law.”

This statement defines the actions of a handful of skaters last Sunday Night (23/01/11). Out of companionship, ”fizz-lust”, a required feeling or just a notion the riders gathered in the early hours of the evening by the Stone Church, near the Kirstenbosch Gardens bottom entrance.

Excitement buzzed in the air with the anticipation of riding a new hill along with the gnar-stoke of riding amongst others in the downhill family. A quick, to say the least, run down Kirstenbosch drive got everybody warmed up and frothing for the race-hill.

The Flexfit Headwear bakkie was a godsend and riders clambered into the back, with a tow-rope for the stragglers. Once at the top of the hill, the first of two practice runs went down and riders got to know the course. The hill started on a short-straight going into a gradual left turn. The straight after the corner gave riders’ the opportunity to remain in one’s tuck and draft. This could set you up during the second long left-hander to overtake on the following straight.

The straight went through a 4-way stop into a darkened right turn; where almost immediately riders start to crave and air-brake. Footsy-braking wasn’t as frowned upon as the naughty-left turn took its fair-share of captives in the plant-bed. An awkward curve and the road surface, which progresses from smooth to slightly roughish presented riders with a tricky passage through into the last section. Many participating compared the corner to a mini-High-rising. The last section consisted of a left-then-right gradual s-bend. Marshals at the bottom indicated with lights whether oncoming cars might present a problem.

The first heats were done quickly and quietly to prevent the local Bishopscourt residents from shouting out of their 3rd storey windows. In the finals Matt Arderne, Mike Upham, Stuart Barnard and ‘Biskit’ found themselves bumping fists and exchanging “awe’s” on the start-line. All heats and the finals were started with the ‘one-push-off-the-line’ rule. The first run of the final was abruptly stopped due to a cop car surveying the scene. After the riders were taken to the top of the hill again they could be seen cruuuuuising into the tight-left. A few random friends had remembered the event and the ‘drunk-from-a-braai’ crowd on crash-corner shouted as the camera lighted riders going through.

Matt came through with top-honors, extending his hand over the finish line to beat Stuart. Third went to Mike and Biskit, recovering from a meeting with a wobble at the start, came fourth. Prizes were handed out at the Stone Church with bright gifts from Flexfit and refreshments from Stu. Caps and laces were proudly shown around from Flexfit and the floating-trophy was handed to Matt.

Such an event wasn’t held for the pure-stoke created, the smiling faces, the naughty feeling you get when you say ‘outlaw’ or the satisfaction of finishing a run. It’s all of this, accompanied by the ability to bring a bunch of dudes together from different lives for an evening with the downhill family: to be able to witness the progression and gain from riding with others.

A big thank you to all those who took part. Thanks to the marshals and friends for lifts and mad-crazy shouts. Thanks to Flexfit for the bakkie, photos, prizes and for just being awesome. Keep that trophy floating, it’s wood, it can even float on water. Awe

Written by: Stuart Laurens Barnard

Photos by: John Montanari