|
|
|
| Q&A: Slalom Pro Mike Maysey (2489 Posts)
|
| Topic |
Info |
|
slalom pro earnings...
|
|
On 10/10/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(67.192.nnn.nnn)
I'm quitting my day job...with all the endorsements, I can certainly afford it.
|
|
|
|
|
David
|
|
On 10/10/2003
Miko
wrote in from
(69.19.nnn.nnn)
5th tie, 5th tie, and 17th tie.
Felt good about my performance, but have noted a few goofs in equipment and strategy. But it was way fun because the courses were so good, and the bonus friday slalom-cross. Win-lose-whatever! I did my best, and made sure I still partied and drank beer every night. (I actually learned quite a bit about all my boards in those three days so it was well worth it.)
I'm finally giving parks some attention and am really digging the new Sunnyvale park. Great workout, and I can feel my vert thing starting to come back. Looking to do a little more downhilling and hit S.T. for an attempt at 45-50 on that hill. I KNOW it can be done just by hanging it out through the straightaway.
Hope you get some carving in up in the great northwest! Give me a call when you're back in town.
|
|
|
|
|
assistant managers
|
|
On 10/9/2003
david
wrote in from
(192.211.nnn.nnn)
hey mike, at least you can start making some more money as the assistant manager. oh wait i forgot that pro slalom skaters make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, right?
but i feel you working on the weekend sucks, but hey I quit my job.
oh yea, you are right, give slalom a little break, try something a little faster, 45 is'nt THAT fast. you should enter the next gravity festival.
-david
oh yea miko, how did you do at the worlds?
|
|
|
|
|
401k plan...not
|
|
On 10/9/2003 John Gilmour
wrote in from
(207.172.nnn.nnn)
What do you earn? Hmmm after the gear, gas, hotels, entry fees, injuries, airplane flights. Subtract what you could be making doing something else. $1.75 per race.
Hey Mike- when you gonna come out East and skate with me? Lets make a video.
|
|
|
|
|
Long time lurker, first time poster...
|
|
On 10/9/2003
Russell M. Pough
wrote in from
(68.117.nnn.nnn)
Mr. Maysey, what does a slalom pro earn racing the circuit these days?
Should I quit my day job?
Thanks,
Russ
|
|
|
|
|
GGP
|
|
On 10/9/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(64.171.nnn.nnn)
I'm pretty much screwed for any skating on the weekends now with this job. I gotta work on the weekends to make my sales numbers! I might be getting promoted to Assistant Manager pretty soon. I'll find out for sure in the next few days. Kind of exciting stuff...for me at least. I'm skating lots these days but mostly in parks. I need to give slalom a rest for the time being. There aren't any races coming any time soon, so I'll just lay low and carve some tranny!
|
|
|
|
|
Dialing...
|
|
On 10/9/2003
Miko
wrote in from
(69.19.nnn.nnn)
JR - Yeah a new board is a pretty major item to adjust to! 8-) Did you ride the Roe at all 3 races? One size fits all concept.
Was that your new Roe I was knocking rails with in the slalom cross? (sorry! I was on my new ICK Carerra as well.)
Strangely enough, my sunday tight equipment frenzy managed to lead me to the best setup I've had yet on my mini-Carerra, so live and learn.
Wish I lived just a tad closer to you bay area guys!
|
|
|
|
|
Yep, I agree
|
|
On 10/8/2003 Ravitch
wrote in from
(67.118.nnn.nnn)
MM, you are very fast - and you need to practice with more of us when you can - you have an excellent natural style. Stay on it.
The theme here is consistent - equipment roulette and everyone feeling like they came up a wee bit short at the worlds - I agree. I never fully dialed in my brand new Roe Holl 31 - but I am committed to doing so moving forward. Comfort is key - hell, I had ridden the same Gary Cross for 1.5 years and it has been a great ride, but the Roe quickly exposed its limitations - torsion and twisting. More to the point, a new board requires a different riding style as well - that is the "dialing in" part I did not master in time and therefore the podium was out of reach. On Sunday. Lesson learned.
GGP session coming up on Oct. 19 - let's get back on it. 10am. Mike can you join - we can move the time to fit your work schedule.
Good to ride with everyone, I like racing and hanging out with everyone. It continues to be a blast
JR
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds R+D
|
|
On 10/8/2003
Miko
wrote in from
(66.81.nnn.nnn)
George knows how clueless I was in the tight on sunday! I ended up rebuilding my short ICK with new trucks and borrowed Cambrias from him, then proceeded to finally make it through the course on my first qualifying run. Too little too late, as I just didn't have my act together and was eliminated by a possessed Brian Parsons. He had his rematch (from the Catalina race) and took me down! Guess that means I have to get to DC downhill race for another rematch and a beer...
Friday was spent comparing my longer ICK Retro Flattie vs. my ICK Carerra, as well as testing different duro Gumballs vs. 80a/76a Avilas. Both felt equally fast but handled differently, so it was more a matter of apples and oranges. Still more of a "test" day than a race day, although I had a blast racing against Floyd Reid and John Ravitch, losing to Ravitch who had the white lane.
Saturday was again a test of a brand new Chicken offset on the back of my ICK. It took me most of practice to find the edge of traction with them, and I was able to push them really hard. I'm really impressed. That wasn't quite enough to get me past Claude Regnier, but the course and hot competition with Eli Smouse and Claude made my day.
I've had a million distractions this year - I reminded myself to stay happy - enjoy my friends - and remember that I've worked hard (just like many others) and that it's really anyone's game. I'll be back with a new race face in the future, and I believe I'll have my gear, and attitude, much more dialed in.
In the meantime, I'll enjoy hitting a few parks, and bomb every hill I can get on! Cheers to all and see you on the hill.
|
|
|
|
|
Radar
|
|
On 10/8/2003 george g.
wrote in from
(159.87.nnn.nnn)
I don't know where else to put this. This forum seems geared more towards slalom and less toward the politics which is very refreshing.
On Sat, one of Morro Bays finest was radar gunning at the bottom of the hill. Most open class riders were some where in the 17-19 mph bracket. Pros are consistently faster by a couple mph.
The local cops set up one of those mobile radar stations yesterday down the street. I had to go out and play for a while. It is relatively flat. With Avilas I could hit 18 in a flat out total exertion push. with Avalons all I could manage was about 16. it was cool cause I could see my pump for a while at 15-16 mph and usually dropping down a tad 13/14 unless I stayed focused. there was a slight tailwind. it was interesting and about as scientific as I can get. what feels fast is not always fast, weird huh? I wish I set some cones with this thing but there is too much traffic.
|
|
|
|
|
slalom cones
|
|
On 10/8/2003 nocal
wrote in from
(66.122.nnn.nnn)
Hey Borja
Try asphaltplayground.com They have cones.
|
|
|
|
|
feeling down
|
|
On 10/7/2003
george g.
wrote in from
(159.87.nnn.nnn)
Feeling down, Mike don't feel too down. I thank you for all the answers you have put up here and every race is new.
I felt really good on fri. Avilas grey and white, thanks to your answers here, ceramics, hauling ass and I piled in. Mike Dong fell in the same place. My second run was more conservative. I was 33rd. That's feeling down. I do better on the bigger courses. I knew I wouldn't do so well Sat and surprised myself Sunday. It is fun and I learned a lot again. Screw the detractors and have fun, it sure beats golf! I will skateboard until I can't walk. I hope to see you do the same. G
|
|
|
|
|
Morro results...
|
|
On 10/7/2003
Martin Drayton
wrote in from
(195.49.nnn.nnn)
Hi Mike,
Wish I could have been there to add my support for other members of the Turner team in person, but it was my Dad's weeklong 80th birthday celebration in Trinidad.
Equipment selection can be a nightmare and when you get up to your level, the tiniest thing can make the difference, let alone which board to use! Personally I always go with what I can trust and I will start the decision-making process with the board that will get through the course MOST comfortably of the ones that I am coosing between. For tight that is always my Fullnose.
You are a great racer Mike, powerful and fluid.
Every race you do you are gaining experience,
every race you are getting stronger,
every race gets you closer to YOUR day.....
Hang in there!
Martin Drayton
TEAM TURNER.
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003
Arab
wrote in from
(24.24.nnn.nnn)
Hey Mikey-That race with you was one of the best I had all year, I think my margin of win was the tightest in all of the rounds and races of TS on sunday.
I was riding a 32 inch board with a 20 1/2 inch wheel base, I felt to loose and was gonna go to a bigger wheel base, instead I went to Avalons as opposed to the Cambrias I was riding, It felt much better, I still kick myself for going conservative against Mollica.
Live and learn!, It was great seeing you and Sirie?(sp) and your family again.
Maybe we'll see ya at WLAC, I useally dont go to them even though they are the closest races to my home, but since it may be the last race until next year some time I'm gonna try and go!
Try and see if you can get PD to come! He is younger then me, retirement........ Not hardly!
*
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(65.234.nnn.nnn)
Funny story...
I talked to PD on the phone a few days after the race. I was pretty down about the whole affair and told him I thought I was over it...thought I didn't want to go further with this 'stupid' sport...thought I would get rid of all my gear and hang it up. Very disappointed, I was certainly being way to hard on myself. After I talked it over with PD, I got some perspective but not enough. I thought it over for days while driving to and from work. I finally realized that I should have just played my own game, not looked at what anyone else was doing and repeated what I did in Breck. On that note, I watched the Breck DVD...board selection is key...for me at least. I have to be on the board I am most comfortable with. I look back now and think of it this way. If nobody were there and I showed up on the hill to skate those courses, I would have picked the right boards. Instead, I was influenced by everyone and their brother. Not again, I tell ya.
I wanted so badly to get Mollica again in a TS race after DQing on our final run in for 1st and 2nd there. I felt I could have beaten him in Breck and wanted a shot at him in the Worlds. Mollica is a great skater and deserves everything he achieved. I gotta hand it to him, he rose to the occasion and kicked ass. Really though, this sport is all about friends like you guys. I'm glad to say right now, that I'm stoked on it again. I'm going to start looking for practice spots again that I can hit in prep for the next season. I'll be thinking about making that trip to WLAC for the race BB.
As a matter of fact, today I took my day off today and charged to the new Sunnyvale skatepark. If any of you guys are in the Bay Area and want to skate a killer park, call me...I'll meet you there in a second!!! As long as I'm not working. I skated so long today that I can barely walk.
Thanks for the memories..............
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003
CKnuck
wrote in from
(24.157.nnn.nnn)
I'll 2nd that.
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003 Richy Carrasco
wrote in from
(198.81.nnn.nnn)
Mike you are a great racer! You are a machine on that fullnose! Siree was killin me here pool playing antics! See you at the next one!I will give you a ring when we are in town probably early Nov. Unless you want to come down for the double header weekend at JPL and WLAC on the Nov 2nd weekend!
|
|
|
|
|
MM at the Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003 TK
wrote in from
(66.30.nnn.nnn)
Mike, I was in the same boat as you on Saturday. I went from my TS deck to my 34 and never really got a handle on it. That course was one of the few courses where I wanted a SOFT deck to hook up around those mid course off sets.Both my boards were stiff as hell. I ended up on my 34 as well. And YOU were one of the guys I was spying on to see what to ride. Mollica didnt spy at all, he had the perfect set up that day and was untouchable. He also eliminated me in the slalom X. It was not pretty.
It was great seeing you again. TK
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/6/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(65.234.nnn.nnn)
Well I avoided this long enough....
In the SlalomCross I got equal 5th, in the slalom I got equal 5th and in the tight slalom I got equal 17th.
Day One: Had a pretty decent day in the SlalomCross, nothing too dramatic other than my heat against Mollica. I had to race the inside lane and had just switched rear wheels to 80's (I had been running 76's earlier). I let Mollica go in the downhill section then as we were exiting the off camber turn returning too the cones, I blew the turn wide and couldn't recover. I plowed cones and ended the run with a DQ. No worries I thought, there's still two more days of racing. I was glad to be out of the race so I could conserve energy for the next two days too. Qualified 6th, finished 5th...I wasn't disappointed.
Day Two: I had a tough time figuring out which board to ride. The course was sort of tight, but sort of open. I went back and forth from my 31" and my 34". I qualified on my 31" in the 6th position, but felt I could go faster. Between quals and racing I was on the prowl talking to other racers and comparing notes on the course, gear, etc. After talking to everyone, I switched to my 34" thinking it would carry better speed through the bottom part. I had to loosen the trucks way up to make the top part, but carried plenty of speed through the bottom. I got through the first round then second round, then came up against "the Brown Bomber." We both ran good runs, plowed a bunch of cones and in the end...it was Mr. Carrassco advancing (sorry if I misspelled that name). I was tore up after that day of racing. Tired and sore......not a bad finish I didn't think, but I was really looking forward to the TS.
Day Three: Oh...my...god...all I can say is this...I should have ridden my fullnose. But for some reason I didn't and in the second round I went down to a CHARGING Eric Groff. I gotta hand it to Arab, he was ON that day. I don't know what the hell I was thinking riding a 31" board through that course.
I learned a couple valuable lessons that weekend. First, if I had showed up and seen the courses on Saturday and Sunday, I would have ridden boards I was used to pushing through cones of that distance. Instead I let myself be influenced by what everyone else was doing. I rode boards based on what I saw everyone else riding....stupid, stupid, stupid. Second, I learned the importance of keeping your head in the game. I lost my focus and just imploded. I wasn't into the game, was out of practice and had my energy focused on trying to win money because frankly right now I REALLY need it.
The lessons I take away from that weekend are profound. I'll be back to race again.....bet on it.
I want to thank every memeber of my family who showed up to support me. I think I had the biggest cheering section of any racer out there that weekend. I just wish I could have done a little better for you guys. Next time I'll practice more and make the podium!!
Good memories...
|
|
|
|
|
Slalom Cones...
|
|
On 10/6/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(65.234.nnn.nnn)
Sorry man, I have no idea. Try mail ordering some from an online source like LongSkate.com or SolidSkate.com...
|
|
|
|
|
slalon
|
|
On 10/6/2003
Borja Gómez de Olea
wrote in from
(62.82.nnn.nnn)
I am an appasionated spanish surfer & skateboarding sportman from spain with more than 25 year experince and long traveling for surf searching.
Yesterday somebody stole my slalon cones for skate-slalon from my car. Here in spain is impossible to find this cones. Can you please inform me where I can acquire some reglamentary slalon cones.
Thank you in advance
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 10/3/2003
mike maysey
wrote in from
(67.192.nnn.nnn)
I'm taking off for work right now...I'll fill you in later...Mark, you buddy, that WAS fun.
As Arnold would say, "I'll be Back."
|
|
|
|
|
worlds
|
|
On 9/30/2003
david
wrote in from
(192.211.nnn.nnn)
yo mike your forum is looking a little empty.
tell us about the worlds, how did you place in all three events?
back in sf in a month or so
dave
|
|
|
|
|
worlds
|
|
On 9/30/2003
MARK MCCREE
wrote in from
(69.34.nnn.nnn)
Mike, Thanks for that great race on saturday. I had my day beating John O' in the qualifying runs.
McCree
|
|
|
|
|
Worlds
|
|
On 9/24/2003
Miko
wrote in from
(66.81.nnn.nnn)
Hey John - Did you think I was gonna let you off the hook for such a big race? I'll be there ready to race friday am.
|
|
|
|
|
