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| Q&A: Slalom Pro Mike Maysey (2489 Posts)
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Slalom
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On 3/2/2005 Pauliwog
wrote in from
United States
(67.171.nnn.nnn)
Hmm, I've had my worst slams doing tighter courses. Seems like whenever I don't wear my jacket, is when I fall, unexepectedly. Tight course experience helped me a LOT at Morro Bay this year for both Saterday and Sunday. I probably do more tight and general (hybrid) slalom than G/S due to ease of location for my T/S spot compared to my G/S spot. I dig all of it though, it's all fast, different parts of the body are used for each, I get to watch deer, bats, bugs, birds, etc as I sweep the hills clean or walk up between my runs. My head is SO much clearer and physically I feel better after every time I run cones (or go hiking, biking, backpacking, shooting my bow, or bowhunting for that matter). I'm starting to ramble now,Time to go to bed. Later- Paul
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Tight is alright
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On 3/1/2005
Jack
wrote in from
United States
(66.82.nnn.nnn)
I'm not sure if the JO who posted below is the same JO who didn't even attempt the tight last year at Morro Bay...nahhh can't be Oshei. A bad ass racer like John surely would at least give it a go. Must be another JO.
Oh boy, respect from the downhillers. I have tons of respect for the DH crew, no way I would do what they do. However I don't lose a bit of sleep worrying about whether they "respect" slalom.
John, I love watching you skate, as I know many others do. Please show some of that all important "respect" that is so important to you, to the the other racing discplines.
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TS at GS speed!
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On 2/27/2005 Brown Bomber
wrote in from
United States
(198.81.nnn.nnn)
Bicknell hill courtesy of Juice Magazine!
I agree with alot of know it alls here! "I havent tried TS but I heard its .... " If Atilla has another race here bring your "expert" input and put it on the line!!
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faster
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On 2/26/2005 dave G
wrote in from
United States
(207.69.nnn.nnn)
ya ya!!
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top speed challenge
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On 2/26/2005
Mark Johnson
wrote in from
United States
(68.123.nnn.nnn)
Speaking of going fast, Whose is down for a top speed challenge to see who can go the fastest? We will slap a GPS on you and see how fast you can go, your choice of hills. Ladera Crew, Johhans and JM, Rizzo ect we are looking for you
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go fast its better (funner)
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On 2/26/2005
Mark Johnson
wrote in from
United States
(68.123.nnn.nnn)
Faster faster faster ya ya ya Faster faster faster ya ya ya Faster faster faster ya ya ya Faster faster faster ya ya ya bring it on!!!!!!!!!
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Correct!
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On 2/26/2005 Dave G
wrote in from
United States
(207.69.nnn.nnn)
Me 2!! Ryhthm is a plus, no matter the distance! I've run/set many GS that sucked ,'cause there was no groove, same goes for T.S etc... (When I say T.S,I don't mean all in a straight line at a consistant distance!! I mean "tight slalom" Not the recently dubbed "hybrid" nor "straight"
Gotta go hit the slopes ...
Enjoy,
Dave G
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Tight
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On 2/26/2005
Fadell
wrote in from
United States
(68.43.nnn.nnn)
Most Tight is usually a "solo without a song. "
Just cause your movin doesn't mean your groovin.
I'll skate whatever is in front of me, but given a choice - no matter what it is, slalom, bowls, ramps, pipes, banks, ditches - bigger is better.
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Point taken Chris
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On 2/26/2005 Dave G
wrote in from
United States
(207.69.nnn.nnn)
It's (G.S) defenitly more fluid/flowing, My point was simply that you shouldn't cut on a specific discipline, cause you don't like it, or can't do it! J.O is a bad ass skater and should know better (I think he does) I hate ollies and kick flips, and no...I don't/can't do them...I guess that means they're gay!!
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tight vs,gs
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On 2/26/2005
cfavero
wrote in from
United States
(24.13.nnn.nnn)
i will only comment on two races i have been to.
the farm stepped up and had a great hill.the tight and the hybrid we hard and fast,if anyone can show a video from the bottom you'll see what i meant.people were cordssing the line at 30 mph(mitchell,mollica).
the gs at the pump station was rad and took total concentration.that hill has the potential to take you out.getting a time on that hill felt like total accomplishment.
66 has some great hills in athens,i felt the same way after trade st last year.only 17 peole made the course?
imho,bigger is radder.cf
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clarification
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On 2/26/2005 Chris B
wrote in from
United States
(68.60.nnn.nnn)
The street and vert skaters that we convince to come out to the hill on Sundays have this impression in their heads that we "wiggle"...i usually tell them that if their going to "wiggle" down the hill, just go home now, i dont want to pick your body off the street later. When they see the hill, with the wider offsets (either hybrid or GS) they get a whole new impression and they're interested. Slalom is still being "sold" as these smaller boards, on tighter courses with clean cut older dudes riding it......and that's all wrong
My impression of TS (and remember, i'm still pretty new to the sport) is of a lower grade hill, or almost flat course..push or ramp start and tight cones with little offsets....To me, it's good for practice, but kinda boring to watch.
Put it on a steeper grade and it's allot better, but still probably not too thrilling to most spectators.
Hybrid...faster, wider offsets, more body english...way more fun to ride, more fun to watch.
GS...way big and fast...gives off the impression of more danger and adrenaline..that's what the younger skaters want.
I'm never going to be a world champ...but i like to have fun riding...and you hve to throw in a few white knuckles to make it fun
That's just my opinion
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Relative
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On 2/26/2005 Dave G
wrote in from
United States
(207.69.nnn.nnn)
No body but the person w/ the passion gives a s#@!! I'd venture to say, the best "putt putter" don't care about the title of the longest drive! I agree 6, If you can't do it, the EASY way out is to call it "gay" tight 5.5-6.0 is difficult at speed (maybe the most focused) I love all kinds of racing, but super G alpine is less intense than slalom or even downhill! Split the diff!!!
"Walk away,in the path of a human!"
Denial
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slolam
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On 2/26/2005 6
wrote in from
United States
(68.114.nnn.nnn)
On 2/25/2005 JohnO wrote in from 205.188.xxx.xxx: (United States)
Pebble Beach and a Miniture Golf course are both golf, but nobodys gives a s#@! who the worlds best miniture golfer is.
--
and you think people give a sh*t who the best gs racer in the world is? come on joshei - slalom is viewed as a joke by 90% of the skateboarding community and doesn't even register on the radar of the general public
tight slalom is difficult, you can't do it, therefore it's in your best interest to make it seem "gay"
walk the path of a human, john, walk the path of a human
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Falling is supposed to hurt...
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On 2/26/2005 Chris B
wrote in from
United States
(68.60.nnn.nnn)
...that's why i try to avoid it. JO better expressed what i was trying to say.
TS can be good, but only if you make it faster and more dangerous...put it on a hill...make it at breakneck speed...I probably couldnt make the course right now, but that's what i'll work on this year....GS, and even park slalom, are what's growing this sport right now because theyre both fun to do, and fun to watch...people that talk about "growing the sport" dont have to look beyond these in the states right now. They offer everything that streetskaters, sponsors and the media is looking for.
TS is still fine, if it's on a fast hill...TS on flat or on hills without pitch is fine for practice, but not for racing.
I've never been to the Pump Station, but i talked to Fadell on the phone after the race and he was stoked just watching....he brought back all kinds of energy after racing in the first one...THAT's what good GS will do to you
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slams
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On 2/26/2005 Dave G
wrote in from
United States
(207.69.nnn.nnn)
It's all about the rhythm!! I've tumbled at 35 mph and had less injury than some at 15-20 mph . If you're in a prone position that is un natural, you won't prepare for the take down!! If tho, you are on a course that flows...you instinctively know what way is down, prior to going down!!! I've been hurt the worst ever on a fairly slow/tught 5.5" ctrs than cruising at hgh slow ryhthm'd courses at 28-35 mph .because I was prepared!!I've hit over 60 mph in a straight line, and have only fallen once and walked away...Because my mind knew where gravity was gonna take me!! Instinct and knowledge of the forth coming slam is key!! If it's just a reflex motion that causes the fall, then your reflexes will prevail, sometimes resulting in an un natural position to the time comes when you hit ground zero~!!!IT HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Fast
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On 2/25/2005
Sully
wrote in from
United States
(209.172.nnn.nnn)
Keep it fast!
sully
bomb squad
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RIDE IT ALL
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On 2/25/2005
Richy C.
wrote in from
United States
(198.81.nnn.nnn)
JO -- I've been telling you and Olson for the last year or so to come ride with us. We have plenty of steep hills that we run tight on. I personally ride every discipline because of the challenges involved in adjusting to different courses. Bottom line -- You're never gonna please everyone all the time so ride what you like and be thankful we have races to go to. PS -- Maybe you should bring your start ramp to the next Pump.
Peace out.
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tight
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On 2/25/2005
JohnO
wrote in from
United States
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
I love hybred. It's my favorite racing. And maybe I'd like tight if they ran it on a hill that had some fear factor. Unfortunatly, they don't. It's usually run on flat slow hills. That's the part I don't like. In other words any course that you can't make on a hill that has some pucker factor, ain't worth making. It becomes tedious. It is true that tight even on the flat is dangerous. Because you are pumping all out, with a short stance, you have a tendency to slam hard, ie: Gilmore, or Paul Dunn. They don't crash much but when they do it's a hard slap. I was at the path when Richie went to the hospital for running tight w/o a helmet in the same manner. It's over before you know it. In hybred, or GS you have more time to get to your knees because your not pumping as hard, or in a straight line. On a real hill you're moving alot faster so your too scaird to overpump. It can take you out of a race. I missed Bicknell, and I understand it was rad beacause although it's short Bicknell is pretty steep so tight there would be gnarly. Tight on a flat surface, like Morro Sunday, or Breckenridge, even La Costa, blows. It's not skateboarding. Skateboarding is the wind in you face, and your toes on the nose. Tight is what they do in Europe. It's what freestylers do, when not pulling off handstands etc. No offence. But it's bulls#@!, that there's guys running around claiming World Champ status for that crap. It's a joke. Pebble Beach and a Miniture Golf course are both golf, but nobodys gives a s#@! who the worlds best miniture golfer is. It makes you wonder why they don't do it. It's because most guys are too worried about the speed. They don't want to get hurt, so they run on the flat. It is what it is. Maysey is one of the few guys out there that could pull off running a 70 cone course at Elsinore. But the list is short. There's been an issue over flat vs. hill for a long time. The promoters face a dilema in setting a course that can accomidate both AM and Pro riders. La Costa is sold as a fast race, yet they run the damn thing from half way up the hill. They water it down so they can keep the recreational racers involved. As a result slalom comes off like rollerbladeing. And those of us who want to compete at the highest level are screwed. Or you can set up a tight board and concentrate on flat. I mean tight.
Look what happened last weekend. The DH guys, who normally think that slalom is a joke because of low speeds and flat terrain, finally got a chance at a reasonably fast course. What was the result? Respect for Slalom. Those guys were stoked on the racing because it was thrilling. If we want to attract new blood to the sport this is the direction we need to move in. Faster, longer, steeper! You want tight, run it on a hill and I'll be there.
This post is meant to trigger discussion. I think slalom has been dominated by flatlanders, or what Hutson used to call wiggle wongers, for a long time. And the events have shown it. Nor Cal skaters have always stood up against that approach because of our background in ski racing. It was the same with the Comet Team. It's nice to hear that there are other slalom racers out there who want to go fast.
What are your thoughts on this important matter?
JO\BLR
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Do it all, man!
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On 2/25/2005
WT
wrote in from
United States
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
Maysey and I had this conversation a while ago, but I'll repeat it here again.
Giant Slalom is Formula One racing with wide open turns, high speed sections, chicanes and turns going both left and right (which differentiates F1 from NASCAR.)
Tight Slalom is drag racing: down the course, keep it tight, keep on line stay focused and it's over before it starts. BAM! Just like that.
BOTH are racing, both are intense, both demand a certain set of skills and both are competitive and both require a a skateboard. Other than that, then it's just like F1 and NHRA: completely different. I doubt we'll ever see Kenny Bernstein running a Ferrari at Hockenheim and I know for damned sure Alain Prost will never ride in a Funny Car at Gainesville. This is what sets a skateboard slalom racer apart from a prima dona car driver: we're much more talented and not a bunch of one-trick ponies!
If you have a preference, that's cool. If you want to specialize in just one kind of racing and steer your entire quiver to that one discipline, that's cool. It's just not correct, though, to try and argue that one is "real" slalom while the other is an exercise in futility. Both are running a skateboard through cones and both demand certain skills and a mind set to be competitive.
In other words, it's all good.
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GS in the GateWay Drug
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On 2/24/2005
mike maysey
wrote in from
United States
(63.165.nnn.nnn)
Master GS and then TS will come easy. Same technique, just in Fast Forward.
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TS Speed?
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On 2/24/2005
mike maysey
wrote in from
United States
(63.165.nnn.nnn)
Chris B, once you get TS wired, you gotta try running 6' centers on a hill. Then for fun, kick them out and make some offsets. Then tell me about how slow you go or don't go!! Also, tell me about how the cones become a blur as you blaze past. On a course like that, the only way to make make it is to look about 8 cones ahead and run your wiggle on autopilot. Sounds hard but if you practice it, it will come easy. Just think of your body as a whip, lead with your hips and the rest will follow. Before you know it, you'll be wigglin' with the best of 'em. I've crashed in GS, but usually it's easier to get things aligned to hit my knees. Not always though.
Dave, yes I've had way, way gnalier crashes in TS than GS. My body usually gets all twisted up and I can't get my knees down resulting in a slam of twisted flesh.
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falling on TS
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On 2/24/2005 Chris B
wrote in from
United States
(204.78.nnn.nnn)
Dont get me wrong, i've fallen on TS too...and you hit the ground fast...
but when you see a crash in GS...
It can look pretty damn incredible....
It's the impression of "danger" that attracts allot skaters...at least up here
and a big hill gives them that.......whether it's tight or wide
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ts falls
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On 2/24/2005 david
wrote in from
United States
(192.211.nnn.nnn)
i don't know about you, but i've had some gnar falls doing TS. with GS, you have more time to do a knee slide or whatever, but with TS, you are so off-balance from trying to go through tight cones at speed you have a higher chance of bailing and not having any chance to break your fall.
mike, what do you think?
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TS seen as soft
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On 2/24/2005 Chris B
wrote in from
United States
(204.78.nnn.nnn)
I know i never pipe in here, but this is a good topic. We're still new to slalom, ANY slalom where i'm at and we're looking to grow our ranks. When new guys come out and see us on a lower grade hill running tight cones, they give it a shot, sometimes do pretty bad and they get bored easily.
When they come out and we're on the big hill doing GS as fast as we can (not pumpstation fast, but fast for us) then they try it, hit allot of cones or blow off the course...but come back again next week and try it again.
The adrenaline is just that much higher on GS...so's the risk of injury which gets you pumped up even more. If most TS lacks one thing, it's the high speeds you get on a good hill...and most folks arent good enough to run a good TS course on a steep hill.
That's my goal for this year. I figure if i can run a tight course on a hill we usually run GS on, then i've accomplished something to be proud of.
If you can have your course both tight and break-neck fast...then you have a great course
that being said, at this point, i still have allot more fun on a fast GS course
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gloves down
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On 2/23/2005
betty
wrote in from
United States
(24.170.nnn.nnn)
I like the idea of giant slalom with gloves. I'm getting my slides down practicing in parking garages when it rains (and right now that's all it's doing is raining...).
My problem is, just as you say, David, I get so frustrated practicing TS that I quickly move on to offsets. I love the fact that I have a large group of folks to slalom with, but it's also discouraging because I don't want to be the one who knocks down all the darn cones whilst folks are waiting to practice ts. I didn't mean to put down tight slalom, it is hard... I just may have been doing it on the wrong kind of board up until this point. Frank just made some that really seem to wiggle through ts. Maybe that will change my views. Or maybe I can get off my lazy butt and go practice. Either way, I definately have respect for those who can pump through a set of ts like a machine.
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