While we’re all excited about the new sanctioning body for downhill skateboard racing, important questions remain.
1. If, as Kevin Reimer has told me, IDF races will do timed qualifying through the use of RFID transponders that time all of a rider’s runs during practice, what’s to stop people from bumping and draft-training?
For example, Zak Maytum, who holds the track record at Maryhill, is a good friend and teammate of mine. He could push me all the way down the hill and give me an unrealistically fast qualifying run. How is that fair to new racers?
2. Representatives of the IDF continue to emphasize how democratic, transparent and accountable the new organization will be. How will these goals be met in practice? Who will vote on IDF decisions? The IDF board? How was the board selected? Is the board going to be elected in the future? How do you plan to be transparent? Who will the organization be accountable to and how?
3. Whenever riders called out the IGSA for sanctioning sub-par events, the IGSA responded by disclaiming responsibility and emphasizing that their role was limited to doing timing and rules enforcement. Many of the race organizers now involved in IDF ran IGSA events. Why should we expect anything better under this new organization?
4. How will the IDF decide who is the world champion?
5. When is the IDF going to release race rules?
- Max Dubler
Photo: Louis, James and Matt enter the first right turn at the 2012 Kozakov Challenge. Max Dubler photo.