Special thanks to UNKLE LEE for organizing an epic event!
“The 2011 Whistler Longboard Festival was held at the Whistler Sliding Centre on the base of Blackcomb Mountain on June 25th and 26th. The UNKLE Crew has been eyeing up the Sliding Centre Service road since it was built four years ago in preparation for the 2010 Olympic games. With a total of 13 corners including seven (7) 200 degree hairpins, racers were blown away at the caliber of this venue.
“The track was the most epic closed road I have ever ridden. After seeing the massive 200 hairpins and the rest of the course for the first time, every single rider was stoked out of their mind.” – Gabriel Gwynne.
After a full day of freeriding on Saturday and all day racing on Sunday, the 100 rider field was narrowed down to the finals: Louis Pilloni, Kyle Martin, James Kelly, Zak Maytum, Alex Tongue and Andrew Chapman.
“There was an huge pile up in the first hairpin, which Kyle and James managed to avoid. James tailed Kyle all the way down trying to gain ground but it seemed as though Kyle had the win. Kyle leads into the final left before the finish line but had James right on his ass. Kyle dove into the corner but left a small opportunity on the inside for James. James came charging through on Kyle’s inside clapping and riding the gravel on the inside of the corner, moving Kyle out wide and into the bales. Kyle, obviously pissed off, tossed his helmet to the ground and flipped James the double bird, completely forgetting about taking 2nd place” – Gabe Gwynne
“It was a little close,” said James Kelly. “There was definitely some heated racing. It was one of those situations where I was coming in hot and had to make room for the pass in the corner and there was a little contact. But that’s downhill skateboard racing.” see attached image.
Earlier in that same heat after the pile up in first hairpin of the finals, the fallen group scrambles for boards. Zak grabs Louis’ top mount leaving Louis with Zak’s drop board to finish the race on! Louis and Zak managed to finish 2/3rds of the final on each other’s very different board, trucks and wheels See attached image of crash.
Thanks everyone for an amazing Festival, we would not be able to do it without the all the amazing contributions from our volunteers. Big shout outs to our Presenting Sponsor ARBOR SKATEBOARDS and also to our long time partners Landyachtz, Rayne and Sector 9. We hope you can all attend Whistler in June 2012 for a music filled, multi discipline, mutli venue festival. whistlerlongboard.com or unkle.ca See you there!”
Video Commissioned by the Whistler Longboard Festival.
Editing and Filming by Patrick Weir.
Filming and Color Correction by Darcie Profeit
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