Campionato Italiano.

 

Hopefully going to be going to this race in north Italy this weekend. Click here to read more. Or check out the Facebook page. 


The race has been cancelled:

Il comitato organizzatore della gara di campionato italiano "1° Freccia Toscana", comunica con sbigottimento e rammarico che la Provincia di Siena non ha concesso i permessi per lo svolgimento della manifestazione.

Pertanto la manifestazione in oggetto è da RITENERSI ANNULLATA, con le seguenti motivazioni addotte dagli organi tecnici competenti della provincia:

" S.P.n. 28. Nel tratto di strada interessato dalla manifestazione sportiva tra il Km. 0+000 e il Km. 2+200, la pavimentazione stradale presenta delle irregolarità dovute ad assestamenti, cedimenti marginali, fenditure e deformazioni che, vista la tipologia dei mezzi utilizzati, potrebbero influire sulla sicurezza dei concorrenti e dei veicoli in gara. Si esprime parere negativo allo svolgimento della manifestazione."

The organizing committee of the Italian league match "1 Arrow Tuscany", communicates with dismay and regret that the Province of Siena has not granted permission for the event.

Therefore, the event in question is considered canceled, with the following reasons given by the competent technical bodies of the province:

"SPn 28. In the stretch of road affected by the sporting event between Km 0 +000 and Km 2 +200, the road surface has irregularities due to settling, marginal settlements, cracks and deformation, given the type of media used, could affect the safety of competitors and competing vehicles. It expresses a negative opinion at the event. "

Roasted Flesh and Trucks.

Went sliding by Ikea and Riccardo smashed his truck (Randals) into the marble pavement whilst drifting a corner, effectively smashing his base-plate to pieces. His board was saved though. Oh and there was a tasty roastie to go with it!

Stadio Olimpico Bomb Session.

There is quite a nice run that starts at the top of Via dei Colli della Farnesina, near to Stadio Olimpico. You pick up some nice speed along the straight section, but have to break for a sharp left-hander where the road isn't too smooth, then a right-hander that runs out into a long smooth finish. If you want to skate here make sure there isn't a soccer match on because the cars can be quite a problem.

The road flattens out after the first corner, but once you go through the next "hairpin" you get slingshotted out and the fun starts. It fine to even start skating from this point.

Kozakov Challenge 2011

So today I registered for the Kozakov Challenge in the Czech republic. You can see my name all the way at the bottom! Pretty excited about it because there are a couple of other South Africans that are going to take part as well. The race is from the 20 to 23 July. I still have to organise a way of getting there, but where there's a will there's a way! Click the link below to view the website:

KOZAKOV

Sliding Circeo.

We were heading to Parco Nazionale del Circeo.

The mountain and the route with a bunch of awesome hairpins.

The hill of Circeo rising before us.

One of the one lane narrow roads at the top.

The top of Circeo.

The view looking down from the mountain.

Antonio taking a break at the bottom of the hill.

The setting over the Mediterranean.

Standing in the Mediterranean Ocean.

Having some drinks at a restaurant on the beach.

So another day begins with a hunt for the illusive "Mount Awesome". I wasn't sure, when we left home, which hill Antonio had in mind to skate today, but what he did tell us was that it was going to be by the beach. The beach ended up being to the South-West of Rome on a hill in Parco Nazionale del Circeo. The journey took us about 2 hours and today there were only three of us: Tam, Antonio, and me. As we drove up the hill we started to feel the stoke bubbling up from within us as we were presented with one hairpin after another. The road was just wide enough to fit two cars; slightly choppy in some areas; and was under the trees in most places. The skating ended up with us just riding one hairpin after the next. Practicising our slides on the first right-hander. We then progressed further and further down the hill. Was a great session. Antonio's board flew off the cliff a couple of times, one of which resulted in the board being suspended in a tree. Tam was great again as she did a bunch of filming and even drove Antonio's car for the first time. 

After we finished on the hill we skated through the town. The hill through it was awesome, and not too many cars. At the bottom we ended up stopping at a restaurant at the beach and had a drink whilst watching the sun set over the Mediterranean for the first time (first time for me that is). Could have easely been in Cape Town. Was great.

The last part of our journey was slightly odd as we ended up doing a loop, thinking we were driving away from the mountain, and ended up back where we were. Just a wee bit trippy. Another day down, and the hunt for the illusive "Mount Awesome" continues.

Monte Terminillo.

Downhill Longboard @ Terminillo, Italy from Andrea Alessi on Vimeo.

Terminillo Hill Bomb.

The mountain.

The initial hill we skated. Along the bottom there.

Tam, our videographer.

The top of the initial hill we skated.

The final run.

Saturday 2 April 2011. In convoy we drove the 125 kms that is the distance from Rome to a mountain outside Rieti. I think it's called Terminillo, I could be wrong. There were six of us: Antonio, Ricardo, Andrea, Arturi, Tam and me. By the time we had driven the 25 kms or so up the mountain, Ricardo's car literally exploded. Well the radiator or something gave way or something. So now, seeing as we weren't at our destination yet, Antonio had to ferry us to where we had discovered a cool place to skate (thanks to Google Earth).

The hill was great, not too steep, but some tight corners. Hard snow on the one side, hardcore drop on the other, cars in the middle. Oh and they drive on the right-hand side of the road. You'll get the hang of it in the end. So they say. Well there was a ton of car negotiating (not too much, but enough), and a bunch of melted ice. So once everyone was nicely grated (knees, stomachs, elbows, etc) we decided to leave. Ok so this is when things got fun. The road back down the mountain, you remember, the 25 km one. Well it was time to skate it. Antonio and I got ready. Well I had my leathers and full-face, but Antonio had his free-riding get-up, so just gloves and lid. It was a long ass skate. The road was sketchy. Gravel on the sides, grooves in the middle, and cars somewhere inbetween. I ended up psyching myself out and bailed twice, but my friend Antonio made it the whol way down. No scratches. Was amazing. Awesome hill. Check it out. Gonna do it again sometime. Oh, and it was the first time I've been around so much snow.