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GSA #1 Tilton, New Hampshire May 11,
2002
Reported by Chris McBride
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photos courtesy of
Chris
McBride and
Gravity
Sports International
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Gravity
Sports International held their first regional race
in Franklin, Hampshire. The Many disciplines race
on the hill, gravity bikes, luge and buttboard. GSI
also hosts several different classes; junior, for
16 and under, rookie for first time racers,
amateurs and pro. The race course is a public road
that is normally gated. This is a naturally closed
road! The course is about a half mile long, with an
average grade of 11 percent!
The
first race of the GSI season was run on Saturday,
May 11. It was a gorgeous Mostly Sunny day, albeit
slightly windy. GSI is trying something different.
In an attempt to give everyone maximum race time on
the hill, every racer races in four heats. If there
are more than four racers, the racers will be mixed
up. Points are attributed based equal to their
finish. Lowest point total wins first. Ties will be
broken based on their head to head
finishes.
Two
rookies came out to race buttboards. The Rookie
buttboard raced at the same time as the pro luge.
Because it was the end of the day, and there were
only three pro lugers, we decided it would be
easier to only run three heats. Thus the rookies
were only given three heats. Sean Clarke and Jason
"Moonie," appeared to take it easy. Sean took each
of the three heats and thus earned the first place
trophy for rookie buttboard.
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We had four pros
out for buttboard, Andy Lally, Pete Love, Bob
Swartz, and Chris McBride. GSI was trying something
different for starting. There were three lines at
the start. Right before the first buttboard heat
Lally was heard explaining why there were three
lines. One was the start line, and the far line
(about 10 feet) was the paddle line. The middle
line (about 4 feet from the start line) was the DQ
line. If there was a DQ on the false start, we
would restart the heat. The person who DQ'ed would
start behind the other racers (about 6 feet back)
and thus the middle like was their paddle line.
Lally also pointed out that no one had taken
advantage of it yet. While the four pro lugers
crossed the paddle line almost together, the red
flag went up for a DQ! Lally paddled too far!
Apparently this really upset Lally. He managed to
start 6 feet back, paddle the 10 feet, and before
everyone finished lying down, had already caught up
with everyone! It goes without saying, Lally
managed to win the first heat.
The next heat Lally
thought he DQ'ed again, because both McBride and
Swartz managed to slip on the start, so Lally and
Love were at the middle paddle line, before McBride
or Swartz even started. Lally and Love both thought
they jumped the gun. But no red flag, so they kept
going. Despite the handicap, Swartz managed to
catch Love at the bottom and take
second.
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The third heat saw
Lally and Swartz in first and second again. The
sparks really flew on the final heat. As the four
approached turn 3 (the final turn) Lally as usual
was out in the lead, followed fairly closely by
Love. McBride was a few feet behind Love, with
Swartz nearly kicking McBride in the head. All four
riders took turn 3 fairly hot, only tapping their
feet to check their speed. Turn 3 is a deceptive
turn. Top speed on the course is reached in the
turn, and the end of turn 2 leading to turn 3
appears to be a chicane, but its not. Love managed
to drift too far through the turn and hit the hay.
McBride was following Love, but managed to not
follow him into the hay, although he did hit Love
with his elbow as he passed Love. Swartz was
following so close to McBride that he didn't even
see Love go into the hay. Love had hit the hay,
McBride passed him, and Love rebound back into the
course, into Swartz. A loud noise was heard, all
the back to turn 2! Many theories abounded on the
cause of the loud nice, most centered around a
signpost near the accident site, but the noise was
probably Swartz's board hitting Love's. Swartz then
tumbled several times, and Love fell back into the
hay.
Love feared a back
injury and was asked to lie still in the hay.
Swartz feared he broke his foot. His shoe was
removed, and his foot was bloody. But after his
sock was removed, a small pinprick was found. At
this point we believed a rock or something in his
shoe caused the puncture wound, and Swartz only
suffered an ankle sprain. After two ambulances were
called, both riders were taken to the hospital.
Love was sent home with a bruised thigh. Bob was
sent home in a cast with a broken right
leg.
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Andy Lally took
first place pro buttboard trophy, and because
Swartz did not finish the race, second was awarded
to Chris McBride, with Bob Swartz taking
third.
Ashley Cayer was
the only junior who braved the hill. She rode a new
Calvinator board. She took it slow and easy, and
showed the hill some respect. Ashley took home the
Junior Gold for her efforts.
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Pro
Buttboard
1. Andy
Lally
2. Chris McBride
3. Bob Swartz
4. Pete Love
Amateur/Rookie
Buttboard
1. Sean Clarke
2. Kyle Cayer
3. Jason "Moonie" Ryan
JumiorButtboard
1. Ashleigh Cayer
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Darren
Lott ©2002
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