BBQ Downhill – Event Recap

Mind Shift…
Last year the Longboarders of Jo’burg hosted seven races, the most activity the Jo’burg scene has witnessed in a while! It was super fun, bringing together all the new riders and the golden oldies (you know who you are guys!). However, with the fun comes to some adrenaline, and even some stress for some, as the pressure of racing can get to you fast! Have you got the right wheels, race attitude, are your lines dialed?

Have you ever lived at the coast? These races in Jozi remind me of coastal living vibes, where I would wake up early on weekends, go to the point with a bunch of legends, surf, camp, and braai… only to repeat this all over again after a chill sesh. So this got me thinking… just because we live in Jo’burg, doesn’t mean we can’t capture that coastal essence and replace the barrels with steep tarmac.

And so BBQ Downhill Freeride was born…
The first event was held on Sunday 20th March, which drew the interest of over 30 downhill enthusiasts on the day. 22 skaters entered, many of them new faces, welcome guys! Even the trikers joined in, boasting 9 of their most eager guys on the day. The scene was completed with families pitching up, pets running around happily and gazebos set to fight the scorching sun. Right then I knew it was going to be a fun day out.

By 10am everyone had entered and a brief welcome and safety meeting was held. We started sessioning the hill near ‘base camp’ shortly after, while the trikes started sessioning the big hill – reporting that it was fresh and ready to ride.

At 11am Kyle had started the braai whilst the Black Sheep got the drone out for some aerial footage. Excited tension was in the air as all the preparation came together. Ready? Set? GO! And the race was on! However, the race was not aimed at competing, but rather fostering the sense of community, and so prizes were given out randomly to encourage everyone. The newbs loved the skate prizes which included wheels, bearings and other skate accessories.

Lunchtime… An ice-cold Dragon Energy drink and Boerewors roll went down well after we had skated hard all morning in the blazing highveld sun.

A fed skater is a happy skater and after lunch, it was time to shred again. Gotta make the best of every hour we had! Looking back over my shoulder on one run I saw quite a scene behind me – a luger, skaters, and trikes coming for me! Just a small sign of the unity the day created! This is exactly what I wanted to achieve with BBQ Downhill! A multi-downhill event!

The next event will be held at the infamous downhill spot in Krugersdorp – SHITS. keep a lookout for the announcement on the LSA Facebook page and website.