The second race on the IGSA calendar in 2009 is The Graveyard Call.
Organised after the cancellation of Almabtrieb, not much was known about the road by most racers on the tour.
Argonnay is the main village that the road goes through. Located 40 min from Geneva. The race is called the Graveyard Call because the road ends near the cemetery where there is a final big corner that should be the demise of most racers.
The track starts out very narrow at only about 4 meters (12′) in width and works it’s way through dense forrest. There is a long straightaway followed by a tight left hand hairpin. After the hairpin there is another straightaway followed by a high speed right hand sweeper. This is followed by hard ninety degree left and two more hairpin corners, and series of esses that take you by a cemetary and finally a hard, ninety degree left that sends you onto the finish straight.
(above) Jacko speed check going into a hairpin Qualifying
The course is a combination of speed and technical corners.
Team Orangatang again displayed their death defying skills by using standup speed checks into the corners.
(above) James Kelly floating on air with a little help from some sticky orange stuff
Orangatang partners in crime Louis Pilloni and James Kelly qualified one and two
1. Louis Pilloni, USA, 2:08.451
2. James Kelly, USA 2:09.155
3. Martin Siegrist, SUI, 2:09.492
4. Christoph Batt, SUI, 2:11.505
5. Mischo Erban, CAN, 2:11.702
6. Patrick Switzer, CAN, 2:12.414
7. Scott Smith, CAN, 2:12.843
8. Robert Nicholas, SUI, 2:13.333
9. Stefan Ruefli, SUI, 2:13.512
10. Yvon Labarthe, SUI, 2:13.789
The fastest Aussie was Corey Leeson. Showing that he has been working on his hairpin cornering during the off season.
Race Day
Due to the narrow course, a two man format was used, bring a new dimension to this event.
After some epic racing, the final race was between Scoot and Mischo. Scoot edging out Mischo in a close race. Read about race day and all the drama on Marcus’ race report (link below) Top Eight Results
1. Scott “Scoot” Smith, Canada
2. Mischo Erban, Canada
3. Nicolas Robert, Switzerland
4. Patrick Switzer, Canada
5. James Kelly, United States
6. Louis Pilloni, United States
7. Christoph Batt, Switzerland
8. Boris Schinke, Germany
Aussie results
17. Corey “leeso” Leeson
19. Jackson “Jacko” Shapiera
26. Adam “yatesy” Yates – riding for Canada in this race
28 Ashley “Ash” Donaldson
Racers we claim as our own
13. Aussie Ramon Konigshausen
46. Eddie Spearing – racing for the NZ province
Other news
Marcus in his race report said
The race was halted for nearly on hour when Nathan Aveyard (AUS) crashed on the top section of the course in his first round heat and suffered a severly broken collerbone. Aveyard actually got up after his crash and completed the run before receiving medical attention. He was undergoing surgery at the hospital in Annecy on Sunday night.
We will find out more on Nathan’s condition tomorrow.
It is on live now from Calgary Canada. $10,000 in prize money. Bricin Lyons “the parrot” commentating.
Finals have finished and they have stopped streaming live – I have removed the video. See below the recorded first day event.
(above) Jackson Shapiera – Hopkin Racing Team – placed 8th
(above) Jackson Shapiera – Hopkin Racing Team – placed 8th
(above) Louis Pilloni – USA – Team Orangatang – Winner of IGSA World Cup race Peyragudes 2luxe Cup 2009
(above) Jonathan Martinez – France – placed 5th
(above) Martin Siegrist – Switzerland – placed 3rd
(above) Alexander D’Elia Martin from Spain Team Ridersfly – placed 15th at Peyragudes 2009
(above) Corey Leeson – Australia – placed 33rd
(above) Yoann Bethus from France – placed 42nd Peyragudes
(above) Andi Gniadek from Germany – placed 56th Peyragudes 2009
(above) Robin Sandberg from Sweden – placed 41st
(above) Mischo Erban from Canada – placed 4th
(above) Ashley Donaldson – Glyde skateboards – placed 30th
(above) Janick Millasson from Switzerland placed 50th
(above) YATSEY!!! Adam Yates from the African nation Independent Republic of the Gold Coast – placed 19th
(above) Erik Lundberg from Sweden – Sector9 – placed 2nd
(above) Brian Holden – USA – placed 51st at Peyragudes 2luxe Cup 2009
(above) Scott SCOOT Smith – Canada – placed 14th
(above) SORTIE – lost in translation
(above) Bettina Luginbuhl – Switzerland
(above) Sebastian Hertler – Germany – 7th
(above) This is not Dick Dastardly but Bernat Currius Felius from Spain – placed 24th
(above) William Brunson – USA – placed 25th
(above) Jacob Raab – Germany – placed 45th
(above) Morten Bechstrom – Norway – placed 43rd
(above) Alexis Caillaud – France – placed 37th
(above) Mr Aero helmet himself – Stephan Risch – Germany – placed 29th
(above) something coming out of Clement’s nose – very star trek
(above) Power slide
(above) Impromptu road inspection
(above) What’s next … unicycles?
Yatsey stylin
Jackson Shapiera has just sent in his race report. Here it is….
So far, things are going pretty well over here in Europe, after over 30 solid hours of consecutive plane, train and bus rides I finally got to Peyragudes late on the Tuesday night. It was a pretty chilly night but i got settled in my room with a few beers and was ready to roll straight up the next morning.
Took so many runs with the Loaded boys and Scoot, following their lead and learning things along the way, and it really paid off. Riding with that crew was seriously stepping it up to the next level, some of the things I was seeing them do was just insane, but to be keeping up with them down the track was a real boost of confidence in myself to race this track.
When qualifying heats came around on the 2nd day, the jet-lag caught up to me and I was burnt out, my first run was a real leg burner so I was surprised to be sitting in 6th position, and the next run was even worse, so to qualify at 9th position was a pretty good, and I was stoked considering my performance in the qualify runs. The next day practice was canceled due to rain, so I got a nice sleep in and chilled out for most of the day, then Yatesy and I went hitch-hiking into the next valley to skate some of the local hills and keep the legs in check. The scenery there was amazing, we skated one road that was 15k’s of constant downhill, and found a nice set of 3 hairpins to practice speed checks on for the race.
The next day was race day, we got a long sleep in as they needed to run Inline, Buttboard, Skullboard and Street Luge before the standup, which was really handy to give the legs one more rest.
My main goal for the day was to make it to round 3, and anything else after that was a bonus. Round 1 and 2 are usually pretty easy but if you make a mistake or crash your day is over and you end up with a pretty average result. Getting to round 3 puts you in the higher section of the bracket and you end your day with a smile, so for me to advance past this round and get a shot for the finals was a big stoke for me.
In round 3, I was up against Mischo Erban and Christof Batt, both extremely talented and fast riders. I pushed out in front and held the lead into the first big right hand hairpin, where I was a little too fast and scrubbed a bit too much speed while taking the corner and watched Mischo blow past me. Luckily I have a strong push and had enough distance from Christof to push myself into a decent spot and hang in Mischo’s draft. For the rest of the course I could feel Christof slowly closing the gap through the rest of the course but I didnt give him any room in any of the corners and held my lines well to secure the 2nd position and advance into the semi finals.
The next round (the semi finals) is the round that sorts out the top 8 for the day. If you advance here, you go to the finals, if you come 3rd or 4th you move down to the consolation final and battle it out for 5th to 8th place. I had Mischo Erban, Martin Seigrist and Jo Jo Martinez in this round, all extremely fast and well experienced racers. So once again I pushed out first and took the lead, and held it as long as I could. Coming into the big right hand hairpin I was still holding the lead but the other riders were close in behind me, so I had to push it a little bit harder, and unfortunately couldn’t pull it off and slid out into the hay, and watched them all pass me by. That put me into the consolation finals.
The consolation final consisted of James Kelly (USA), Jo Jo Martinez (France), Sebastian Hertler (Germany) and myself, and it was a very nerve racking start line. I was up against some of the fastest guys on the hill, and at the same time I was so stoked to be there racing with the best in the world. James pushed off hard and I followed behind him, but unfortunately he fumbled in the first right hand sweeper and went down, taking us all out. As we all got up and scrambled for our boards I realised my board was no where to be seen (later i found it in a ditch down the road) and everyone else powered off and battled for the win. Jo Jo took the consolation final and was awarded 5th place, with James Kelly in 6th, Sebastian in 7th and myself in 8th.
In the finals, it was Louis Piloni (USA) Mischo Erban (Canada) Erik Lumberg (Sweden) and Martin Seigrist (Switzerland) battling it out for the podium finish. All of these riders had been skating hard all day and dominating each of their heats, and also bringing a wide variety of riding styles to the race course. In the end, it turned out Louis had the most dominating way of tackling the hill, with massive long slides into corners with no footbreaks, he left the competition in the dust. Erik crossed the line next to take 2nd and Martin took 3rd and Mischo crashed in one of the corners and ended up with 4th.
It was a big win for Louis, his first win in any downhill race and also his style of riding opened up so many eyes to what was capable on a longboard.
The morning after the race we packed up (with massive hangovers) and started out journey to Ancey for the next race, the Graveyard Call. We will be touring the country side and hitting as many epic hills as we can find along the way, and hope to keep our skills up and learn new ones along the way.
Here is a taste of Peyragudes from various POV cameras. Check out all the riding styles and lack of footbraking. Speed checks and power slides through corners are setting the fastest riders apart from everyone else!!!
July 18, 2009 - 7:40 am in the category "IGSA World Cup"
Finding out information on what is happening at Peyragudes this year is proving difficult.
If anyone is in contact with the Australians over there, please update the forums or contact Hop on 0402 831356
Here is what we know
The Peyragudes course has changed a bit this year. The start line has been moved up the hill. Competitors are saying it has made the course faster and more challenging. Orangatang Team has been outstanding. Louis Pilloni has qualified 2nd, James Kelly 3rd and Jackson Shapiera 9th. IGSA Race Report for Day 2 on the downhill qualifying
Other Australians?
Leeso and Yatesy have qualified in the top 20.
Nathan has a shoulder injury and is out. Information sources
At this stage the best source of information is IGSA website
Australian competitor info is also being posted on the ASRA forums
Manufacturers
