This year’s Hot Heels had a big international turn up, and the racing got intense, close and personal. Jackson runs through qualifying and then a corner by corner account of the final.
Words by Jackson Shapiera
Qualifying
Much more relaxed day than usual for Qualifying. I got a solid sleep in and took my time in the morning, cruising around town checking out the baboon action. Pretty crazy little buggers, it’s like a whole colony have just moved into a few of the houses and they are part of the neighborhood! They are just everywhere, lurking on roofs and balconies, fighting in the street, roaming around trying to steal your food. Crafty critters.
I took the morning off from skating and filmed the track, got a better idea of how the lines looked and strategised while watching everyone else skate. Come qualifying time the wind had swung around and was blasting a solid tail wind, changing the track from the practice day.
People were starting to hit the corners with too much speed and a few accidents started to happen. There were a few trips to the hospital, one that could have been quite serious was when this dude from Singapore hit the hay hard, and his helmet flew off and he then bounced on the ground and grinded his face up pretty hard. Luckily he wasnt badly injured but had one hell of a concussion and looked like he picked a fight with the Alpha Male Baboon and lost…
For my qualify runs I utilised the tail wind to it’s full potential. Right off the kick it was gusting hard, so I stayed upright for as long as possible with the tailwind helping me accelerate with each extra push. Coming into the corners I stayed super low and air breaked only with my arms, keeping my head and chest down and went for the money lines.
It paid off pretty solid as I managed to qualify first, a full 2 seconds faster than Dalua and Mischo (who qualified 2nd and 3rd) and broke the track record.
Luca was doing extremely well and is picking up some more draft tactics and hauling ass down the hill. He managed to qualify in the top 6 somewhere.
Hop’s notes: IGSA website says Jackson smashed the track record by 11 seconds!!
1 Jackson Shapeira 101.97
2 Douglas Dalua 103.765
3 Mischo Erban 104.545
4 Christoff Batt 104.67
5 Justin Readings 105.545
6 Luca Coleman 107.34
7 Torbjørn Sunde 107.53
8 Anton Pratt 108.3
9 Robin Sandberg 108.94
10 Raoul van den Berg 109.19
Race Day
Amazing race day.
Once again, it was a nice chilled morning with a quick baboon hunt.
Things took a bit to get rolling but once racing started it was a blast.
I had a lot of good runs at the start with South African riders, the wind was a different game today though. No wind gusting at all down the track until you rounded Baboon Bend and up over this flat part, where there was a slight headwind. If you needed to make a move on someone that’s where you would make it happen, or at least line up a finish line draft.
I managed to make it into the finals with Christoph Batt against Mischo and Dalua.
As normal Dalua stomped off ahead but I stuck with him as much as I could and got a good starting draft. After Lloyd’s left I had more exit speed and passed him on the flat, however Mischo had the double draft and got past us both leading into Baboons.
Both those moves changed the race so quickly and the tables were about to turn again.
As I exited the corner I managed to use the exit speed and draft to get by Mischo, but only side by side. We were drag racing for the finish, but were opened a big pocket for Dalua!
He capitalised big time and snuck between us right before the line taking the win with Mischo a wheel behind and half a board in front of me.
Batt had too much speed in the Baboons and wanted to catch us, however he took a bad line and biffed the hay.
It was an amazing race and an amazing win for Dalua. Really happy to take 3rd and move up in the rankings to 2nd in the IGSA for 2011.
Great event. Great atmosphere. Great people.
Hot Heels is one to revisit for sure.
Open Downhill Skateboard results
1. Douglas Dalua
2. Mischo Erban
3. Jackson Shapeira
4. Christoff Batt
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Great Read Jacko! Congrats to all!
Great racing it sounds. Bloody good work on the writing too. Nice one Jacko. Regards to all for Xmas.
Congrats on the record & podium finish in S.A.
You’ve put in an epic year of racing, stoked for you & proud of ya’.
Well done Jacko, good results……..Trikes
Always stoked to read your race reports Jacko! Thanks for keepin it fresh and real!
Jacko, congratulations from the girls and I. You should be very proud – Number 2 in the world….great work; stellar effort.