I first rode the Munkae 190mm trucks set up on a Rayne Isis (the older, bigger model) down the gnarly hills of Malibu, CA.

They were perfect for the high speed bombing and freeriding that I was doing. With the 42.5 baseplates I had an insanely rad lean/turn ratio for throwing down fast 180’s and standup checks into corners. Running them with 87a Venom Barrels nice and loose they didn’t get a single twitch down the 70-80km/h straights into corners. This was awesome because I could run them nice and loose for throwing standup slides and not have to worry about getting sketchy when hauling ass down the faster sections. I was in love….

The next day I took the same setup to the infamous GMR, this run is 19km’s of winding, banked, fast corners. The banking on these corners is so intense that you can rail through a hairpin at 60-70km/h without sliding or footbraking and stay in your lane. First run down I knew these trucks had been designed for roads like GMR. Railing fast from left to right through these amazing chicanes and hairpins the trucks felt alive under my feet.

After getting back to Sydney I set my board up with some of these and took them out for the ultimate test of durability, the Sydney City Bomb Squad…

I had my doubts about the Munkaes as a carpark and city shredding truck. They seemed as though they were a bit dead below 15-20 km/h with the bushings I had in them. I changed out the top bushings for some nice and loose Venom 85a barrels and suddenly they were begging to be slashed. Smashing down tight, grippy carparks with dudes all around, they were turny and responsive, but still took a bit of getting used to. Throwing slides going slow they were a little bit stiff but the nice low profile kept the slide nice and smooth even with lipped 70mm S9 wheels on grippy concrete surface.

Another awesome feature of the Munkaes is the removable axle, I had no fears of bending the axles when early grabbing 5 stairs and ledges. Even if they had bent I wouldn’t have to dish out a heap of cash for a new hangar. They also have 35 and 49 degree baseplates and have just brought out some 174mm hangars for those who like narrower hangars.

Overall the Munkae trucks were exactly what I was looking for. A perfect allround truck that can handle pretty much anything you ride, jump or slide them down.

Pros:

-Stable
-Rad turn/lean ratio
-Built like a brick shithouse
-Lightweight
-Different baseplate/hangar sizes
-Replaceable axles [also come in 10mm]
-Awesome colour variations
- Nice and low

Cons:

-A bit dead at lower speeds
-Could be a bit too low on a dropped/dropthrough board

Downhill: 10/10

The Hopshop disclaimer
Gabe is on the Hopkin Racing Team, he gets flowed gear from the Hopkin skateshop. The manufacturers of Munkae Trucks did not flow him any trucks nor did they pay him for this review.
And the photo of Gabe sliding, he is not using munkae trucks...I just added it because it is a sick photo. 

You need the Newtons Nation competitor registration widget.

See it in action below, World’s number one men’s and women’s racers have already registered. Kevin Reimer and Brianne Davies. Current 2010 World Champions. General registration opens on Saturday.

Please share the goodness, copy the link codes and embed the widget everywhere! Facebook, Blogs, twitter, Myspace, ASRA or your website.

And here is the Jackson Shapiera report…

Looks like the race is going to get rained out, which kinda sucks because this was the one race I was looking forward to all year, however I can’t complain because I just scored myself another podium.

Had so much fun riding this track, we had a full day of freeriding and had so many runs in, got the course dialed and then spent some time filming and checking out different lines people were taking. When we hit qualifying day I was in a great mood, so excited to run the track again and its a really fun track to ride solo. I love the speed you get into the windy section and the corners only need a little bit of breaking to really rail it.

First run felt pretty solid but I went for the safety run to get a good time, my wheels broke a little bit too much into the first section but made the rest of the run clean. By the time I was up for my 2nd run the tail wind had picked up and I was super excited to rally down the track at top speed. I used the tail wind to my advantage in the bottom section by making a clean line through the last lefty to gain maximum exit speed down the long straight. I felt that I went faster down that section than I had ever before and went full tuck through the last sweeper. The line was clean with no drifting and gave me enough speed to secure the 3rd spot in the qualify list.

Christoph Batt has really been stepping it up this year with his crazy double-grab footbreak technique allowing him to slow down quick enough to rally top exit speed through corners, and a man his size with a good tuck allows him to rip it mega through the straights. The dude is on fire and managed to secure a solid time earning him the top qualify spot right in front of Kevin, and I guess with this rain cloud not moving from the top of the hill, thats going to be the final standings for the last race of the euro tour.

Pretty stoked to start off the euro tour with podiums and after a few rough ones here and there ending with another podium. yeeeewwww!

Can’t wait to get back to ozzie to ride with all the boys again, looks like everyone has been having a rad time organizing outlaws and doing road trips, and its gonna so awesome to come back home and join in the fun with my mates again.

see ya in a couple days!!! I’m coming home early.

UPDATE ON THE RACE

The race got cancelled, the cloud never cleared. that means Jackson got 3rd!

Official IGSA Qualifying times over here

We never think in terms of how much time we have. There always seems to be another day. There is always tomorrow to catch up with friends, have a skate, travel overseas, met people who inspire you. Well Howard Gordon is one of those people that inspired me. A name I have heard and read about many a time, has similar passions to me, but I’m no where near his league.

I grew up at a time when computers grew up. It was apparent to me that they would change everything, and so I joined the computer industry, eventually owning my own company. Howard Gordon had a passion for computers for more than 40 years. His company Xing Technologies, I remember seeing so many times in software credits, pioneered jpeg and mpeg software. Both are compression formats are used extensively on the internet. Try to imagine our internet world without pictures and music, no photos no videos no music.  His company is credited with the first software JPEG, the first software MPEG audio/video encoders and decoders, MP3 applications and software-based DVD playback.

Jack Smith remembers meeting Howard after the Morro Bay Slalom World Championships in 2001. Howard attended the race and soon after got into slalom racing and the sport. Howard partnered up with Bobby Turner to re-establish the Turner brand and also formed 3DM wheels. For this, I thank Howard. If you have been to the Hopshop, you’ll know my love of all things skateboard. My favorite part is racing, in particular slalom. I have collected many Turner slalom decks, and have a private stash of old turner and 3dm wheels (all NOS of course). Turner boards were always innovative. Foamcore with fibreglass lay up. Turner pioneered techniques that are used today in slalom and downhill. Next time you are on a foamcore racing board, tip your hat to Howard, he had a hand in that!

These are just a few of Howard Gordon’s accomplishments. Indirectly he has influenced my life so much. What I have achieved in my working life in the computer and skateboard industry has been largely due to standing on shoulders such as Howard Gordon. He was an innovator and a giant in the industries he was involved in.

Vale Howard Gordon

Another Team Orangatang win!! The Otangs are having a big year on the IGSA tour.

1. Patrick Switzer (CAN)
2. Christoph Batt (SUI)
3. Douglas “dalau” Silva (BRA)
4. Ramon “aussie” Konigshausen (SUI)

Here is how the Juniors went down through Merrick’s eyes:

[Merrick]
Today was race day
Woke up with the leg feeling 100% and just generally feeling good about it all.

First thing was Juniors. There were 3 dudes that had a genuine chance: Luke Melo, Justin Readings, and myself.

We all started at different end of the draw.

We all had a simple first round, making it through, I won my heat.
In round 2 was the semi’s…
I was against Justin (CAN) and 2 European grom’s… I won the heat. Justin crashed out following me into the first corner, I jammed a hard heavy foot break, and he went to slide, but crashed out, because he tried to avoid taking me out. (Thanks man, I appreciate it)

Then was the finals. It was Luke Melo (number 1 qualifier), 2 quick euro groms (Piton and Conan) and myself.

I kicked out hard, and drafted Luke, passed into the fast part on the straight, then I foot broke, for the first corner and he passed back, using a quick check. I followed him down the whole way. Pumping and kicking out of every turn to build speed on such a slow lower section of the hill.

We exited the last right, the pressure was on, and Luke went to kick, as I pumped next to him on the exit. He fumbled and nearly fell, wobbling and nearly taking us both out. After he managed to get one last kick in putting him just in front. I tried to make a pass on the last sweeper, but for some reason I clapped (never clap in a race) and he closed me out. I took a happy second, and we both managed to survive!

Final results in the Junior race
1. Luke Melo (CAN)
2. Merrick Wildash (AUS)
3.  Gabin Piton (FRA)
4. Pierre Conan (FRA)

Then we had opens.

In my first round of opens it was Mischo, and 2 euro dudes. I kicked out hard, and got in front of Mischo, I lead the whole way into the corner, Made a small break into the corner and surfed around, Mischo was behind in second (for how long I don’t know) I looked back when I reached the 2nd left hairpin, to see no one behind me, this felt great!

I just beat the 2009 world series champion was all that was going through my head.. lol

I won the heat, and a french dude, make 2nd, with Mischo finishing 4th and knocked out in the first round!!

I was so stoked on beating Mischo I forgot to change my wheels for the next round…

In round 2 of opens it was pretty much the junior final again, Luke and Myself with Justin and the french dude.
I kicked out hard, and lead into the first corner, knowing luke would pass when I foot breaked, I was in second after the 1st corner, then I went into the 1st hairpin (This was when I realised I forgot to change my wheels) I did not break enough, and scrubbed out, and thought I still had it, but then I hit the hay debris on the road, I came to a stop, and when I jumped back onto my board I was in 4th, but not by much.
I finished in 4th, that was roughly 24th over all. I was stoked.

If I had made it through I would have met Leeso in the next round.
Unfortunately, Leeso crashed out ending his day in the top 16 (Yeeeh bro)
Jacko also unfortunately crashed in his top 16 run ending his day.

So all in all it was a good day. And I got a cool looking cup/ plate not quite sure what it is hahah.

Well that’s the end of my Euro trip, what a way to finish, Now all I have to do is get shit done at home, and win… Newtons.. .(I can dream right)

Here is our report on last years race – gives you a bit of a preview.

[Merrick]

Fruit booters are a nuisance the place is filled with them, but I give them credit, they know how to run a race! The organisation is something. Everything runs so smoothly over here.

The hill it self is a bit lame, a fast straight into a tight left right then from here on you don’t go over 45km an hour through the next 6 hairpins.

The hill was wet in the morning during first practice runs, I did a run with Jacko.

We come down the straight, I give him space into the first corner all going good, then we exit the corner 15-20m apart, then he hits a wet patch and slides, then I literally tackle him off his board and he lands on my leg, and dislocates my Fibular.

I finished the run, and the next 8. Then I went as saw a dude, and he looked at my leg, and told me that I had a dislocated Fibular, and he can put it back in. I said ok after I qualify.

So I qualified with a dislocated Fibular, and got a time of 2:07.45

The rest of the Aussies qualified

4th – Jacko (2:01.41)
19th – Leeso (2:04.98)
31th – Merrick (2:07.45) and Second in Juniors
46th – Dani (2:10.75)

Ramon took top qualifier with a time of 1:59.82

Here is the list so far

Bliss N Eso
You Am I
Birds of Tokyo
Operator Please and because they are so rad
Children Collide
Funkoars
Philadelphia Grand Jury
The Novocaines

Next release of tickets will be 2nd August

Newtons Nation is 26th – 28th November. Australia’s biggest gravity games and music festival. It is the MUST attend IGSA Event of 2010

There is a lot to like about this video, and it shows longboarding is following the same trajectory as mainstream skateboarding. Producing quality videos, and the brands competing with each other to create bigger and better videos. Unlike mainstream skateboarding, longboarding is still portrayed as fun and humour play a big part in the videos. Mainstream brands are taking themselves too seriously.

Like all Orangatang and Loaded videos watch it a few times to find and laugh at the extra content, or read the cheat notes on the Loaded blog.

Loaded blog post on the making of

Graveyard Call is unique, due to the size of the road, racing is one on one. With the technical features it makes it a hard race to compete on. Jackson explains how the racing when down today.

Graveyard call seems to be one track I can not dial in as a race course.

I had so much fun freeriding this hill, jamming out and sliding all over the place I kinda forgot to figure out the race lines. crashed both qualify runs, worst qualify position I’ve ever had in my life. Day 1: I qualified 47th, and then day two I lowered my time by 4 seconds and then still ended up 53rd. Totally bummed, coulda done better but I just blew it.

Racing was even worse, first round I was out. Got out into the lead and nailed the first corner, held the lead for the next corner and after that I got stuck in the exact same spot I got stuck in last year. That section was the best part for stand up slides through the corner, and in the race I didnt want to risk blowing the stand up slide and went for a race line and scrubbed, just like last year. Kowalski took the lead and for the rest of the track its nearly impossible to re-gain the lead unless the dude in front screws up. BOOM, thats it, I was out. First round. Scoot also got knocked out in the first round by Dalua.

Goes to show this hill is of a different calibre. The turns are so technical you really have to be railed with your lines and as long as you stay ON your board you will do well, if you crash or screw up its all over, your done.

K-rimes dominated again, dude is so solid its not funny. He has a great push and knows how to handle his business without crashing, super clean. All he had to do was hold it together and that’s what he did, number one.

P-swiss came 2nd and Louis beat Evran in the consolation to get 3rd place with Evran 4th. Once again at Graveyard Leeso was the top aussie on the hill, he made it to the 2nd round. Merrick also crashed out in round 1, however he made it to the top 16 in Juniors.

Tomorrow we are heading to the French Alps to skate the best hills in the world, so it can’t all be that bad eh?

Jacko

The Graveyard Call (taken from IGSA website)
Final Results

1. Kevin Reimer, Canada
2. Patrick Switzer, Canada
3. Louis Pilloni, United States
4. Evren Ozan, United States
5. Stefan Rufli, Switzerland
6. James Kelly, United States
7. Ramon “Aussie” Konigshausen Ramon, Switzerland
8. Phillipe Dupuy France
9. Christoph Batt, Switzerland
10. Adam Persson, Sweden

The last 2 days have been epic. i completely forgot how gnar this track is.

First run down Robin, Leeso and I all ate it coming into the first corner, was hilarious. we all continued to eat it all morning, forgetting how tight and fast the track is, trying to negotiate the right lines.

After a lunch break it got awesome, there were two shuttle buses running in alternation up the back of the hill, so the runs were endless. Once you get to the bottom you wait no longer than 5 minutes for the next bus. This allowed so many runs and the appropriate shredding of the gnar. The organizers here are rad and let us skate without leathers, so i rocked the green overalls I partied in at Almabtrieb and shredded till my legs could take no more.

I think I shredded a bit too hard on the first day, as I bailed in the first corner of my qualify run today. Totally blew it, scrubbed a few corners and got an average time. I’m in good company, a lot of skaters crashed in qualifying, Erik, Dalau, Aussie Ramon and Scoot (who won last year). It’s raining now, hopefully it pisses off for tomorrow so I can have a stab at a better time, otherwise I will just have to deal with a bad starting spot in the bracket.
Either way this hill is epic, so much fun. Its like a playground of radness.

K-rimes got top qualify, Switzer actually got a faster time but refused to wear the racer bib. They warned him if he didnt wear it properly they would DQ him, so he did it anyway, got a whole second faster than Kev, and got DQ’d… hilarious.

Evran was ripping in 2nd place.

Leeso got a pretty solid time (33rd), faster than mine (47th), but he said he scrubbed a little in the last corner and crawled to the line. If the weather holds up tomorrow we can get some good runs in.

Dani is not skating, he fell over with a beer bottle in his pocket at the party in Almabtrieb and cut his leg open big time. Had to get 14 stitches. So he’s on the camera somewhere, we should score some good footage and get a rad vid happening after the race!.

cheers for now

jacko

Graveyard Call
Run #1 Qualifying Leaders

1. Kevin Reimer, Canada             2:08.113
2. Evren Ozan, United States      2:08.672
3. Stefan Ruefli, Switzerland        2:09.484
4. Christoph Batt, Switzerland      2:10.448
5. Christoph Haller, Switzerland   2:10.661
6. Mischo Erban, Canada             2:11.079
7. Adam Persson, Sweden           2:11.752
8. Haakon Wegge, Norway           2:12.514
9. Patrick Aldinger, Germany        2:12.844
10. Audun Guneriussen, Norway  2:13.031

IGSA Day One Qualifyng report

Complete Qualifying Run #1 Results