British Columbia: The Salt Spring Slip’n

Chase and Tommy rockin’ the Risch lids

Wet slippery hills, gnarly crashes, someone shitting their pants, and all around good times. That’s the best part about downhill races right? That is exactly what the Salt Spring Slip’n'Slide Outlaw was all about.

Before I get into it, a BIG thank you to event organizer MAXWELL KAYE!! Thank you for a rad weekend I’m sure everyone had a great time.

Four gnarly hills on Salt Spring Island, kids crashing into ditches left right and center. Each hill claimed a hospital visit this year. Some bails a little crazier than others. This gnarly girl named Amy split open her arm, 14 or 16 stitches I believe. Four on the muscle and the rest to close her gash up!!!

To start my trip off, Ian Russell of Rayne Longboards, my younger sister Kasey, and myself all met up in Horseshoe Bay and caught the Nanaimo ferry to Departure Bay. Jeremy Banting met us on the other side and took us to visit none other than the main man at Switchback Longboards, Kelsey Crozier. Unfortunately Kelsey was preoccupied so he was not able to join us that weekend but that didn’t stop the fun.

Amy’s wound

In the morning, Nick Jean of Rayne Longboards showed up bright and not-so-early to pick us up. We packed up into the famous Bussy. Our trip members consisted of Nick Jean, Mack ‘RedEyez’ Wacey, Riley Browntown, Wolfgang Coleman, Cameraman Scott, Ian Russell, Kasey Zimmer, and myself. We picked up and dropped off people along the way. Aidan Lynds of Rayne was a frequent guest as well.

Aidan Lynds

The trip to the hills was pretty tame at first so I won’t go into boring detail except for one thing. To save money on the ferry we locked people in the trailer. Locked in the trailer was everyone except Nick Jean, Jeremy Banting, and myself. All of the sudden Nick and I start getting texts from the people in the trailer. Turned out Riley BrownTown had Brown-Towned himself. Everyone was locked in a shitty trailer (literally) for the next half an hour. I’m sure Switchback will have coverage of that.

Jacko and Browntown gettin’ close

We got into some unspeakable shenanigans, so unfortunately I can’t write about it, but I’m sure anyone who knows Rayne, Switchback, Redeyez, and Coast, at an outlaw, you can just imagine.

Overall great event, no problems with the locals, no cops were involved the entire weekend. A few gnarly bails and injuries.

Channel Ridge shuttle

Channel Ridge was dominated by Shaun Douglas, with Tommy Watson and Nick Jean snagging 2nd and 3rd place. Mack with #4.

The Slasher was taken by Tommy Watson, and in second BrownTown and Nick in 3rd. 4th was Mike.

Tommy took some really sharp tight lines. At one point he dove in a little too tight and shot into the apex and I swear his arm brushed my shoulder. He had some quick ninja reflexes and controlled himself, moved on through and took the race!!

Aidan Lynds at Quebec

Quebec was shown who was boss by Aidan Lynds. We knew he had that hill by his first practice run, he had the tightest lines on the last right hand. (I had to move everytime or I was going to be slapped in the face by steezy arms.) Second place was taken by a grom, Colm Lyons and in third, RedEyez Wacey. 4th was Nick.

Stoked on Tommy’s gift

And the super fast 90km/h bomb at Musgrave: Shaun “Thuglas” Douglas took first, with Mack in second and Nick Jean in third. And in fourth Aidan Lynds.

The end result for podium was an entirely Rayne podium!! Shaun Douglas took first, Tommy Watson in second, Nick Jean in third. And Mack Wacey took the fourth spot.

Podium

I decided to ask a rider about the event as well: Aidan Lynds of Rayne and Sector 9.

What did you think of the four hills, which one was your favorite and why?

Aidan: The hills were all unique in their own way. The fact that you had to be good at all styles of riding to make podium made it a really cool event. The hills range from long and sweepy where you don’t break tuck, to 90km/h predrifts, to short wet sketchy slides on really slippery pavement. As far as my favorite, I was super into the third hill. It was short and steep, with three sweepers into an immediate, wet, righthand hairpin. It made for tight racing and exciting crashes. After a good morning of head to head heats, I ended up coming in first. Stoked!

Who was your favorite person to skate with all weekend?

Mack Wacey killed it all weekend! Had some really cool tight runs with him. REDEYEZ!

What was your best/favorite moment of the event?

The final heat for the third race was quite the time! Mack pulled an early slide and I had to alter my line. Ended up losing traction heelside, and managed to turn it into a lil’ squatter, hooked up in time and made the last hairpin to take the race. Good times and tight riding.

What did you think of the event overall?

BC outlaws are always awesome! Grassroots racing with all the homies is a recipe for a great weekend. I’ll be back again!

Will you be back next year?

I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I think it’s events like this that make our community as great as it is. There’s nothing like getting together with 40 of your buddies and raging down some awesome BC hills – Outlaw style.

I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU AND SHOUT OUT TO RAYNE LONGBOARDS FOR STOCKING UP PODIUM PRIZES, SWITCHBACK, DOUG’S METAL WORKS, LANDYACHTZ LONGBOARDS FOR PRIZES, AND MAXWELL KAYE. ALSO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP!!

Alysha Frizell

My name is Alysha but some people call me ManSlaughter. I’m 20 years old from the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, Canada. I’ve been photographing and attending events since Danger Bay 2008. I’ve met a lot of rad people these last few years and I don’t think I’d give it up for anything.