Write up By Zen Shikaze
Photos Courtesy of Heidi Germann
Every year, Jody Wilcox puts on the Sullivan Challenge held in the mid of July during Kimberly's July Fest. And every year the course is dry and sunny with people trying to find cover away from the sun. Well not this year. This year there was rain... lots of rain! And the only cover the racers were looking for was away from the wet. This course is gnarly in the dry, with potholes in the alleyway, and cracks in the pavement at almost every turn. So you can imagine how crazy it was in the wet. Riders were excited to see before hand that carnage corner was repaved and mostly pot hole free. But the excitement was short lived for some, when the rain clouds came in and the downpour began. There was enough water on the course for a couple streams to form making the road look more like a river than a downhill skateboard coarse. But nothing stops the Sully from racing.
The race began at about two in the afternoon starting with three practice runs down the wet coarse. Racing began shortly after with a 64-man bracket with 8 man heats. This year was suppose to be the year where there was no foot braking or falling allowed, and if you did, you were eliminated. But since it rained, the rules were as they were last year where anything goes. Next year though will be a different story.
To my amazement, I had a blast coming down the drenched course. It was the most fun I’ve ever had when it came to racing. It was interesting to watch the race almost become a toss up with the crazy wet condition and the road tossing people across the track. Zak Maytum, defending champion of last years Sully was holding it down in the rain and consistently coming first in his heats. Making the dream of catching JimZ’s record of getting 3 first place podiums at the Sully closer to his grasp.
In the finals, Zak and I met up in the 1st place positioning in the qualifying round for rider placement. As we pushed off I was able to get out front, but got stuck in the potholes and Zak made his pass on the top flat section. I stayed with him right to the bottom and then made an inside pass on the last left “carnage corner” and took the 1st qualifying position. Now it was the final elimination round to see who would take the Sully. I pushed off into the front again but got stuck again in the holes where Zak made his pass as he did last time. As before I stayed with him right to the last corner. I was going for an outside pass right after the corner in the last straight stretch to the finish line, but then the wobbles hit. I went over some uneven wet pavement sending me into a frantic craze of wobbles which broke my tuck and balance giving Zak his solid win on the Sully for two years in a row. Zak’s dream of catching JimZ’s record is coming closer and closer with one more win added to his Sullivan experience and one more win to go to catch the legendary JimZ!
Next year will be the year to go to see who can defend the most consecutive wins in the Sullivan Challenge. And the new rules will come into effect with no foot braking or falling. Can’t wait to go for next year, rain or shine.
- Thanks Zen & Heidi for the great writeup and pics!!! - Skate[Slate]
