Catalina Island – the view from the startline, Photo Tamara Prader
I got to Los Angeles, straight to the Newport Beach Film Festival, picking up my brand new NJK leather suit and then heading out to Catalina Island!
What a start!
Fitting at NKJ, Photo Pat Switzer
We were convinced, the race action would start with some freeriding on saturday. After we had found out that we’d only get one day on the hill, the party became a lot better.
And the Mexican guy behind the bar made some very generous Margheritas! …guess I should have gone for one more Dollar Taco.
The Catalina Island Classic was held back in 1977 the last time. It was a great pleasure to meet one of the ladies competing in the race back than! She and her sister both did race and they still enjoy the island life, getting Sophia, Karens daughter, ready for some downhill action.
Flying away with Graham, Photo Pat Switzer
Rider meeting! Photo Tamara Prader
It is about an hour from Los Angeles to Avalon, the tiny capital of Catalina. Avalon is a very pretty place where skaters usually wouldn’t spend too much time. Only one funny story about this place, they have buffalos there because a film crew simply left them on the Island after they were done filming.
The race day started early and on time. Three runs, that was it for practice on a pretty technical hill. The heats were set. No qualifying.
There were six ladies at the start line! We got to do an awesome amount of runs thanks to the point system we ran the race on. Thank you Dubes!
The guys had some gnarly heats down the narrow race track! James Kelly won the race, Patrick Switzer came in 2nd and Alex Tongue took 3rd. Pam Diaz took 3rd in the womens division, Christine was in 2nd and I won my first race! Whoopwhoop!
…for some more skating!
We had to leave this extraordinary place on monday to go back to Los Angeles and a different scale of city again. Seeking for some more and different adventures!
