If you couldn’t make it to the event, you can check out our coverage from BigMountainSkate’s Alpenrauschen here: Part 1 and Part 2, and get up to speed with everything that happened in those 4 days in Tauplitzalm, Austria.
During the event, the ROCKET Longboards team riders were on point, stacking numerous clips, either filming themselves or filmed by Mirko Paoloni with a follow car. One of that film runs is the one you got to see right now featuring Dominic Schenk (Switzerland) and Ian Freire (Brazil) sending it stand up at around 90 km/h.
Dominic Schenk and Ian Freire during a filming run at Alpenrauschen 2018 presented by ROCKET Longboards. Follow car – Mirko Paoloni.
Dominic and Ian met each other in 2015 during the RedBull No Paws Down where they competed with each other in the finals. That year Ian took 1st place and Dominic 2nd, but in 2017 Dominic took home the gold. Soon after their first RBNPD race, they became good friends and Ian Freire joined Dominic on the ROCKET Longboards team two years later.
In the video we could see how comparable these two “champions” are with their almost synchronized flow, both targeting the fastest and most technical lines. This really is a match made in skate heaven.
Both Dominic and Ian have their own pro model deck, handmade in Switzerland by Daniel Iseli, the founder of ROCKET Longboards. Dominic’s deck of choice in the video is his pro model the ROCKET Domination, while Ian took his Ian Freire Pro, featuring ROCKET’s LAF technology, for a wild spin down the Alpenrauschen track.
Besides Dominic and Ian there were 4 other ROCKET team riders on the track; Danilo Porto, Till Heiden, Dave Süess and a new team rider who has yet to be announced.
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The organiser of King’s Gate race, BigMountainSkate from Austria, had to cancel the event due to the heavy damage the track has suffered this winter.
The surface of road got worst in this so far really cold and snowy winter here in Austria. It wouldn’t be fun or safe to skate this road, its not accurate for a world class race. ~ BigMountainSkate via Facebook
King’s Gate was supposed to be one of the two IDF World Qualifying races in Europe. Now only the Transylvania IDF WQ race remains next to the World Cup races Kozakov in Czech Republic and Verdicchio in Italy.
As the announcement was published, the organiser of Transylvania race, the DEVAstation Longboard Crew decided to extend their event with additional freeride days.
With one event down, BigMountainSkate is now left with two of their most popular events in Austria, Alpenrauschen and Bela Joyride. With more time on their hands, we can expect BigMountainSkate to focus more on the remaining events and deliver even better experience.
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Tom Campbell and Ry Swanton are on the Island keeping us posted with the first freeride on Tenerife, Arico – El Bueno 2017 presented by KebbeK Skateboards and organised by BigMountainSkate.
Here’s how the second day rolled out on the Island…
The track is a black serpent working its way down a terraced mountain side, irrigation ditches cutting it up and cacti lining the sides. The surface is volcanic island tarmac, it slices through layers of wheels like nothing else.
Alex Dehmel live streamed a run with Islander Marcos Costa and lead organiser Felix Rupistch, check it out here…
In between runs, the riders spend the most time together while waiting for the buses at the bottom. However, this provides a rare opportunity for them to catch up and enjoy being a part of a tight knit international community. The events we go to and the runs we share as riders can create the closest of friendships and it is good to catch up whenever possible, even if it’s just at longboard events.
@domi_schenk: “Its so cool to see all the nice people again.”
@paristruckco: With plenty of fun runs on the long, winding course everyone is happy and feeling the burn. @ali_nas takes the inside with @mattkienzle close behind.
@kebbekskateboards: “Wheels are wearing down fast! Core a set, get a set for free”
@nata_zoja_mi_ shared this cool moment from the El Bueno mini ramp.
@radesigns: Some of the #radcrew is out on Tenerife for some island vibe slides. @emilylongboards follows @domi_schenk down the freeride hill to get the photo.
Wheels are being worn down at an exceedingly quick rate with riders having to rely on KebbeK Skateboards core a set, get a set offer.
Pete Connolly has worn down a set of Cult Raptures per day and seems to be running out quickly. For him the event is simple…
“Just freeride and enjoy the vibe”.
Will Edgecombe is there as well, taking photos for Skate[Slate]…
“I am glad to poach some runs on the beautiful track and skate alongside old friends”.
Overall having 5 days of riding gives riders the time to skate different. Juergen Gritzer has been spotted carving down the track on a KebbeK Shortcut while Pete Connolly has been seen throwing a super rare stand up slide.
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The Marshalling was controlled by the Sliders Skate House crew while the guys from BigMountainSkate took care of the start and oversaw the operation. With the chilled atmosphere surrounding the event riders carved and slid their way down the mountain, taking their time to find their perfect line through the hill.
People gathered around the start at El Bueno.
Beautiful view at Arico – El Bueno on Tenerife.
Where the fun starts every 20 minutes or so…
A look down to one of the many hairpins at El Bueno.
Emily Pross charging down Arico – El Bueno on Tenerife.
The Homies from KebbeK Skateboards have put on an exclusive epic deal for riders at the event: The riders can buy a set of slidey KebbeK wheels for 30 Euros and as soon as they core them, they get a new set for free, all week long.
Riders are already handing in their cored sets and redeeming fresh sets to ride…
With such a thane heavy hill we wanted to take away the worry from riders about how many sets of wheels they use ~ Joey Bidner, Kebbek Skateboards
Live run with Emily Pross
We were excited to watch a live stream of a run via Longboard Magazine Facebook page thanks to Emily Pross. She sent it down with a camera rig and streamed a run with Robbert van Haaften.
We also spoke to a few of the riders from the community about their first day at the event. Here’s what they shared with us…
German skater Sebastian Gschaider said:
My day begun pretty early at 6:30 at the Sliders Skate House and then onto the track to enjoy skating with my friends. The track is pretty sick with some funny corners and good hamburgers and nice pack runs with my Homies.
Dutch Skater Bart RiemVis said:
Although the hotel was crammed with the Dutch crew we made it out of bed just in time for the uplift buses. The first ride up the hill on the uplift buses was long but definitely worth it for the epic hill we got to skate. I would recommend BigMountainSkate freerides to anyone, they are the best events to attend from beginner to pro.
British Skater Mark Short describes the day as relaxed, fun with a hint of danger on the side. It’s gentle enough that a beginner can jump onto a board and get down with big carves and big smiles.
No crew has ever succeeded in pulling off a freeride in Tenerife and BigMountainSkate really had their work cut out for them. However they have succeeded in pulling off a lovely, efficient event despite the challenges they have faced.
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As planes are landing on Tenerife, the island vibes at Arico – El Bueno freeride presented by KebbeK Skateboards are setting in at the Ecovillaclub with “bellboy” Felix Rupitsch welcoming the guests.
Sleepy riders awoke this morning to a mini ramp overlooking the sea.
Arico – El Bueno 2017 mini ramp overlooking the sea.
Everyone is excited as setups are readied and wheels are packed.
With good forecasts predicted all week the pool is going to come in handy. The Dutch contingent are camped out beside the pool, this is the first sunshine they have seen in a long time.
Ruins at Arico – El Bueno 2017. Photo by Brianne Collective.
Arico – El Bueno 2017, relaxing at the beach. Photo by Brianne Collective.
Close to the hotel is an abandoned Leper colony. Riders today explored, filming lines through the buildings and warming their legs up for the week.
Joey Bidner skateboarding on the ruins at Arico – El Bueno.
With bars and cafes just ten minutes away from the hotel happy riders can be found scattered across the cafes in search of food and wi-fi.
Arico – El Bueno 2017, relaxing at the beach.
BigMountainSkate‘s reputation for creating a pop up paradise has been upkept at El Bueno. Sure the hotel is smaller than expected but the rest is perfect.
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The Master Championship from Outer Space returns this year bigger and more challenging then ever. Organised by the BIGMOUNTAINSKATE crew, Sector 9 Almabtrieb IDF WCQ race will be held on one of the fastest tracks in the circuit, high up in the Austrian alps, from July 13th till 16th, 2016. Around 180 downhill skateboarders (stand-up only) will battle down the 3.8 km long track hitting the speeds over 100kph and the fastest will take home the unmatchable title of the “Almabtrieb Champion 2016”.
Keep this tab open and check back daily for video and photo recaps, published straight from the event by Mihael Zadravec, Nadia Hozić and Alex Ireton.
Longboarding.co is a publishing platform that helps riders, brands, event organisers and other content creators sharing their news and media with the rest of the longboard community. Click here to subscribe to #LBMAGEU Newsletter.
The first KnK Longboard Camp was organised back in 2009 and has been setting records as one of the most “talked about” freerides in Europe since it was moved to the Bear’s Guts track in 2011. This year’s KnK Longboard Camp presented by Kebbek Skateboards returns with two six days freerides, including the Red Bull No Paws Down race at the first and the Cult Single Set Survivors race at the second week.
Introductory
Before I get started with all the event details, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who had fun with us at Bear’s Guts so far and everyone who is joining us for the first time this year.
When we organised the KnK for the first time in 2009, I never thought that it will become a worldwide recognised freeride with such a big impact on the European downhill skateboarding community. This would have never been possible without the awesome people like yourself. So, thank you very much and I’m looking forward to see you all very soon 🙂
This year’s KnK Longboard Camp 2016 presented by Kebbek Skateboards will once again be a BigMountainSkate partner event and if you’re joining us for the first time, here’s all of the event details. Just in case if you have any questions left unanswered, write them in a comment section below and I will reply as soon as posible.
Ok, let’s get down with it 🙂
About the Bear’s Guts track
There’s a good reason why Bear’s Guts is one of the best freeride tracks in our part of the World.
Gallery: Aerial shots by Felix Rupitsch and Florian Wagner.
KnK Longboard Camp features a 4 kilometers long road carved into a beautiful mountain in the wildest part of Slovenia, near a small town called Osilnica. It’s packed with 18 hairpins which are up to 10 meters wide, so there’s a lot of room to play around with your slides.
The Bear’s Guts has one of the smoothest pavements you’ll find around and there’s no pavement changes from start till finish, which makes it great for learning and improving your freeride skills. The top speed you might hit on the Bear’s Guts is around 80+ km/h and the steepest grade is 14 percent.
The Bear’s Guts is a very demanding track, but beginners are also welcome to join us. You’ll need to know how to perform at least one slide to get down the Bear’s Guts “safely” and you’ll have 6 days to learn the rest. The main idea behind this event is to be able to skate that amazing road for a week and progress as much as you would in a couple of months of shredding your local spots.
Required and recommended protection gear
At KnK Longboard Camp, a leather suit is not required, but it’s highly recommended for beginners. The only required protection gear is a full-face helmet and slide gloves. Although the knee and elbow pads are optional, you might want to consider wearing them, as well as a back protector.
Gallery: Action shots by Villing Chong.
Riders limit and registration
There are two editions of KnK Longboard Camp each year. The huge track, experienced crew and flawless organisation allows KnK to take in 250 riders per event (week).
Camping is included in the price and you’ll need to take care of the food and drinks yourself. Registration has already started, so make sure to join while you still can.
Accommodation
As I mentioned, camping is included in the price, as well as the warm showers and toilette facilities in the hotel. If you want to rent a room, you have to book it early via the Hotel Kovač website.
Gallery: Aerial shots by Felix Rupitsch and Florian Wagner.
You can rent a single or a double room for around 30 to 35 Euros per night or a bed in a dorm for 18 Euros per night. If you’re traveling with a camper, you can hook up to electricity but you’ll need your own cable.
Food and drinks at KnK Longboard Camp
You’ll need to walk only 5 minutes to get to the nearest and only store in the village where you can get some food for breakfast. That’s a great alternative to a bit more costly offer at Hotel Kovač, which is usually 5 Euros for all you can eat (sausages, fried eggs, yogurt, pancakes, toast sandwich with ham and cheese, fresh fruit, croissants, coffee or tea, etc).
At KnK the track runs from 11am till 6pm without stopping, but you can take a break from skating and get your lunch at the start (on the track). You can choose from grilled meat, kebab, falafel and similar and the prices stretch from 3 to 4 Euros.
After a full day of skating, you can have a dinner at the Hotel Kovač for a discounted price of 6.5 Euros. You’ll be served with a three course meal (soup, salad, main meal and possibly a desert). Vegans and vegetarians are covered as well. While you’re at it, you can also grab a cool beer for 2.20 Euros.
How to pack for KnK Longboard Camp
Since KnK Longboard Camp is a six days long event, you’ll have to pack a bit more stuff. Usually it gets hot up on the track and you’ll sweat a lot, so make sure you have enough t-shirts, socks and underwear – at least two pieces per day.
Pack a sweater for the evening hangouts at the party place too. Nights are not cold, but there’s a lot of humidity in the air. Weather got a bit sketchy in the past couple of years, so you might want to pack for the rain as well. Just like for Alpenrauschen, I’ll grab an extra pair of shoes.
Don’t forget your swimming suit, because there’s a nice river flowing next to the campsite where you can refresh yourself in the morning and show off your water jumping skills in the late afternoon. I would also recommend to have a gazebo tent if you want to enjoy some shade in the campsite since it’s placed on an open field.
Other than that, if you’re camping, you’ll obviously need your own tent and other camping gear, like a flash light, sleeping bag etc.
Red Bull No Paws Down @ #KNK2016 Week #1
This summer at KNK we’re proud to announce that Rob & Maga McWhinnie are coming back to Bear’s Guts with their bad-ass Red Bull No Paws Down race.
Racers have to make their way down the steep twisting track using stand up slides for braking. With hairpins & speeds up to 80 Km/h (50 mph) it’s truly a show of skill & nerve from riders from all levels. If you put your hands down, you’re out!
The race will be held on July 30th (the last day of Week #1) and during the race freeride will run as usual, so even if you’re not racing, you’ll still get a full day of skating.
The last year’s champion Ian Freire is coming back to defend his title, as well as Dominic Schenk who placed second is already registered for both weeks and ready to take home 1k Euros prize money.
Cult Single Set Survivors @ #KNK2016 Week #2
Doesn’t it suck when you race and don’t have enough wheels to change them every run, but others do? For sure it does. That’s why Nadim and I decided to organise a fun race where riders are allowed to skate the whole race with only one set of wheels of their choice.
A big thank you goes to Cult Wheels for supporting the idea and sponsoring with wheels. Racers will have an option to get a set of Cult wheels for a small fee of 20 Euros which will contribute towards money prize fund. Whether they’re going to use the Cult or some other wheels for the race, it’s totally up to rider’s choice.
Last year Matt Elver swept the first place with the longest board on the track, the Hackbrett Wasser. Here’s a video of the final run shot by Alexander “Alextiki” Frischauf.
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The long-awaited official video recap of Bigmountainskate’s smallest but raddest event LoRaLo is finally here! Filmed and edited by BrosBeforePros with the help of Alexander Frischauf, it brings back memories in a coolest way possible. Four days of endless fun, drunken nights and skating with the family was a perfect ending of the season for some of us. We’re already looking forward for the next year’s edition.
Racing at LoRaLo is always fun and never stressful. Much respect to everyone who were able to handle all those positive vibes and congratulations to all the winners!
Ladies 1st Gloria Kupsch / 2nd Susan Heine / 3rd Corrina Weigl Open 1st Quirin Ilmer / 2nd Matthias Mögele / 3rd Georg Mekisch Juniors 1st Jonas Stein / 2nd Janto Just / 3rd Anton Gerstmayr Buttboard 1st Gerrit Geiger / 2nd Alex Frischauf / 3rd Matthias Mögele
Matthias Mögele won a slopestyle and Arno Tien a miniramp contest.
If you’re keen to find out more about how this year’s LoRaLo went down, Markus Knoblechner already summed it all up in a great write-up for the Skate[Slate] magazine.
Longboarding.co is a publishing platform that helps riders, brands, event organisers and other content creators sharing their news and media with the rest of the longboard community. Click here to subscribe to #LBMAGEU Newsletter.
