max capps

http://adrenaline-fueled.com/?p=5497

Well Adrenaline Junkies, This is Leecifer here and I am about to share with you the article I wrote that started it all for me. I remember driving behind Max Capps down a hill and seeing him tuck it and slide turns. My mind was blown. “You HAVE to teach me what you are doing!” I told Max. Within a week he had set up a board to let me ride and borrow and started taking me around and teaching me how to properly bomb hills. The knowledge I have taken from Max pertaining to downhill skateboarding is a long list but enjoy this article on Max. – Leecifer

Skater Feels The Need for Speed

Staying on top of a skateboard going over 50 mph is very difficult.

“Your butt hole kind of shrinks shut, you have to get a good speed tuck, and you can’t wiggle around,” said Max Capps. ”You become one with the road.”

Capps likes going fast.  He is a downhill skateboarder.

“55 mph is the fastest I have gone.  I average 35-50 mph but there are guys that push 70-80 mph,” Capps said.

In 2008 he was 19th in the United States and currently he is ranked 155th in the world according to the International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA).

Capps has been skateboarding for 4 years now, “I would just cruise around the neighborhood at first.  Then I started going fast.  I like going fast,” Capps said.  “He’s faster then a speeding bullet,” said Greg Silvia, 19, business management.

Downhill skateboard races are held all over the world.

“I will be racing in Washington and Colorado this year” Capps said.

The way races are set up is very safety oriented.  A physician, paramedic, or qualified medical attendant and first aid kit is required to be present at all races.

All riders must also receive approval from a technical inspector making sure all the rider’s equipment are in good working order.

Races are usually 0.5 to 15 miles, held on steep roads with several turns.  Usually roads you would not dream of racing down or even going down on a skateboard.

The rider’s safety equipment must meet several specifications as well.  Helmets must be hard shell, full-face helmets with a shatterproof shield or goggles.  Riders must also wear a one or two-piece suit and full-fingered gloves made of leather or Kevlar.  Shoes are required to cover the ankles from abrasion and elbow or kneepads are recommended, but are not mandatory.

Along with safety equipment the skateboard has its own specifications.

The deck of the board must be structurally sound and cannot have any sharp edges.

A complete board may not exceed 15.4 pounds and the board cannot be more than 55 inches long and 12 inches. wide.  Trucks must be the normal lean to steer technology and no wider than 12 inches.  Wheels must be no wider than 5 1/8 inches and the bearings must be the kind that can fit into a standard 608 hub.  All braking must be accomplished using the rider’s feet.

It is also important to note that in this sport you must be standing in an upright position on your skateboard.  Laying down on your back or stomach is prohibited.

While racing, riders are doing many different maneuvers.  They are drafting behind each other while sliding and drifting around turns going 35-50mph.

Several different techniques are used to both stop and control ones speed.

Footbraking is a skill you have to learn and is an effective method for shaving off some speed, but it’s not nearly as effective as sliding.

Sliding is the most effective way to take off speed and there are many variations of slides.

When a rider is traveling really fast the air brake is an effective way to cut some speed off before a turn.  This method is simply standing up on the board with your arms outstretched trying to get as much wind resistance as possible.

Drifting around turns also helps take off some speed, but if it is done incorrectly it can cause riders to crash.  One thing a rider really wants to avoid is sliding and having the board stop, instead of continuing to slide.

This will generally have an unpleasant result.

Carving and adjusting the speed tuck are effective ways to increase or decrease speed by allowing friction in the wheels to reduce speed and reducing wind drag to increase speed.  Carving is basically turning left to right in S shaped paths on your way down the hill.

“Long boarding is super underground.  There are popular riders, but there are no celebrities,” Capps said.  “Although there isn’t a lot of money to be made racing, the atmosphere is what it is all about.”

Crashes are inevitable in this sport.  “I’ve had four really gnarly falls.  The last one was in Laguna Beach trying to stop,” Capps said.

Going fast on your board is all about confidence, and crashing can play a big part mentally on a rider.

Danny Way broke the speed record by going 74 mph on a skateboard.  “When we heard about Danny Ways speed record we were really pissed.  Long boarding is super underground and it costs a lot of money to get into the Guinness Book of World Records, plus you have to close a road.  There are people that have gone faster than Danny Way hundreds of times,” Capps said.

“In the last 2 years, the way people are riding is way different,” Capps said.  Once Cliff Coleman invented what is known as the “Coleman slide” skateboarding changed forever.  This maneuver is basically sliding sideways drifting one hundred eighty degrees, which helps shave off some speed.

There are now many different varieties of slides.

You can immediately notice a long board skateboarder by their board.  It is distinctly different compared to a regular Tony Hawk or Danny Way skateboard.  Long boards come in many shapes and sizes.

“Wheels and trucks make the world go round,” Capps said.

Wheels and trucks are a huge part of the sport and affect the way the board rides significantly.  Wheels come in a variety of sizes, widths, and different durometer (The hardness of the wheel).

Buying the right type of wheels is important for the type of riding that you will be doing.

If you are doing a lot of sliding you will want a different wheel then if you are trying to go fast.  “I’ll have days where I will go through a set of wheels in one day to the core” Capps said.

Long boarding is a mentally and physically tough sport. Riding is a constant challenge and can be full of rewards and consequences. Despite the risk of injury, Capps pushes his riding further and further everyday with support from his friends.   The long boarding community is definitely a tight knit group.

“A big part of skateboarding is the partying and the family,” Capps said. – Leecifer Eisler

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This isn’t a rave, It’s a Full Moon Outlaw Skateboard Race!!! Photo taken by: Stephanie South

Boards, helmets and riders lit and seen with glow sticks embarked on a journey that most riders didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. I didn’t even know what I was getting myself into. A large group gathered at the top, Chris De Guzman shouted out the rules, what was going to happen, what the course was like and where the ending was. After a quick group photo everyone gathered at the start and go go go!!!

Chinese start, everyone at once jamming down the narrow path which is also the fastest part of the course. I only made it probably 500 feet before I could see glow sticks flying everywhere in front of me, the sounds of boards scraping, bodies hitting the ground and feet slamming against the concrete as riders tried to run it out. It was about 2 seconds after that I hit either a person or board and landed on someone else and then hat at least one board and two other riders run into me. After the huge pile up and everyone scrambling to find their boards everyone continued back down the hill.

The path was rad especially following an army of glowsticks tucking hard pushing and pumping. The speeds were hard to judge at night but the path was a little over cruising speed the whole time. It took several dips under pitch black bridges and tunnels. Swooped through the valley and next to a creek. This event was actually probably one of the most fun events that I have attended big thanks to Chris De Guzman for hosting it and spreading the stoke. The night ended with Max Capps winning it! – Leecifer

Niko Kroha gets up close and personal with the camera for a rad shot. Thanks Niko! Photo By: Lee Eisler

1st (center)- Max Capps, 2nd (left)- Sean Brinegar, 3rd (right)- Nathan Marton. Photo By: Lee Eisler

Sunny and already tired I headed over to check out the race. Finding out the semi finals were going by I quickly skated and power walked up the hill to get my spot. It seemed like a never ending flow of many familiar and many unfamiliar faces flying by. Unsure of what was going on I just started snapping some pics. It wasn’t long until what turned out to be the final heat went by (The results are shown below).

It was great seeing all the familiar faces I haven’t seen in some time. Many first time racers and many stoked families. The race only cost a dollar so it was to be taken lightly and meant to be fun which it was. I have to admit this was much cooler than I thought it was going to be! – Leecifer

1st- Max Capps

2nd- Sean Brinegar

3rd- Nathan Marton

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www.skatersocks.com- The best striped socks on the market- made in the usa

Filmed By: Tyler Hampson

“That was gnarly” exclaimed Capps as I picked him up for his first run ever down the hill. The pavement gets really gnarly right at the fastest part. I followed him down again and watched him hit the rough patch break tuck and wobble. “This is the hill to do if you wanna get fast and gnarly” said Capps. Anyways watch the video clip to check out some super rad raw footage. – Leecifer

Edit and filmed by: Max Capps

Sometimes it’s hard to tell what Tyler Hampson likes more. Macaroni and cheese or skateboarding. For him the perfect day is enjoying his two favorite things. I don’t know if he actually got to eat macaroni and cheese this day but we know he’s thinking about it now. – Leecifer

Film: Tyler Hampson

Edit: Max Capps

There is nothing Max loves more than getting new gear and he made this video because of his new aero helmet and his brand new Radii shoes. Be sure to check some of Radii’s other style’s at www.radiifootwear.com. Anyways this is just another fun local run showing off the new gear. Untile next time. – Leecifer

Edit by: Tyler Hampson

A group of skate rats from So Cal united to form a group called the Rat Gang. They were formed with the mission to skate, create and dominate every road in their path. Babies cry at their sight and 3 member’s are on America’s Most Wanted list. Nothing can stop them and they all believe in Skatan.

The following names are people who may or may not be part of the Gang and they may or may not appear in this video:
Tyler Hampson
Max Capps
Daniel Luna
Brett Ciabattini
Ben Koff
Andrew Schumaker

Marcus Lacavera

Justin Beavers

Christopher Wellington

Jesse Dishno

Jacob Budds

Niko Kroha

Christian Fuentes

Filmed by: Max Capps

Edit by: Lee Eisler

So we didn’t make it out to this one but we hooked Max Capps up with our camera and tripod to see what he would get. After reviewing all the footage we absolutely loved the commentary from Max and Roger Jones. HIlarious stuff! Instead of making this some short video edited to music we decided to pull out a little different flavor, plus we have been digging raw footy lately. We took 45 minutes of footage and turned into 13 minutes taking you through the event.

Roger Jones came back from the grave for this contest. He’s just skin and bones.

Ben Hryn throwing down a super steezy squating stand up slide.

The event seemed really cool. It was a very laid back contest with the crowd choosing the winner through cheering. It was more of a bro down skate session with all the homies. Anyways Daniel Luna won the open section.

film/edit by: Max Capps

music by: Andrew Oye
song: Get Out

Bryn Jones and Max Capps would like to welcome Tyler Hampson to the gunmetal team.

Max Capps stole the gopro for a local run with Tyler Hampson. Check out this screenshot we grabbed.

Max Capp’s earned some style points here

Be sure to check out Capp’s interview in Wheelbase Magazine. Marcus summed it up well.