CAPITOLA
CLASSIC
Hurtling past an enthusiastic crowd lining Monterey street Billy Ruff demoed some blazing streetstyle routines at Capitola
Photo: Seth Affoumado.
SOLE
Micke Alba kicks out a stylish "nosepicker" on the "natural" asphalt curb. Photo: Craig Willams
Z-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-z-Beep! Beep!
Wham! FN ALARM CLOCK! Oh great it's
8:30 and I have to be in Capitola by 9:00 to
take shots of the practice session. At this rate
I'll barely make the start. I thought to myself.
as I scrambled to get dressed and leave my
flat. I walked into my living room and kicked
the couch where my friend(?) Ed was crashed.
He stirred and I told him to haul-ass-awake',
we had to leave immediately. He made one of
those I'm-still-not-awake-enough-to-comp-
lain kind of whimpers, then my girl, myself
and Ed lunged down the stairs, and we were
on our way to Capitola. Time 9:03. "We're
gonna be late. I kept thinking. My car was still
out of long distance commission, so I was
graciously transported in my girlfriend's car.
Capitola, thriving Nor-Cal beach communi-
ty, vacation spot, local hangout and home of
the Capitola Classic. In past years the Classic
has been a downhill race with good success,
but lack of variety and hassles with downhill-
only contests, made way for a different
format, "Street Style." Adapted from the
Thrasher Street Style contest of 83, the
Street-style' type of event has been very
successful, and fun for both participant and
spectator alike. This Capitola Classic featured
ramps from the 84 N.S.A Street-style:
event, and were set up in more of a course
type arrangement since it's held on a
semi-steep street running down to the nippy
waters of the Pacific.
I've always looked forward to the Capitola
Classic in the past. It turns a downhill street
into a full-on contest for a few hours, one day
a year. I had remembered all the speed suits,
dodging, drafting, board set ups, duck tails
and of course the smell of nylon when one of
the riders would touch base with the pave-
ment, their $100 speed-suits melting onto
their skin. The risk of skating always out-
weighs any potential hazards, be they mobs,
glass or local dirt-heads looking to hassle pool
practitioners. Of course that's only a small
part of the contests: the graphic reality of a 40
mph slide really hits home. Skating isn't for
hemophiliacs
We finally arrive after an hour and a half of
Ed working out his scattered thoughts and
impulsive fits of obnoxiousness. I would've hit
him if he was my kid, but he does play a good
guitar
Anyway, we park the command vehicle and
I grab my cameras, locking the car for safety.
Ed disappears into the crowd and we cruise to
the bottom of the hill where I can hear the
Editor's rap,wooing the audience. Oh, and of
course it's now 10:35. 35 minutes never seen,