More than 110 skateboarders will take over Mount Keira this weekend for Australia’s only component of the World Cup of downhill skateboarding.
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The athletes will descend upon the Illawarra from many corners of the earth, to kick off the first leg of the 2016 International Downhill Federation Series.
It’s only the second time the event has been held in Wollongong, but for Australian expat Jackson Shapiera he’s hoping that will give him a competitive edge.
The 27-year-old is now based in California - closer to his sponsors - but learnt his craft years ago along Queen Elizabeth Drive and Mount Keira Road.
“It’s pretty much one of my favourite hills,” he grinned. “This is where it all began for me, I put on my first set of leathers and full face helmet and charged down this hill.”
Shapiera is a veteran to the sport having begun competing on the World Cup circuit in 2008.
In the early days he would make his way down to the Gong from his North Curl Curl home to train two to three times a week.
“After years of riding it and learning all the lines I’ve pretty much got it all dialled,” he said. “Its’ home to me and it stacks up as one of the really good World Cup [locations] because it can challenge anybody without being too demanding.”
Men, women and juniors will line-up to post their best time in the downhill (standing on the board) or the more comfortable looking Luge (lying down).
Organisers expect thrills and spills, unavoidable when athletes can top speeds above 100 km/h.
Australian Skateboard Racing Association President James Hopkin said the lush peak was the perfect location because of it’s closeness to a major airport, it’s picturesque location and it’s surrounding community.
It’s for this reason the association is pushing to make Mount Keira the permanent location to host the event on a yearly basis.
Hopkin brushed aside concerns local residents may have, considering the tainted reputation some skateboarders bring.
“[Longboarders] mostly are more connected to surfing than they are skating,” he said. “It’s not about them destroying an area, it’s about them enjoying an area. It’s about being part of the mountain.”
Boarders won’t have too much time for rest following the Wollongong event, travelling to New Zealand one week later for the next series set on the northern slopes of the volcano Mt Ruapehu.
Ironically this is where Shapiera snapped his leg “clean in half” during a skating trip three years ago. Two surgeries later and he’s still getting over the pain.
He said the experience opened his eyes to life outside of pro-skateboarding, but still hopesd to skate on as long as he can.
“I think i’m going to be continuing this on for as long as I can as a professional while i can.”