Meet a real speed freak
Speed merchants can’t wait to descend steep roads at 100km/h, writes Henri du Plessis
WHEN you peak at Malanshoogte from the Vissershok Road side, the sight that greets you takes your breath away any day of the year.
Because as you top the rise and come around a lazy bend, the rolling hills of the Swartland unfold before your eyes, a patchwork of farming fields, dotted with distant farmsteads, tree-lined farm roads, a pale blue sky and the darker hued mountains even further away.
It is usually a quiet place, a good spot for contemplation, for airing thoughts, for washing the city’s grime from the soul.
But this weekend the silence will be broken by the sound of high speed wheels turning at a rapid pace.
This weekend there will be much more at play than a few aired thoughts. And instead of city grime, it will be blood, sweat and tears as the local stand-up downhill longboarding fraternity gets together for the first race of the year.
Spectators can safely bet that speeds of over 100km/h will be recorded with ease as the longboard skaters compete for the honours at the Fair Cape Downhill Challenge.
If you think taking part is simply a matter of jumping on a board, holding your balance and getting to the bottom as fast as you can, have a chat with 15-yearold Vito Torrente and his mother, Angela, from Fish Hoek.
That is because Vito, a tall, slim fellow with a serious approach to his sport, has been a bit of a revelation over the past year. Vito started messing about with skateboards in 2012 as a tenderfoot, and last year scored the highest points in his age category, attaining speeds of around 95km/h.
And it may be interesting to note that when Vito reaches the end of a run at the bottom of the Malanshoogte Road, he breathes heavily, is quite red in the face and hot from the effort.
The fact is, riding that longboard at such speeds along a road that has a less than perfect surface, is no walk in the park.
Then, to make the board go fast, finding the best racing line for the quickest time and, in the group races, avoiding the opponents without rear-view mirrors – well, that takes awareness, skill, endurance and strength.
Vito isn’t given to superlatives. When you press him, he will admit that the sport carries its own risks. No surprises there, considering that you are doing between 90 and 120km/h on a somewhat longer than standard skateboard while standing up on a bit of downhill tarred road with several curves.
At a recent contest, he collided with a photographer. The latter had some broken ribs to show for the encounter.
“You may also collide with fellow competitors in the group races. It has happened to me before, but I’ve not been badly injured.”
For safety, the competitors wear crash helmets and full body leather suits similar to those used for motorcycle racing.
The technique required is fluidity, smoothness. And the secret is finding the racing line and sticking to it.
“I have surfed, but I don’t get to do it enough these days,” Vito confesses. “I never really did short skateboarding, just in the beginning. I would like to get back into body-surfing a bit more, though.”
But his sport might soon be keeping him too busy for other things. Stand-up downhill longboarding is a fast-growing sport. For this weekend’s contest, organisers are expecting double the spectators seen at last year’s event. The nicest part of the sport is the fact that there is no difficulty in understanding the handicap system within the groups. The first person across the line wins in the group races and the quickest time in the solo timed runs wins. It is as simple as that.
And as spectators increase, so will the number of events.
“I really enjoy going with Vito to the events and to watch the races,” says Angela Torrente.
“Of course, I am a parent, we worry, but the atmosphere is fun, the action is great and it is usually a nice day out,” she says.
The Fair Cape Downhill Challenge is being held on Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday dedicated to registration, practise and time trials.
The main spectator day is on Sunday, which is race day.
The Fair Cape course of Malanshoogte is situated about 10 minutes from Durbanville. Take the route from Durbanville along Koeberg and Adderley roads to Malanshoogte Road. The Vissershok into Malanshoogte entrance will be closed, say organisers.
The course is 1.9km long from start to finish.
Top speeds of over 110km/h have been reach for downhill skateboarding and 120km/h for street luge. During the summer months the south-easter often blows, which is an excellent tailwind for some extra speed. Tactics play a critical role on this course, the organisers say.