Hi, Tom. Thanks for the interview.
Before we talk about Top Challenge, let’s introduce you to the inline boarders out there.
Name: Tom Whalen
Age: 17
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 180 lbs.
Home Town: Brownfield, Maine, USA
Inline Board: Dirtsurfer GP with Vuelta Airline rims, and primo comet 1.35 tires
Rider Since: June 2005
Tom, you really burst upon the inline boarding scene at Top Challenge in Montreal this month. Congratulations on your 4th place finish. Do you have any other family members who ride or race? No, nobody else rides, and I don’t think they will change their minds anytime soon.
What do your parents think about you racing on these crazy things? Well, my racing does worry them both a lot, but they are both very supportive of me and have always let me pursue my racing.
What other sports do you compete in? Aside from Dirtsurfer Inline Boards, I race Streetluge, Gravitybike, and Buttboard.
How long have you been riding Dirtusrfers? I started seriously riding right after MCGFIV (The gravity fesival race in Munnsville, New York back in June) so I’d say…. 3 months maybe.
How many gravity races have you been in? I have raced Streetluge and G-bike in over 30 events in the last 4 years, but Top Challenge was my first time racing Dirtsurfer.
What awards have you won? I was the GSI Gravitybike World champ in 2003 and I placed 4th in Inline Board at Top Challenge.
Why did you choose to ride the Dirtsurfer? I chose to ride because the Dirtsurfer is the ultimate hybrid vehicle of a downhill skateboard and a gravity bike. These are two sports that I like a lot but never thought they could be combined.
What do you like about it? I love the fact that it is so well designed for speed, and at the same time it is very basic. Aside from the deck, the wheels and the brake are the only components to mess around with.
What’s your top speed so far on a Dirtsurfer? So far I think I have gone about 50 miles per hour, but I hope to take some faster runs soon.
Where’s your favorite place to ride? My favorite place to ride is currently a hill right down the street from my house. It’s a great place to practice every aspect of riding. The best way to discribe the spot is like a short rollercoaster of a road. It starts by dropping in slowly to the right and then gets steep real fast. This empties out into a nice fast “S” curve. The “S” curve then runs uphill and to the right. The road then drops down a very steep hill that flows into a long flat straight for the finish. The best part is that when I’m done I can hike the road next to it and roll all the way back home.
What was it like for you at Top Challenge? Top Challenge was a very fun experience. I was a little nervus to be racing a new discipline. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the event. It was fast paced and well run. I liked the location a lot, too.
What was the best part? The best part of the event for me was having the opportunity to ride with so many other competitors in a safe race environment. It was a lot better than riding by myself.
Was there ever a moment during the race or qualifying that you thought you were going to lose it or crash? During qualifying I was still getting a feel for the road, the first 2 runs I attempted to take the first right hand corner at full speed, no brakes…. that didnt turn out so well. My wrist is still recovering from that. I almost lost it in the finals as well.
What did you do to keep it together? During the finals I almost lost it in the 2nd to last corner when I started to slide out, I put my arms out for balance and managed to correct the slide.
What do you feel is the most important part of getting ready to race in an event like Top Challenge? For me it’s really pretty simple for any event. I always get ready at least a day earlier than I think I need to. This way I have plenty of time to double check and make sure I have everything I need. Doing this makes race day much easier. All I need to do is show up and focus on what I came to do rather than wondering where my gloves are or trying dial in my board at the last minute.
What was the hardest part of the race course? The hardest part of the course was definitely the bumps in the corners. They were a big factor in both of my crashes. It was hard to find a fast line through the turns that avoided them.
Who was your toughest competitor? There were many fast riders at Top Challenge. My most obvious competition was from Alexandre Vincent, Guillaume Landry and David Legault. These guys were very fast all day and worked hard to earn their spots on the Podium. I think they were a little faster because they ride in the crouch style while I use the speedboard type (standing) riding style.
Who do you admire in the sport? Well, I guess I would have to say theTurmans. Its just wicked cool that they all get out and ride together as a family.
What do you hope to accomplish in the sport of inline boarding? I haven’t really thought about any big goals yet. Growing the rider base in the U.S. would be a good thing. I’ll work toward that.
Where do you plan to race next? I’m not sure yet. At this point I know I can’t make it to the Bainbridge, Ohio race so I guess I’ll just try to make whatever race comes up in the spring of ’06.
How do you think you’ll do there? I hope I do well… who doesn’t want to get on the podium?
What advice can you offer to other young riders thinking of competing? First off, buy protective gear. It’s a very good investment to keep yourself safe and a requirement for all races. Seccond, never think that you can’t compete at this level. All it takes is a little practice.
You can learn more about Tom Whalen at his website www.whalengravitysports.com. He’s looking for sponsors, so feel free to contact him you’re interested. We expect more great things from Tom. We’ll be following his career with great interest.
“Live what you love.”
-Brian
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