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Cathlamet Downhill Corral 2015 Day 1 & 2 Photos
In late August, the 7th annual Cathlamet Downhill Corral took place during some of the heaviest forest fires in recorded history. On the second day, the smoke made its way to the air above us. The sky had an eerie red haze to it and the sun seemed like it was setting forever. Despite these raging fires, over 100 riders made their way from near and far to skate one of the most diverse skate events weekends I know of, with seven different disciplines to compete in. I didn’t make it to every single event this year, but I made an effort to give the Cathlamet DH some documentary justice. Enjoy!
I showed up Friday afternoon, rolling with the PDX Arbor Sk8 Bus. With captain Casey Morrow at the wheel, we left Portland in the morning, crossed into Washington and stopped by Battleground skatepark to get our park skating cravings met. Riding in the bus was Byron Essert, Will Royce, KJ Nakanelua, Zion Miller, David Rudgers, and Michael Roy. Our Hawaiian/Washingtonian friend Nikko Kamanuwai met us there. Alicia Fillback, Carmen Shafer, and Carly Bizama also met us there in a separate car. We even had Big Dave and Yvonne Byers take a break from on their own trip to Olympic National Park for some solace and exploration.
We skated ’til it rained, waited it out, skated ’til it rained again for good and then we cruised over to Cathlamet where it was dry the whole weekend. We missed the slalom, but here are the results: First place was Jordan Huotari with 17.815 seconds, second was Brandon Tissen with 18.246 and third was Robin McGuirk with 18.368. Jordan rips and fittingly runs Rip City Skate in Portland, Brandon is an all-around skater who’s been King of Cathlamet a few times, and Robin is basically a retired but undefeated Portland Push race champion and also all-around skater and owner of Eastside Longboards. I wish I could’ve made it to race these guys.
When the Sk8 Bus showed up, people were still registering and starting the slopestyle practice.
Amanda and Catherine get people registered.
Apparently the new sheriff in town was unaware of the weekend event and was a bit surprised to see all the skaters taking over the town.
Jp Rowan, the main organizer, announces how the slopestyle event will commence and be judged.
Alicia Fillback graced everybody with her sleeveless and fingerless style.
Kj Nakanelua gets mad air in the middle of this air transfer train.
Brandon Tissen – One Footer
The event technically hasn’t started and there’s already blood on the ramp.
Will Royce – Air transfer
Alicia Fillback – fingerless rail grabbing
View of the rest of the slopestyle course.
Brandon likes to ollie ramps.
Nikko Kamanuwai, Rob McKendry, and Jp Rowan judge the contest.
Carly Bizama takes a break from the sun.
James West Jr. – rail grabbin’ truck grindin’ on wood noping.
Jon Tecate with a tail dragger.
Byron Essert – Boneless
James West Jr. – Boneless
Kj Nakanelua shows his multiple skills with this step off old school thing
Kj Nakanelua _ Indy air
Kj Nakanelua – Nosebluntpick
Brandon Tissen landed this huge 180.
This photographer wanted to capture a close-up of it. I hope she got it.
Byron Essert – BS 360 air
Byron Essert – Some backside nosewheele 180 powerslide or switch weelie 180 powerslide or something stylish
After hours of slopestyle, riders took a dinner break and headed across town (a few blocks) to ride the Sidewalk Showdown until it got dark. The Sidewalk Showdown is a slalom event set-up by Skip Marcotte of Turn Co. The event features cones, quarter-pipes, mini-mule kickers, and double rollers down a mellow grade of street and sidewalk. Riders took solo runs for the fastest time.
Riders line up for the Sidewalk Showdown.
Byron Essert pumps for the the next cone.
Zion Miller kick turns the first ramp.
Robin McGuirk feathers through the sprinkler sprayed cone area.
Kj Nakanelua pumps as much as he can down the slippery section of the course.
Robin wallies the mini-mule.
Jordan Huotari navigates the course.
Brandon Tissen slows his roll a bit as he drops down
William Stephan sheds some speed for a steep sidewalk section of the Sidewalk Showdown.
Brandon Tissen leads Harrison DePass down the course.
Volunteer Adrian DaKine brings some extra safety protection for the course.
James West Jr. pumps his heart through the rollers.
For the Sidewalk Showdown, Brandon Tissen came in first with 28.73 seconds, Casey Morrow with 29.507, and in third place was Devon Dotson with 29.573.
Jp takes a well needed break on the roof of his cabin.
Rob announces from his breaktime cabin area, hanging out with Adrian.
Thane lines across traffic lines.
On the second day, the haze rolled in. The forest fires from the surrounding area The haze didn’t stop the sun from penetrating; it was a good idea to wear sunscreen or hit the shade during the day.
Behind the ramps
The ramps took a lot of human power to make and move. A big thanks goes to all the volunteers.
With all the ramps in place, organizer Jp Rowan took a break to ride them.
And then the Boarder Cross racing commenced.
The Boarder Cross.
Adrian Da Kine tumbles as Will Royce rides on.
Adrian Da Kine rolls one out as Will Royce jumps up the next ramp.
KJ hits the ramp to bank as James West Jr. follows closely behind.
Racers James West Jr., Harrison DePass, and KJ Nakanelua slide the corner before the final ramp.
Racers drop in.
Landon Jackson goes the safe route with a ride over the ramp while Brandon DesJarlais tries the early grab, which he just learned earlier that day. It didn’t work this time.
Brandon pushes to try and catch up with the rest of the racers in his heat.
Jon Tecate and Byron Essert air the first ramp simultaneously.
Jon Tecate and Byron Essertlift off the second ramp simultaneously. David Hiltbrand misses the shot.
Byron’s intense skate face shows the gnarliness of the event.
Boarder cross racing
Boarder cross racing with Byron Essert, Jon Tecate, KJ Nakanelua, and Zion Miller.
Boarder cross racing with Byron Essert, KJ Nakanelua, Jon Tecate, and Zion Miller.
Will royce and Landon Jackson hold hands to get through the ramp together safely.
Will makes it to the next ramp with more speed than Landon.
Will with a cig hangin’
Landon Jackson, Will Royce, Harrison DePass and Brandon Tissen in the corner.
Landon Jackson, Will Royce, Harrison DePass and Brandon Tissen in the corner.
Michael Carson gets a melon grab during his race heat.
Michael Carson going Bonzing on this ramp.
Brandon DesJarlais and Will Stephan air the first set of ramps.
Harrison, KJ, Landon, and Byron line up for the consolation final heat.
Kj flys while Harrison lands.
Kj follows closesly behind Harrison.
Kj Nakanelua pumps a quarter-pipe as Harrison DePass leads a few paces ahead. Harrison won this heat. Landon got hit by a filming drone that fell.
The final heat lines up. Zion Miller, Will Royce, Jon Tecate, and Brandon Tissen.
Racers drop into the final heat.
Zion,Will, and Jon navigate the ramps while Brandon plays it safe.
Will Royce and Zion Miller get really tight together.
Will Royce pushes Zion Miller up so he can put four wheels on the ramp, as required.
Will and Zion battle for postion.
Zion Miller lifts off while he and Will Royce battle closely.
Zion Miller and Will Royce battle closely.
Zion Miller and Will Royce battle closely.
The final heat with Brandon Tissen, a buttboarding filmer, Jon Tecate, Will Royce, and Zion Miller
On the final mule kicker, Jon Tecate bailed hard, Will Royce somehow pushed through to first place, bumping Jon’s tumbling body on his way past. Zion Miller snagged second place and Brandon Tissen got third. Jon ended up with fourth and a really sore body.
Next up was the Big Air contest. In snowboarding, Big Air usually means tricks. Since we don’t have our boards strapped to our feet and we aren’t all Chance Gaul, Big Air at Cathlamet means longest distance.
Kj Nakanelua goes for some big air…
But instead got some face road rash.
When KJ bailed on the landing, he wasn’t wearing slide pucks on his gloves. He put his hands out and they just stuck to the ground and he slammed his face on the ground.
Catherine and the Cathlamet paramedics assess KJ’s injuries.
KJ says he’s alright, as he ices his cheek/ eye area.
The Big Air continued with Will Stephan blasting.
Will Stephan grabbed his board and squatted a mean skate face to a stop after a massive air.
Brandon DesJarlais just learned how to early grab air big ramps and he ended landing a 29 foot air.
Brandon DesJarlais flips a piece sign to the audience as he slides to a stop.
Will Stephan grabs the biggest air with a distance of 31 feet, 9 inches.
Brandon goes for another but bails.
Organizer David Mitchell announces the winners of the Big Air.
Will Stephan with the biggest air and Brandon DesJarlais with the second.
Will Stephan reached a distance of thirty-one feet and nine inches for the Big Air contest. The record of thirty-five feet set in 2013 by Chance Gaul is still one to beat.
Will, David Rudgers, and KJ check out footage of KJ scraping his face on the pavement.
Epic, hazy, forest-fire induced sunset at the Cathlamet Marina.
After a long day in the sun and haze, the natural choice for a beer drinker would be to drop anchor at the River Mile 38 Brewing Company at the bottom of the course, which had many different styles to choose from. Plus, for the whole weekend they changed all the names of the styles to fit a longboarding theme. Notice the Billy Bones Hard Cherry Cider up top. He’s famous in Cathlamet. I had the Summer Shandy and it was awesome. Sorry Billy.
Drop Anchor Brewery Tap List
The night was fun. The guys and I in the Sk8bus hung out by the Marina and slept there too. The next day was race day and you’ll have to check back Wednesday to see the photos from the race.
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