Skate the Cape 8: RECAP

SKATE THE CAPE!!! Such an epic weekend to unpack. We started off Friday night with live music at the campground from the Guzman brothers, long time Skate the Cape participants. Followed by a rap set from Kelz FM and then some acoustics by Daly Rituals (Pat Conley and Kevin Daly). Timmy B closed the show with "Consumed by This" featuring Patty C. After that, campfires and good times were had at the Campground.

Saturday was Race Day! We always get things started with the main event, Downhill Racing, where heats of 3, 4 or 5 riders at a time race from the top of Fort Miles around the right hand Cape crash corner and down the slide hill to the finish line where drafting really comes into play. The event was split into Am and Pro classes with double elimination to ensure more racing for all the participants. Spectators crowded around the Cape crash corner with cowbells in hand rooting for their favorite skaters.

Pro Finals around Cape Crash Corner- PC: Ross Earhart

Juan Guzman dominated the Am class taking 1st place without one elimination against him. The Pro final heat was stacked with 5 riders including Brian Fitch and Shreddie Mercury. Jarrid Lopez had the lead through the crash corner but Jered Beers used the draft to pass him in the final finish.

Am Downhill sponsored by

Orangatang Wheels

1st: Juan Guzman

2nd: Chris Rubino

3rd: Kale Showers

Am Podium - PC Ross Earhart

Pro Class Downhill Racing - PC Ross Earhart

Pro Downhill sponsored by Muirskate

1st: Jered Beers

2nd: Jarrid Lopez

3rd: Francis Mohammed

After the downhill race we took a lunch break and enjoyed some amazing Italian food from Cucina Veloce Food Truck. We started setting up the slalom course and had the biggest slalom turnout ever! Riders like Andrew Collins surprised themselves with how much fun weaving through cones are! As predicted, the finals came down to Shreddie Mercury and Jarrid Lopez.

Slalom Race - PC Ross Earhart

Slalom Open sponsored by Siren Skate Shop

1st: Shreddie Mercury (Jonathan Marino)

2nd: Jarrid Lopez

3rd: Andrew Collins

The final event on Saturday was the new Team of 4 Relay Push Race. Riders skated from the entry gate of Fort Miles up to the top of the downhill start and back down again to pass the baton to our teammates. All the riders enjoyed the team aspect as the rooted on their fellow teammates to push faster. This event is here to stay!

Team (of 4) Relay Push Race sponsored by Riptide Sports

1st: Ryan Yearsley, Scott Hurdleston, Brett Holiday & Andrew Collins

2nd: Brandon "Animal" Cassel, Jarrid Lopez, Titus Francis, Mark Anthony

3rd: Rob Wheeler, Mike Sullivan, Killian Davis, Chris Rubino

1st Place Push Race Podium - PC Ross Earhart

After all the skate events we went back to the campgrounds with plenty of daylight left for playing games in the grassy field as the Damn Longhairs started to play some classic skater punk music. Kevin Daly and Patty C followed up with some beautiful solo acoustics as the day turned to night. Open mic was a huge hit as participants went up on stage to play music, sing or tell jokes. Then came the Hit and Run Band who stole the show and had us all in a mosh pit in front of the stage. Their face melting guitar riffs and drum solos had all the spectators up as close as possible to the stage with phones in hand. Timmy B closed the night with songs from his new album "Bitter Cold Night Drives." He invited Patty C up on the stage to finish the night with Skate the Cape anthem..."Get Schmacked!"

Campground - PC Andrew Collins & Ross Earhart

The next morning we were all stoked to have the Fall back time change but it was still a slow start due to rocking out and partying hard the night before. As riders packed up and made their way back to Fort Miles for the final day of skate events, Freestyle Day. We started with the crowd favorite Hippy Jump Contest. It came down to a battle with Timmy B and Ben Udy at 47".

Hippie Jump Contest

1st: Ben Udy

2nd: Timothy Brookes (Timmy B)

3rd: Vinny B

Ben Udy Hippie Jump - PC Ross Earhart

As we waited for more ramps and rails to arrive for the Freestyle Jam we went right into Big Air and Best Trick off the kickers. Brian Fitch and Timmy B battled it out in the big air competition while Max Alessandri stomped a frontside 360 and hand shuv off the big ramp for best trick.

Big Air - PC Ross Earhart

Big Air & Best Kicker Trick sponsored by Sapient Skateboards and Ahmyo Wheels

Brian Fitch and Max Alessandri

Next up was the Freestyle Jam where we create a skatepark at Fort Miles and give the riders a 30 minute jam session to lay down their best tricks. Young Grom, Killian Davis impressed the judges with his big tricks on the table top. Timmy B was stylish as usual and showed off his street skills all over the skatepark we built, hitting big 180s, grinds and flip tricks with so much flow. Hit and Run guitarist, Tommy Oechsli stole the show again with all types of grinds, especially the smith grind on the box.

Freestyle Jam - PC Ross Earhart

Freestyle Jam sponsored by First State Skate Supply

1st: Killian Davis

2nd: Timothy Brookes (Timmy B)

3rd: Tommy Oechsli

The main event on Sunday was the slide jam where we cleared the hill of all ramps and had a good ole fashion slide jam! There was a jam session to get warmed up and then we ran a 2 run final for both Am and Pro classes. Paulo Ribiero mixed flip tricks at the top of the hill with solid slides at the bottom. Hayden Knott used his high speed slides and flow to secure 2nd place.

Slide Jam - PC Ross Earhart

Am Slide Jam sponsored by CloudRide Wheels

1st: Paulo Ribiero

2nd: Hayden Knott

3rd: Titus Francis

In the Pro class, Jarrid Lopez laid down two perfect runs with his fancy footwork and flow. We asked for something different and he came out swinging on his 2nd run with a toeside judo slide that wowed the whole crowd. Max Alessandri was close behind with his techy style and big tricks but just had one bobble at the end of his run which gave the win to Jarrid.

Slide Jam - PC Ross Earhart

Pro Slide Jam sponsored by Bethesda Boards

1st: Jarrid Lopez

2nd: Max Alessandri

3rd: Timothy Brookes (Timmy B)

We wrap up the event with rider favorite, Longest Slide Competition. Everyone was sending it down the hill to get longest toeside, heelside and gloves down slide. Ben Udy's smooth toeside got him the win. Andrew Collins heelside soared past everyone's mark on his hard wheels after a few hard falls. The most exciting was Jerry Zhou, the last rider to drop who got longest glove down slide out of nowhere. The crowd was stoked!

Longest Slide - PC Ross Earhart

Longest Slides sponsored by 302 Bicycles

Toe: Ben Udy

Heel: Andrew Collins

Glove Down: Jerry Zhou

Overall, it was an awesome weekend of skateboarding and music. It was so good to see so many familiar faces after being stuck inside for so long due to COVID-19. We skated hard, rocked out, caught up with old friends and made some new ones. SKATE THE CAPE!

First I have to thank Cape Henlopen State Park for having all us crazy skaters, a park official came up to me during the event and said "It's nice to see the park getting used this way." Second, I have to thank my team, Faceplant Boardriders and my Mom for putting in the work before, during and after the event. Coming from California there is no way I could have done it without them. Next, I want to thank all the sponsors for creating awesome prize packages for the full podium of the event they choose to sponsor. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who made the journey to Skate the Cape and to all those who supported the raffle, we raised $400 for Mitch Abram's Family and Steve Johnson's family. See y'all next time!

Mark your calendars now for Skate the Cape 9, November 3-5, 2023!