Southern NSW Street Luge Racers sent a delegation to the Newton’s 2017 International event at Bathurst on the weekend.
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The event is held on the challenging Mt Panorama racing circuit, on the same course that the V8 Supercars race around.
Racer Bill Salmon from Bermagui finished eighth, Nic McKirdy of Batemans Bay finished 11th and their newest recruit 18-year-old Jayden Hodge from Batemans Bay was 18th in his first race.
Chris “Critta” Markwort bombed out due to injury consisting of a broken ankle. Photographer Peter Yandle of My Action Images got some fantastic shots of the exact moment Critta broke his ankle crashing into the barriers.
Batemans Bay racer Nic McKirdy said it was an unfortunate accident caused when another rider crashed out in front of him, knocking away some of the hay bales. Critta broke his ankle when he crashed into the other rider’s board.
McKirdy fitted a GPS and worked out he reached a top speed of 108km/h on one of his runs, which he said was “relatively quick”. He compared it to the top speed of only 80km/h reached on a recent event at Mt Keira.
The street lugers last raced at Mt Panorama back in 2013 and it was definitely a buzz.
“It’s such an iconic racecourse hill,” McKirdy said. “It’s amazing to sit at the top of the hill and think this is mine for the next minute.”
The 1.3km course started at Brock’s Skyline and extended 1.3km down through the S’s, the Dipper and down Conrod Straight to the finish. His best qualifying time was 1.2 seconds.
“It’s a very short circuit, but you’re very busy on the way down,” he said.
The elimination-style qualification meant riders had to perform consistently finished first or second to get through and McKirdy praised his fellow club member Bill Salmon for doing so well and finishing eighth.
He also praised the Southern NSW Street Luge Racers newest recruit, 18-year-old Jayden Hodge, for doing so well, with only two practice sessions back home before the event.
“He’s only just come into but being a longboarder who knows a little bit about the concept of downhill racing,” McKirdy said. “He’d only been a luge board twice before the weekend. He had a few crashes but kept going faster and faster.”
McKirdy who has raced around the world said he was next going to look at racing at the Launch event in the Blue Mountains and then was hoping to compete at the Ultimate Descent event in Quebec, Canada later this year.
The world record luge speed of 160km/h was attained at the previous Ultimate Descent, so the course was definitely for the brave and experienced.
The group is always looking for new members and anyone interested in learning more about the sport can visit the “Southern NSW Street Luge Racers” Facebook page.
Street luging rose to fame in the 1990s featuring on the X Games. In classic luge, where street luge originated, all aspects of the wooden board are pretty much restricted, keeping costs down to around $300 and providing a more even playing field where the emphasis is on the rider as opposed to the equipment.
With street luge, most of the boards run six to eight wheels, they're usually made of metal and composites costing up to $8000 and reach speeds of up to 85km/h.