Goldendale, WA, USA- The Abec 11 Maryhill Festival of Speed got underway today under beautiful sunny skies and strong winds. Racers from around the globe have converged from around the globe for the first IGSA World Cup race of the 2011 season. Open practice was held all day for the more than 220 competitors that will be competing for their piece of the $10,000 purse up for grabs on Sunday.
Now in its' fifth year, the Festival of Speed runs like a well oiled machine. The racers were able to complete 14 practice runs on the 3.5 km (2.2 mi) course located on the North side of the Columbia River Gorge near Goldendale, Washington.
There are many new faces at Maryhill this year. Among them are a grew of six from New York City representing longboard manufacturer Bustin Boards. There is a stoked group of five riders representing Mexico who were getting their first taste of Maryhill. Two riders have come from Malaysia marking the first time that competitors have come representing the Asian country. In all, riders from 14 different nations are here.
Strong tail winds blew all day sending competitors rocketing down the course. There were a few incidents that marred the day. Top Jr II and Open racer Spencer Smith suffered a dislocated shoulder in a late afternoon crash. Spencer was a top contender coming into Maryhilll to win the Jr II World Championship title. Zack Daugherty suffered a broken ankle in a crash near the top of the race course.
