BEN BULMER photo Thomas Pavelek of Landy- achtz drills the trucks onto a board in the east Van- couver factory where the boards are made. Local longboards lead the way East Vancouver factory makes a myriad of boards for all levels By BEN BULMER f you're bored of taking the Sky Train to school, why not cruise, carve and slide the way there— on a longboard. In the fall of 1997 two University of Victoria students started making long boards together. Sixteen years later and Michael Perreten and Tom Ed- strand now own the second largest long boarding company in the world, Land- yachtz. Producing in excess of 30,000 boards a year, the East Vancouver com- pany employs over 50 people and is growing with the popularity of the sport. “We're the industry leader as far as innovation and drive. The direction the industry takes is the direction we’re pointed at,” says international sales representative, Blake Startup. The new 2013 range of boards comes out Friday with improvement to cur- rent designs and some new models be- ing released. Different styles of riding dictate dif- ferent styles of board. With longboards being used for ev- erything from commuting to downhill racing, Landyachtz staff are confident BEN BULMER photo Max GradIimiller puts grip tape ona longboard. their new line will be a success. The most highly anticipated down- hill, or freeride board, is the Wolf Shark, aptly named after the team rid- er who designed it, Wolf Coleman. In the commuting line, the hugely successful Switch will now come in three different sizes to accommodate different riding styles. The company hopes that its brand- new downhill board Top Speed, will live up to its name. High end boards are made of maple wood because of the material’s strength and ability to hold its shape. Boards are milled in eastern Canada where the wood is grown and then shipped to Vancouver. Here the boards are trimmed to highly technical specifica- tions, allowing the smallest details of the board’s shape to control its overall handling. Once the trimming and sanding are finished the boards are then painted. Artists from around the world contrib- ute to the art work which adorns the bottom of the boards. The art is printed onto a thin plastic film, which is then heat pressed onto the board. After this stage, grip tape is stuck to the top of the board and the chassis, known as the trucks, and wheels are added. Vancouverite Max McLaughlin has been riding longboards for six years and currently rides a Landyachtz. “Absolutely an excellent board com- pany. In terms of shape and contour they are impeccable,” said McLaughlin. McLaughlin describes longboarding as more like surfing adding that skate- boarding is all about tricks but long boarding is “all about flow.” Longboarding dangerous—but still fun Skaters can mitigate risks of injury by taking simple precautions and by using their common sense By JACQUELINE LANGEN down a city street, longboarders run the risk of getting injured. “I prefer higher speeds and the adrenaline I feel when I’m on my long- board,” said first term Langara English student, Gonzalo Rumeu. Longboarding veteran and founder of Coast Longboarding, Bricin Lyons says riders should practise controlling their speed and balance to help reduce the chance of severe injuries. Coast Longboarding organizes races each year in order to promote the B: it ripping down a hill or cruising sport, as well as to promote safe riding. They offer a first-aid course, taught by paramedic Doug House, that certi- fies the riders with first-aid experience. House has had over 30 years of expe- rience working for medical organiza- tions and more recently for Coast Longboarding. He said the most common injuries longboarders suffer are road rash, dis- located shoulders, fractured collar- bones and fractured wrists. “What causes the falls more times that not, aside from inexperience, is the surface that riders are boarding on,” says House. If the road is wet, has a lot of gravel, dust or debris it may get underneath the board and result in an uncontrolled slide causing the rider to fall. If the rider is able to tuck her arm towards the side of her body upon im- pact, this will lessen the degree of in- jury. Most injuries occur when a rider takes unnecessary risks. Riders should use their common sense and wear the proper gear for more extreme moves. Boarders are encouraged to wear a helmet, wrist guards, gloves and leath- ers in order to prevent further injury. “More times than not they fall down, dust themselves off, cuss a couple of words and carry on,” said House. Third year philosophy student Dustin Innes has been longboarding for seven years and knows injuries are common, but feels the fear of getting hurt shouldn’t stop someone from rid- ing. Innes said he doesn’t want to live his life being afraid of what might happen. “At least with longboarding you con- trol the factors and can usually jump off your board into a run or walk,” said Innes. BOARD where? TOP FIVE PLACES North Shore -has many hills and a strong community of riders Kits Beach -is flat so great for riders starting out Marpole -has a strong community of riders who commute Parkades when it's raining -just watch out for parked cars Steep hills with little traffic -best for more advanced riders Source: The Voice survey Be safe boarding From head to toe riders need to dress for safety By KRISTEN HARPULA ith temperatures rising, out- Wi: enthusiasts are packing away their skis and snow- boards to break out their longboards. For those who are looking to try out this new craze, it’s important to get the right safety gear, especially for down- hill boarding. Professional longboard racer Matt Gosse said the “most essential piece of gear would be your helmet because the consequences are pretty devastating if youw’re not wearing one.” Longboard enthusiast Maxwell Kaye is huge on safety and said he won’t ride with boarders who aren’t wearing hel- mets — especially after his friend Trevor Cottrell cracked his skull open. Luckily Cottrell is fine and has learned his lesson about protecting himself. When it comes to clothing, Gosse said racers wear one-piece, custom-fit- ted leathers, but if you’re just going to skate around town, jeans and a T-shirt are more common. “Whatever you don’t mind trashing because you’ll destroy all your clothes eventually,” Gosse said with a laugh. Kaye said a lot of people are wearing construction work pants because they’re thicker and so more protective. He also said crash pants, which are padded shorts that fit underneath jeans and “protect you when you fall on your butt” are great. Kaye recommends G-Form knee and elbow pads because they’re thin enough to wear under board clothing and are flexible, but still offer full pro- tection. Another essential for boarding is a good pair of slide gloves with detach- able slip pucks. A puck is a hard plastic disk on the palm used to protect hands when slid- ing—putting a hand down on the ground for stability. Owner of Flatspot Longboards in Chinatown, Mischa Chandler, said when it comes to shoes, just buy “the cheapest ones.” Co-owner Mitchel Martin said boarders also wear the T-shirts and trucker hats given out at racing events because they feature custom artwork, but it is far better to buy and wear proper protective gear. Whether you are just looking to cruise the seawall or get into some competitive downhill racing, you should be more concerned with safety than fashion, said Martin. JACQUELINE LANGEN photo Dustin Innes is aware of the dangers longboarding involves, but does not let it stop him from riding.