Downhill Street Course Vevue Highlights
By the extremeathletes.com staff

About 5,000 fans gathered the downtown streets of Providence, Rhode Island for the Downhill Street race events this past weekend. The weather forecasters were predicting rain for Sunday's races, however bright blue skies filled the heavens above for the 2nd day of the 2000 Summer Gravity Games. The Downhill Stand-Up Skateboard races highlighted the first day of the events. The downhill course was composed of three downtown streets including Prospect St. and finished on St. The evening before the Luge races had the hotel lodge as entertainment for the Street Luge athletes. At the bar they sat discussing strategies for racing in the rain (should it come) and contemplating lines on the short, tight, technical course. The course included a sharp 90 - degree (first turn), after a 100-yard start straight that carried the athletes up and over a knoll before heading downhill. The first turn was followed by a long sha-kane (left-right-left), into another hard 90 - degree turn and finished with an off camber, left hand turn that flowed to a steep, descending downhill across the finish line on St.

This course was tough and technical. It took out many talented athletes the day before during the Stand - Up Skateboard event. Those athletes include Biker Sherlock (who received a mild concussion), Lee Dansie (who broke a rib and bruised his kidneys), Shaun Mallard (broke his shoulder), Jimmy Flint and George Orton (who has a broken hand). All of these athletes ended up in the Hospital on Saturday evening for a quick examination with the doctors. Upon their arrivals and wait for the doctors, the athletes made their own party and "pit raced" with each other while waiting to be released from the doctors so that they could all have another day on the course for the Luge events.

Team Dreggs claimed five out of six medals in the Downhill Skateboard events on Saturday held on College Hill. Dan Van Bommel won both Gold Medals in the 2 -Man and 4- Man finals. Biker Sherlock rebounded from a fall to earn the Silver Medal in the 2 -Man and John Gwiazdowski claimed the Bronze Medal over Dave Bryant. Gwiazdowski came back to claim the Silver in 4 -Man and Alex Wenk took home the Bronze.

Injuries and attrition played roles in Sundays Downhill Luge events. Many athletes competed injured from Saturday's crashes at the Skateboard events. 1999 Luge Gold Medallist Sean Mallard crashed in Skateboard practice and broke his shoulder and multi - Gold Medallist Lee Dansie bruised his ribs and lungs. George Orton, who was racing with a broken hand from a crash at Mammoth's event the week before, claimed both Silver Medals in the 4 Man and 6 Man events. Legend Rat Sult took home the Gold Medal in 4 Man and Rob Ruhman claimed it in the 6 Man. Wade Sokol raced tough to earn both Bronze Medals in the 4 Man and 6 Man. Legend Biker Sherlock miscalculated the first turn in his 4 -Man Qualifying Heat and didn't qualify for either final. Freestyle Surfer Christian Fletcher made his first Gravity Games race memorable earning third and moved on to the 6- Man Heat where he placed sixth.