Erik Lundberg Prepares for Battle in Bathurst, Australia
Photo- Marcus Rietema
Bathurst, Australia- Reigning IGSA World Cup Series Champion Erik Lundberg (SWE) kicked off the 2008 season exactly where he left off by winning the inaugural Newton’s Playground in Bathurst, Australia.
The 20 year old downhill skateboarding ace from Stockholm, Sweden defeated a truly international field to earn the title and the cash. Ethan Lau (USA) from Hawaii came in a strong second to earn his best World Cup Series finish to date. Top qualifier Scott “Scoot” Smith (CAN) finished third. Olivier Bareaud (FRA) came all the way from the 29th starting position to take fourth. Canadian Anne Harding earned the win in Women’s Downhill Skateboarding.
"Forest's Elbow" Claimed it's share of riders. Photo: Bill Fonseca
In Street Luge Australian Nick Duffield continued with his comback and completely dominated the race. Duffield was the number one qualifier and finished first in all four of his racing heats to take the win. He owned Mount Panorama this weekend. Finishing in second was Australian David Kelly. Earning his second podium of the weekend was Abdil “Furlong” Mahdzan from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After winning the Classic Luge race on Saturday Abdil turned in another great performance. Rounding out the top four was Bill Smrtic of the United States.
Mischo Erban (CAN) and Steve Daddow (AUS) Photo: David Pang
In other action Sholto Allbrook won in Gravity Bikes and Sean Cunningham was victorious in Downhill Inline Skating. All weekend long the competitors were raving about the Mount Panorama race-course. Everyone agreed that the surface was the best anyone had ever seen. The course was an excellent balance of technical and high speed with Downhill Skateboarding reaching speeds of 100 kph and Street Luge an impressive 110 kph. The Town Council of Bathurst, the Australian Gravity Racing Association (ASRA), all of the volunteers and IGSA Australian Representative Ben Smith must all be commended for their efforts in making Newton’s Playground an incredible IGSA World Cup event.
Bill Smrtic (USA) enroute to a fourth place finish Photo: Marcus Rietema
Plans are already underway to make Newton’s Playground bigger and better next year. Start making plans to be Down Under in March 2009. You won’t want to miss it!
Giant Slalom racing was also part of the action at Newton's
ASRA Group Shot. Photo David Pang
Kurt Nischel (AUS) helps Erik Lundburg (SWE) celebrate his victory.
Women's Winner Anne Harding (CAN) enjoying Newton's Playground.
Marcus Rietema and ASRA President Haggy Strom are all smiles after the event.
Simon Rollin and the Bathurst Council Crew.
Scoot Smith (CAN) was glowing at the Newton's After Party.
| Newton’s Playground Final Results | ||||||||||
| March 7-9, 2008 | ||||||||||
| Bathurst, Australia | ||||||||||
| DOWNHILL SKATEBOARDING | STREET LUGE | |||||||||
| Place | First | Surname | NAT | Points | Place | First | Surname | NAT | Points | |
| 1 | Erik | Lundberg | SWE | 450.00 | 1 | Nick | Duffield | AUS | 450.00 | |
| 2 | Ethan | Lau | USA | 432.62 | 2 | David | Kelly | AUS | 432.62 | |
| 3 | Scott (Scoot) | Smith | CAN | 424.37 | 3 | Abdil (Furlong) | Mahdzan | MAS | 424.37 | |
| 4 | Olivier | Bareaud | FRA | 416.84 | 4 | Bill | Smrtic | USA | 416.84 | |
| 5 | Pete | Connolly | GBR | 409.88 | 5 | Cameron | Scott | AUS | 409.88 | |
| 6 | Humberto | Melo | BRA | 403.36 | 6 | David | Anderson | AUS | 403.36 | |
| 7 | Rylan (Raggie) | English | CAN | 397.22 | 7 | Rehn | Buchanan | AUS | 397.22 | |
| 8 | Corey | Leeson | AUS | 391.40 | 8 | Pat | Brennan | AUS | 391.40 | |
| 9 | Mischo | Erban | CAN | 385.84 | 9 | Lee | Mclaren | AUS | 385.84 | |
| 10 | Stephen | Daddow | AUS | 380.52 | 10 | Adam | Sparks | AUS | 380.52 | |
| 11 | Jackson | Shapiera | AUS | 375.41 | 11 | William | Stephenson | GBR | 375.41 | |
| 12 | Kurt | Nischel | AUS | 370.49 | 12 | Josh | Broomfield | AUS | 370.49 | |
| 13 | Jeremy | Rogers | AUS | 365.74 | 13 | Lindsay | McGrath | AUS | 365.74 | |
| 14 | Robert | McWhinnie | AUS | 361.13 | 14 | Damian | Andrey | SUI | 361.13 | |
| 15 | Adam | Yates | AUS | 356.66 | 15 | Andrew | Scott | AUS | 356.66 | |
| 16 | Eddie | Spearing | NZL | 352.32 | 16 | Craig | Mears | AUS | 352.32 | |
| 17 | Austin | Moncrieff | AUS | 348.10 | 17 | Isaac | King | AUS | 348.10 | |
| 18 | David | Kelly | AUS | 343.98 | 18 | Javier | Gonzalez | AUS | 343.98 | |
| 19 | Darren | Rose | AUS | 339.96 | 19 | Richard | Powers | AUS | 339.96 | |
| 20 | Graeme (Kanufi) | Akhurst | AUS | 336.03 | 20 | Chris | McBride | USA | 336.03 | |
| 21 | Anne | Harding | CAN | 332.19 | 21 | Bradley | Sterritt | AUS | 332.19 | |
| 22 | Ashley | Donaldson | AUS | 328.43 | 22 | Troy | Davidson | AUS | 328.43 | |
| 23 | Kevin | O'Hara | AUS | 324.75 | 23 | Daniel | Power | AUS | 324.75 | |
| 24 | Jordan | Dombrosky | CAN | 321.14 | 24 | Leon | Smith | AUS | 321.14 | |
| 25 | Zach | Kipp | CAN | 317.59 | 25 | Clayton | Giblett | AUS | 317.59 | |
| 26 | Matthew | Ryan | AUS | 314.11 | 26 | Simon | Godfrey | AUS | 314.11 | |
| 27 | Craig | Bond | AUS | 310.69 | 27 | Stephen | Daddow | AUS | 310.69 | |
| 28 | Brad | Pearson | AUS | 307.33 | 28 | Adam | Higgs | AUS | 307.33 | |
| 29 | Robert | Godfrey | AUS | 304.02 | 29 | Lee | Mur | AUS | 304.02 | |
| 30 | Nathan | Aveyard | AUS | 300.77 | 30 | Tony | Brown | AUS | 300.77 | |
| 31 | Michael | Chidgey | AUS | 297.56 | 31 | Brett | Gray | AUS | 297.56 | |
| 32 | Gareth | Fitzgerald | AUS | 294.40 | 32 | Paul | Stewart | AUS | 294.40 | |
| 33 | Damian (Sturgess) | James | AUS | 291.29 | ||||||
| 34 | Ian (Dicko) | Dickson | AUS | 288.22 | ||||||
| 35 | Phillip | Champion | AUS | 285.19 | ||||||
| 36 | Mandy | Munro | AUS | 282.20 | ||||||
| 37 | Benjamin | Holcroft | AUS | 279.25 | ||||||
| 38 | Ben | Hogarth | AUS | 276.34 | ||||||
| 39 | Scott | Wyman | AUS | 273.46 | ||||||
| GRAVITY BIKE | DOWNHILL INLINE | |||||||||
| Place | First | Surname | NAT | Points | Place | First | Surname | NAT | Points | |
| 1 | Sholto | Allbrook | AUS | 450.00 | 1 | Sean | Cunningham | AUS | 450.00 | |
| 2 | Gonz (Peter) | Casati | AUS | 432.62 | 2 | John | Reynolds | AUS | 432.62 | |
| 3 | Brett | Phillips | AUS | 424.37 | 3 | Samuel | Herron | AUS | 424.37 | |
| 4 | Adam | Sparks | AUS | 416.84 | 4 | John | Meyer | AUS | 416.84 | |
| 5 | Pat | Brennan | AUS | 409.88 | ||||||
| 6 | Scott | Wyman | AUS | 403.36 | ||||||
| 7 | Julian | Blackborrow | AUS | 397.22 | ||||||