A few of riders that were at the Newcircle DownUnderground a couple weekends ago put there thoughts & feelings from the weekend to paper. Here Paul Chamberlain gives the low-down from his perspective….
This is a disjointed account of my experiences getting to and from Sydney and the contest that took place there on the weekend. I’m just going to write down thoughts as they come to me so if it’s all over the place that’s just how it came out for real sitting on my bed watching Animal Planet with my left eye under a pleasantly overcast afternoon sky in Vung Tau, southern Vietnam.
It feels like I never left and simply dreamt of another place that contained all of the things that I don’t have here. An established riding scene, long time friends and coffees made in a way vaguely reminiscent of an Italian past. Only then to wake up and realise that there are two sides to every coin. It’s good here. I live on a few bucks a day and do it like a king. So what if I can’t nip round the corner and buy a headset, or a spoke, or a nipple – a stainless steel one – it’s pretty easy to get nipples of the fleshy variety if that’s your bag. But it ain’t mine. There goes the coin again. Turning over. It’s life as we know it and live it.
**Anyway**
It rained everyday that I was in Sydney. 10 days of rain. It didn’t get me down though. I’ve been working hard and was glad of some freetime. I just rode in the rain and in the wet and in between showers wherever I was. I was just happy to be in Hyde Park. Happy to meet Tim from South Africa after all this time. The only thing about the rain which concerned me was that somehow the heavens had to be made to heal long enough for a contest to take place. Not even Chase G could control the weather so I didn’t fancy my chances.
Somehow it worked out. More flatlanders showed up to this contest than any contest I’ve been to in Australia. People repped all the major states plus Tasmania, NZ, Japan and South Africa. That in itself was a victory. Because of the rain it was a problem getting the floor clean but that didn’t stop people having a good ride. Rains set in right at the end of the event which was ok by me. We retired for a second-air of Simmo’s DVD which I’ll be reviewing in about 20 mins after this iced coffee. It was great to sit with old and new friends and to see Simon so pleased to have his DVD finished and ready to relax for a while and then move on to his next challenges. It was a great evening. If it took a rained out weekend to bring everybody together on Pitt St for an evening or two then we can’t criticise the means for the end. The contest got done. Photos got shot and videos are getting edited. My memories are written forever.
We’ll be throwing down again in Sydney in the New Year and ironing out the creases and progressing. As is the flatland way. Takahiro Miyase once told me that the most important thing to do after an event is to ensure that you host it again the following year. Growth. Wise words from a man of few. We’ll be back and the series will continue. It was the best event so far and I’m happy for that much. If you were there I’ll see you again and if you weren’t I hope that you can come to the land downunder and see what’s happening on the ground.
This seems remarkably together for a five minute stream of bullshit. Perhaps I should write a list of ten standout moments in no particular order with little explanation:
1)Eiji’s 2nd run. Style cat on a slippery floor dropping hard combos like nothing I’ve seen.
2)Twaff giving huge bouncers shit as he was being thrown out of the bar.
3)Badman drinking a Cooper’s – just like in the movies!!!
4)Everyone from Melbourne. I’ve missed you guys and know the effort that you made to attend. Thankyou.
5)Same to the Perth guys and June from NZ. Keeping it alive on the other side.
6)Dighton’s 2nd run. About the best I’ve seen him ride in real life.
7)Wooto. Everything he did all weekend basically. And his mate from Tassy with the harmonica!!!!!! Epic duo.
8)Watching a rainy-day-doco with Tim about private security forces in South Africa. Gnarly.
9)Hitting Hell on Wheels and watching Bone Deth. Good times.
10)Sean Chua’s run was a progression session. Smoothest youngest rider in VIC. Next talent in Oz if he wants to put in some hard yards.
Just went for a cruise on the motorbike. Not riding. Virus got me down cause of the change of temperature changes. Cold in Sydney sometimes. Pretty good here really in ‘nam. I’ll be back in Australia at the end of the year. Roll on the finals. Roll on the end of the year. Roll on DUG series 3. Roll on. Roll on. Roll on. Mum said never wish your life away. She didn’t know about DUG.
Thanks to Rebelyell, Diversion TV, Newcircle, Freestyle Now and Airwalk for kicking in. It was an epic weekend.
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