Scott "Scoot" Smith, Pender Harbour's longboarding phenom, has finished the 2009 season of bombing hills around the world and has brought home the title of "second best in the world."
Smith took second place in the International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) World Championship race in Australia in November and IGSA World Cup Series, which wrapped in South Africa in December. In 2008, Smith held the bragging rights of being the first person in the world to win both titles in the same year.
"It feels good," Smith said. "I'd like to be number one, but it feels cool to be in the top two. It's nothing to complain about. It's definitely a great accomplishment and I'm very proud of myself and my results. All the hard work I did this year paid off."
The World Cup Series was as close as they come in 2009. Smith's second place finish in Australia put him into second place overall going into the final race in Kogelberg, South Africa on Dec. 13. In order to place first overall in the season, Smith had to win in Kogelberg and Vernon, and B.C.'s Mischo Erban had to place third or worse. Erban won the race and Smith took third.
"The strategy didn't work out how I wanted it do. We had some crazy winds on race day. It was about 80 kph and gusting up to 100 kph over gale force winds. It was hectic," Smith said.
Erban, who is also Smith's Landyachtz team mate, placed second overall in the World Cup Series the previous two years.
"He was really aiming to get first this year and trying his hardest," Smith said.
Ontario's Patrick Switzer took third overall.
Smith's reaction to a second place finish at the IGSA World Championship race in Bathurst, Australia on Nov. 29 is similar to the second place finish in the season overall: it's a point of pride and the result of hard work.
"I felt like I was the guy to beat for anyone else to become world champion. I stayed really solid and stayed on top of my game and had a really good season," he said.
The course and the competition are both far more serious than you'd find at Attack of Danger Bay, the Sunshine Coast's premier longboarding event held over the May long weekend. The 2009 world championships were held at Mt. Panorama, a track normally reserved for cars. It has a reputation for being the fastest track on the planet.
"It's crazy. It's really steep, non-stop turns until the end and then you get on a straight and you go over 100 kilometres an hour," Smith said.And with the exception of a minor spinout on his first practice run, Smith can also brag about walking away from the races with no serious bails.
Compared to Mt. Panorama, the Attack of Danger Bay downhill course is "easy," Smith said.
As for the competition itself, Smith said the event has a more serious tone compared to Danger Bay, which Smith described as being more like a festival. The world championship draws out the best of the best.
Each international race also brings out local talent who often don't travel the world longboarding but are still a force to be reckoned with on their home turf.
One thing is universal though, the camaraderie the racers feel when they are off the track and the adrenaline has subsided.
"Absolutely, it's a big family. You're not so much friends when you're on the racing line, but after the fact, everybody's friends," he said.
Smith finished the four-day event on the podium, sandwiched between two other local B.C. boys. Kevin Reimer of North Vancouver won the championship and Andrew Chapman from Vancouver took third.
"It was the battle of Canadians," Smith said.
He said B.C. is like a longboarding capital of the world, if not just in talent, but also in sheer numbers.
"B.C. in general, mainly Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, have the most longboarders in the world per capita. There's hundreds more here than there is in Europe or all of Australia or Africa," Smith said.
Despite that, Smith said there are only a handful of Canadian riders who are able to make the commitment and find sponsors to pursue IGSA titles, which requires travel around North America, Europe, Australia, South America and Africa to attend races.
"A lot of Canadians, unfortunately, don't get to go to these races because they are just busy with school or life or just can't afford it," he said. "I've fully dedicated myself for the last three years."
Smith is currently working to line up sponsors for the 2010 IGSA season, in which he has every intention of winning back both of his champion IGSA titles.
"I've got my sights set on number one for next year try and shut down Mischo," he said.
Smith lets out an impressed whistle after hearing the list of places he's competing in next year beginning in June: Washington state, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, England, France, Australia, Brazil and South Africa.
"Sounds like fun," he adds.
