Malararra Pro Teutonia is its own type of animal. Lost somewhere in the hills of southern Brazil lies this beast of a road that many of the fastest skateboarders on this planet have `found their limit` on. It is not a limit that defines them as incapable, it is a limit that proves to these experienced riders that hills still exist beyond their natural capability on the first, second, third, even fourth run and beyond. If your looking for the comparison, the proof lies in how common it is these days for traveling riders to show up to a hill for the first time and skate it as if they had been skating it the longest of any, qualifying at the top of their brackets above almost all without much but a practice run or two to see the road before hand. This time it was a little different though, not just for the EH TEAM, but for any popular pro who was experiencing this `drop in`for the first time as well. Nervous may not be the right word, nor excited or scared; but the feeling in your stomach in combination with the words in your head at the top of the hill for the first time was an experience most had been without for a long time.
When many speak of Teutonia, they speak of the extremely steep and visually stunning straight away that makes up the bottom section of this notorious race track, but what they rarely speak about and what comes as a complete shocker once you actually get there is the top section leading you into that famous straight. Not nearly as steep but tenfold rough; the top section is fast, sweepy and sketchy as all hell with uneven pavement, bumps, patches and a bitch of a yellow line running through it. On this section of road riders have their primary draft battle, fighting their boards underneath them and drag racing each other in pairings of two as they jockey for the lead position or an extremely tight desired 2nd. Going anything but slow into a left hand turn, you round the corner to the sight of a blind right bend approaching what you know is the infamous 15%+ straight away, a straight away that consists of one clear line, some absolutely threatening pass options and speeds well in excess of 110Km/h.
photo by: Pedro Krause
photo by:Alexandre Rausini Rider: Augustin
Going down this hill is almost, but not quite indescribable. Paved over top a soft earth beneath, you rise and you fall and then you rise and you fall as you once again battle that bitch of a yellow line and the vessel beneath your feet in between it. Adjusting your front foot and confirming your back rail, you tell yourself you are fine and trust that the blind right will open up as you split a lane moving towards the hay bails, and this point traveling at around 100km/h; 100km/h quickly becomes old news though as you feel yourself reach a solid 110. Reminding your conscience once again that you are fine, you continue on. Life blisters past you as people on the road scatter out of the way, on the road and excited from the previous heat they are now rapidly trying to seek sanctuary behind the hay bails that will do little to protect anyone if you let your confidence slip for even a moment. You are fine, you are going to be okay. As your stomach drops leaving the last roller in your past, the fastest are traveling at least 115. With the finish line finally in reach, you pass it so fast that you stand, finally becoming aware of how hot your feet are from the vibrations of the road below.
photo by: Pedro Krause
With no choice but to smile, you scream at the top of your lungs. WOOOOOoooOOoOOooooOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
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