An interview with the people at Dirtsurfer By Rod Walters  In pursuit of the ideal of the year-round, downhill fix, without having to resort to mountain biking, SJG got in contact with the company Design Science, the Australian maker of the Dirtsurfer.

They were kind enough to give us two of their boards, one for the SJG Department of Testing and Review (smirk) and one to give to a lucky SJG reader.  Rod Walters asked Mark Blanchard at Dirtsurfer a whole mess of questions about the Dirtsurfer and the company that came up with this remarkable machine. Dirtsurfer's Fred Allgrove put together these answers. Enjoy!

The Company

Where is the company heading in terms of products, marketing, expansion?
Our company grew out of the belief that flowing smoothly and at high speed over dry land would be irresistibly attractive - so we created the Dirtsurfer. The past 3 years have seen the solid foundation of our business laid, with the creation of distribution and retail networks in most parts of the world. This year we established a US operation. We have just completed a successful summer rental fleet at Intrawest’fs Snowshoe Resort in the US. In 2003 we are planning to further expand our European footprint and set up distribution channels in Japan. Board design has seen the introduction of our patented braking system and this year refinements and improvements to the GP and the RoadRacer models. Also, the release of a board as monumental as the very first Dirtsurfer - the FlexiDeck. This new board rips every surface, any jump and any set of stairs completely apart - even we can't get over just what a huge leap in performance this board has given our teamriders and everyone else who's stepped on one. The flex in the new boards really increases the sensation of 'cruisy flow' - it gives you more feel for the surface you're riding but smoothes out all the bumps. It attacks seriously rocky terrain easily and on road runs it gives you more drive out of corners to further increase speed. We are stoked.

Is the company equipped to do business in Japan, and if yes, how?
Yes, currently we ship directly to consumers via our website - boards and accessories arrive within a week of order.

In which country are the most boards sold?
That’s an evolving thing, but the UK, USA and Switzerland/Austria are currently our best.

Quinn Lee Ng wowing the crowds in Austria on the RoadRacer

  
Do you sell most of your boards over the Web?
No, buyers generally have to jump on the board before they can believe just how access able this ‘eextreme sport’ is. Web sales are generally attributed to the hardy folk that can taste all the possibilities of Dirtsurfer’s simply from pics and video - it is these people that introduce and promote our sport most vigorously and unrestrainedly because they are the first in their area/country - they fully taste the excitement of not only riding but the buzz from crowds of onlookers!

What is the cheapest you can buy the board for?
Dirtsurfers have been available, from their earliest incarnations, since late 1999 and therefore as with any product that is regularly updated, older models can be found discounted to varying degrees. In the current range our base model is the GP it retails for US$399 (inc delivery) from our website.

Team

What exactly does ‘the Team’ do when there is no formal Dirtsurfer sport?
Actually there is a ‘formal Dirtsurfer sport’ - the official organisation which oversees our sport is called ‘Inline Boarding Worldwide Pty Ltd’. Last month Switzerland held the first officially endorsed event in the Inline Boarding Championships Series. Our core teamriders - Cahn Mitchell, Matt Caley and Quinn Lee Ng, spend their time travelling the world competing in events and performing demonstrations and promotions.

Do Dirtsurfer riders participate as equals in mountainboarding competitions?
No. While we share common ground, traditional mountainboards and inline boards focus on 2 very different aspects: mountainboards’ strengths are in low speed highly technical spins and rotations and tight low speed (generally) purpose built courses, while our inline board really takes off where mountainboards taper off: natural terrains, high speeds with big G force carves, huge aired technical manoeuvres. Rather than compete head to head we compliment one another as different extremes within one sport.

What is the sporting background of team members?
Teamriders share a strong common background in surfing and skateboarding/longboarding. They where all drawn inextricably to the opportunity to experience high-speed freedom on land.

Are the team all snowboarders, and what level are they?
While all our teamriders have snowboarded and are totally stoked on the sport, they wouldn’t boast to be professionals. They are Freo boys all local boys to the area in which the Dirtsurfer was conceived – there’s no snow for 3000 km.

Cahn

Cahn Mitchell seems to have been associated with Dirtsurfer for a while. Who is he?
Cahn is just a guy bursting with natural talent and enthusiasm for Dirtsurfer. He’s been on the scene since the early days and serves (along with the other teamriders) to provide input and feedback on design modifications and expansion of the Dirtsurfer range. Maintaining company credibility through a rider’s point of view has been an invaluable contribution to Dirtsurfer.

Cahn hard charging

  
Locations

Is that a golf course I see people riding on in one of the videos?
Yes.

Is that popular with the groundsman?
Ummm...define popular - if it means providing greater enthusiasm in the defense and maintenance of their beloved grass and chosen profession - then a resounding YES!!!

What other places are surprisingly good to ride?
‘Off Season Snow Resorts’ - or more accurately ‘On Season Dirtsurfer Resorts’.

What about off-season snow resorts around the world?
Yes, Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia has embraced Inline Boarding wholeheartedly.

Nice & natural - The inventor, GA riding his machine

Size

There is only one size of Dirtsurfer right?
Yes.

In practical terms, what is the biggest rider (weight, height) and smallest rider?
The recommended rider range is: 40-90 kg and at least 1.2 m tall.  Though we don’t recommend it we have seen riders well over 100 kg on our boards! Height isn’t an issue; you can be as tall as you like.

Can kids ride too?
Of course! Kids love it - there have been riders from the age of 6 years fully charging down hills.

I found this in an interview:
MICHELLE WHITE: It's almost fitting that this ultimate boy's toy was created in the male domain of the back shed.
I haven’t seen many pictures of girls on a Dirtsurfer. Is it kind of a boy’s thing then?
Not primarily - though right now the sport is in the grips of ‘where can’t we take this - how far can we push the limits?’ a stage that really attracts testosterone. But zooming down hills and skating round town really hits the spot with females - most particularly mid-teens. Girls love it because it’s not like most ‘extreme sports’ - you can be up and riding and getting fully buzzed within minutes of first stepping on a Dirtsurfer.

Have you heard of older people riding the Dirtsurfer?
The old bloke that invented it Graeme Attey - 47yrs old regularly rides. One day we were all out at a park and an older guy wandered up and had a shot - he was 72 years old. As long as you’re limber and flexible, age is no obstacle.

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