Veteran downhill skateboarder and racer Erik Lundberg has been in the game for a while now and has not only captured podiums, but captivated viewers with other projects like his 2011 “Lundberg Loses It” video. Years later, Erik is still killing it of course and has recently joined Moonshine MFG and Venom it seems, taking over with a new speed record on the same track as previous speed demons Patrick Switzer and Mischo Erban.
Lundberg Loses It:
Patrick Switzer 100km/hr Slides in the Wet:
Mischo Erban Speed Record:
More from Redbull:
When Erik Lundberg stood at the top of a hill in Quebec, Canada, gearing up to break the speed record for downhill skateboarding, he wasn’t concerned with falling from his longboard at lightning speeds.
There was no reason to think about anything else other than his starting kicks, his tuck, and staying as aerodynamic as possible to break the world record for the fastest ever downhill run.
Erik Lundberg gets into his tuck to bomb the hill © Matt Kienzle
After a few practice runs, the Swedish longboarding legend knew the run’s line pretty well – where the fastest and smoothest pavement was and, that at about half way, the hill steepened to an 18 percent gradient and seemed to disappear out from under him with just a view of the ocean ahead. He was ready, he just needed to go.
“You need to be real with yourself. You need to be calm, stable, and super-focused. You need to be in the moment because you’re trying not to move at all. You need to be locked in the moment,” Lundberg said.
Erik Lundberg bombs the short steep hill © Emma Daigle
But when Lundberg reached the bottom of the hill and whizzed past the speed clock at the incredible speed of 130.63kph, he opened his body to slow down and all of the adrenaline stored in his aerodynamic body surged out.
“You want to smile when you’re going down, but you have to focus and not move. You celebrate after the run,” he says.
Erik Lundberg takes the curve during speed record © Emma Daigle
When rocketing downhill, the most important thing is to be as still as possible and, with each run, try to continuously perfect every little thing to reach maximum speed. In most cases, it takes quite a few runs to perfect your position. Lundberg however broke the speed record for downhill skateboarding on just his fifth run down the hill.
Breaking the record actually surprised Lundberg because the odds were somewhat against him. The weather, humidity, street permit, and the new condition of his gear all could have easily slowed him down to the point of not reaching the unbelievable speed. Fortunately though, everything fell into place in that moment and now Erik Lundberg is officially the holder of the world record for the fastest downhill skateboard run.
“The rush that goes through your body is incredible. You’re vibrating with adrenaline and happiness,” he said once the incredible rush wore off.
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