Go fast

Speed trials on the Landslide

Les Eboulements translates to landslide in English. It seems that it might be tempting fate to conduct an extreme downhill gravity speed trial on a hillside named for falling rocks. But it was here that the land speed record for a gravity propelled street luge was set on the weekend. Les Eboulements is situated about an hour past Quebec City in the Charlevoix, perched on the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Just as the land sweeps southward and reaches the shoreline, it suddenly drops a few thousand feet at a grade of more than 18 degrees. It is very steep.

Kolby Parks before descending Les Eboulements.

In 1997, forty-four people died when the brakes failed on the bus they were riding in. Unable to negotiate the last corner the bus plunged over the rails and into the ravine. It remains Canada’s deadliest bus accident.

On the weekend, the road was closed for l’Ultime Descente. One hundred and twenty participants gathered where speed was the only goal. The previous record was held by a Brazilian rider.

Everyone was confident—due to better gear, better techniques and more experience— that a new world record would be set in Les Eboulements.

The County’s Kolby Parks is used to going fast. He regularly spins down hillsides on his custom made street luge at 100 to 105 kph. But 130 kph was something vastly different.

He pushed off from the start line and immediately the road dropped steeply. All he could see was the river ahead of him and a blur of guard rails whizzing by on the periphery.

Skimming just centimetres from the pavement, Parks had to fight the pressure on his feet bottoms. The thrust sought to pitch his feet upward. Had he relented, he might have toppled over or lost control. Either event would have spelled disaster.

Parks crossed the line 3 kph faster than the record time and just behind the event winner Mike McIntire. McIntire would pay a price for victory. He didn’t let up until he crossed the line. But he had to negotiate the same curve that caused the bus to crash. He didn’t have enough room. He hit the concrete barrier hard. He was taken to hospital, but released the following day.

One hundred and twenty participants descended Les Eboulements a mix of luge, long boards and gravity cars. According to Parks, all earned a personal best time.

Back on the hill on Sunday, the competition over, there was time for fun and comaraderie.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Parks. “I can’t wait to do it again.”

It is likely the next to last event for Parks and his Angry Bird’s Restaurant team for 2016.

He has already begun plans for another assault on the world rankings of extreme streetluge in 2017.