Chris Haffey 666 Rail 2010

Peep me emptying the trash at 3:09 while Haffey does the 666 rail again for German TV This feature was part of »Galileo«, an infotainment magazine by Pro7. It was on the air on February 17th 2010 For those of you not familiar with the sport have a look at http://vimeo.com/channels/skatevideos ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| UPDATE ON FEB. 20TH 2010 I took some time (very little) to write out the commentary for those of you who can’t understand German. Keep in mind I’m not a native speaker myself. There are also a few parts that make little sense because the commentary itself is a bit dodgy. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Doesn’t matter if it’s keeping straight ahead or doing wiggly lines, seems to be no problem for the skater in this video. He definitely has a hard time balancing, but he isn’t falling. This mega-grind takes unbelievable 40 seconds to complete. But is this really possible without cheating somehow? We’re showing the video to a few passerbys to find out what they’re thinking. »I don’t think this is possible. The rail is too long.« »Well, what he does is definitely crazy, but... I think it’s possible.« »I don’t think one can keep it’s balance for this long. Because looking at skateboarders I realised they can only grind a few meters and that’s it...« »Could be possible actually...« »No, this doesn’t work...« »No, not for that long.« »He can’t go through the curves, he can only drive (lol) straight...« The passengers are doubtful, but what do actual rollerbladers think? We’re starting to look for some of them in the streets but realize the bad weather has given the cool guys (lol) a hard time lately. The next skatepark is 40 kilometers (25 miles) afar from Munich. We meet Nicolas, 17 years old, and Konstantin, also 17 years old. Both have been in the game for four years. Short grinds on stairs, rails and quoins (lol) are part of the trick repertoire of both of them. But is it possible to grind a rail that long as seen in the video, or is it a fake? What do they think? »Well, one could try it...« »Well, it is definitely possible, but it is also very difficult to do.« Both of them agree it’s possible. With a lot of practice basically everything could be grinded. It shouldn’t be that hard theoretically. (lol) »There are two differnet spots on our skates we can grind on. One is in between the middle wheels of the frame and one is on the soulplate. That’s basically the outside edge of the boot on which you can grind a rail like this.« If one is practicing long enough something like the grind shown in the video should be possible, we recall. As long as one isn’t losing interest in getting better, that is. Quitting seems highly likely because slams, pain and scary moments are undoubtedly a big part of this activity. Skaters must have the ability to take a beating, and the next harsh slam can happen to them almost every moment. »The greatest risk while attempting a grind is not locking onto the obstacle properly or having the wheels bite the rail, which can make you hit the ground pretty hard resulting in severe pain.« »As a beginner, you’re eating shit on the regular.« Konstantin and Nicolas both agree with each other: only the best in the world can perform a grind as seen in the video. We’re having a closer look on the video. At the end of it the name „Chris Haffey“ is shown. It turns out that this guy is one of the best rollerbladers in the world. To visit him, we have to reach over the pond leaving the winterly Munich for sunny California. Chris calls Long Beach his home. We’re starting our quest in the largest skatepark in town. This place is crowded, but most of the kids are skateborders. But after a while we’re spotting this group of rollerbladers in the halfpipe. (lulz) It’s obvious at first sight: these guys are on top of their game! We’re showing them the video. Do they know Chris, the skater in the video? Have they heard of the video? (TEH ROOTZ?) »Sure, that’s the 666 rail.« »What does 666 mean?« »Well, that’s the lenght of the rail. 666 feet. But I suggest you ask Chris here, he’s the guy in the video eventually.« »Is this you in the video?« »Yes, this must have been 8 or 9 years ago. I was 15 at that time.« »Do you think you still got it?« »Sure. It’s been a while, but I should be able to do it.« We still doubt we’ve found him this quick. But Chris convinces us in a heartbeat. Jumps like this can only be performed by one of the best bladers in the world. The grinds in the skatepark are no big deal for Chris. But what about t