Kevin Tran, Caleb Zealous, with Ian Ybanez bringing up the rear. Photo: Rolando Davila Jr.
A few years ago in central Texas I found this crazy boat ramp/road running down into the lake with a gate that was permanently closed by the US Corps of Engineers. Naturally, I figured it would be the perfect spot to throw an outlaw event, which would later become the most dangerous race in Texas: the Spartan Showdown! For this year’s second annual Sparta Showdown, held on February 11,2025 about thirty skaters turned up to hazard the sketch, or die trying. Best described as a “hectic chunder deathmatch”, Sparta does not mess around . . .
Kaspar Heinrici, tumbler. Photo: Rolando Davila Jr.
Caleb with his signature hay bale shoe flinger. Photo: Rolando Davila Jr.
Let me give you a rundown of the Sparta event course: The top half of the course is a smooth 35mph chicane section with patches of grass across the road. From there, you drop into a blind left corner that is so steep all you can see is the lake below. As you round the corner you try to keep your eyes off the hay bales and shoot for the money line. Granted, you don’t go flying off the jagged-edges of the eroded asphalt. If you survive that, then it’s time to dodge the sketchy chunder and gravel sandbar just before the finish line.
Da line. Photo: Kam Smith.
Finals! Photo: Rolando Davila Jr.
Riders meeting. Photo: Cam Smith.
Finals: Chris Davis, Granger Williams, & Chance Wiggins. Photo: Rolando Davila Jr.
Belton Lake. View from a hammock. Photo: Ryan Richbourg.
Congratulations to Chance Wiggins, Chris Davis, and Granger Williams for surviving this year’s Sparta Showdown and taking home the glory! For a race like this, a golden cow skull was the only proper way to crown the champion!
Squad! #SpartanShowdown. Photo: Rolando Davia Jr.
Chance the Wiggins, wins! Photo: Caleb Zealous.
Podium: 1st Chance Wiggins, 2nd Chris Davis, 3rd Granger Williams. Photo: Ryan Richbourg.
After the race was over this year we opened the event course for freeriding until it was time to return the hay bales. At the end of the day some of us stuck around for a night of brews on the lake, campfire vibes, and lit runs under a full moon. All in all, a very rad day of downhill skateboarding with the Texas fam!
Shean Racine, Caleb Zealous, Jake Patterson, & Ethan Campbell. Photo: Kam Smith.
Ryan Richbourg with a post-race slider. Photo: Caleb Zealous.
And another one. Photo: Caleb Zealous.
Pablo Mejia. Hammock life. Photo: Caleb Zealous.
Camp vibes. Photo: Caleb Zealous.
Richbourg with some late-night slides. photo: Caleb Zealous.
THANK YOU’S:
First of all this race wouldn’t have been possible without the awesome volunteers including the race officials and everyone that helped with throwing hay bales. Shoutout to Rolando Davila & GuttaButta Apparel for setting us up with a badass trophy and speaker system. Big thank you to the skaters who shredded hard and everyone that showed up to support the Texas scene! I will be looking forward to hosting the next #RadbourgVentures event at #Gnarathon7 in Waco, Texas on April 8-9th! Check out Gnar5 & Gnar6 Wheelbase Mag recap articles here: