Who the hell’s in charge?
Who the hell’s in charge?
Maryhill Windwalk continues the downhill racing traditions of Maryhill “Festival of Speed” and the Maryhill Ratz’s Showdown at the Loops. As Maryhill gravity sports racing faced potential extinction at the end of 2016, two racers formed Street Lounge Productions LLC. With the mission of reconnecting gravity sports to the masses by augmenting the racer and spectator experience, SLP debuts with their first event: Maryhill Windwalk 2017.
So who the hell is Street Lounge Productions? Chris McBride and Darius Escandar, two street luge racing Seattleites with a dream to make gravity sports great again while introducing the next chapter of America’s love for gravity sports racing.
Chris McBride watched street luge on the television for the first time during the 1997 Summer X-Games. He built his first luge that winter, racing for the first time the following year. Since then, Chris has competed all over the globe in some of the biggest events ever: the San Francisco X-Games, Gravity Games in Rhode Island, as well as Red Bull DHX and Hot Heels in South Africa. He has claimed world records in classic luge while competing in Brazil. Chris claims the highest attendance rate in the sport with over 200 events since he began.
Chris, originally from Tuscon, Arizona, relocated to the Seattle area to work for Microsoft as a computer programmer. He departed after nearly a decade to work for a variety of travel startups. Currently working as a programmer, Chris writes mobile apps for a money remittance startup.
When he isn’t racing Chris maintains several street luge related websites. StreetLugeRacer.com tracks the results of all racing. His personal website, ChrisMcB.com contains stories and pictures from his racing career. Transitioning from photo to video, Chris released over 30 street luge related videos in 2016.
Darius “DDog” Escandar was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He started downhill skateboarding in 2008 but converted after trying Chris McBride’s street luge at a Maryhill freeride in 2010. Beginning racing in 2011, he went on to rank fourth in the world in 2014 and won the IDF – International Downhill Federation North American Continental Street Luge Championship in 2015.
With an interest in video production since his youth, he attended the Seattle Film Institute in 2013 before freelancing as a camera operator and editor in the Pacific Northwest and abroad. His filmography includes feature documentaries such as K2: Siren of the Himalayas and Dirtbag: the Legend of Fred Beckey, as well as shorter documentary projects like A Hybrid War: Ukraine and The Nachomentary. While street luge has offered an exhilarating excuse to race, ride, and travel in exotic locations around the globe, his true passion comes when he is solo with nothing but a camera and a backpack.
For Chris and Darius, Maryhill Loops Road is a special place: a home away from home, deserving of love for unparalleled memories and experiences on and off the track. Simply put, they are stoked to show Maryhill and the sports we love to the world and are grateful for your support in this undertaking.