May 14th, 2010 was marked on my Blackberry for weeks, and on the paper calendar for longer than that. That was the day, 8am French time when we could finally register Wolf for Graveyard Call, the Biggest downhill event in France. There are only 80 spots for down hill racers at this event as there are also downhill in-line skaters and street-luge racers. Twenty spots had already been taken by priority riders, that being riders who have international ranking. This meant that Wolf was competing for the remaining sixty spots.
This four day event is part of the IGSA: International Gravity Sport Association. There will be riders there from all over the world. We had our tickets purchased, and our trip planned; the only thing yet to organize was actually registering for the event. I had already exchanged emails with the president of the association on two occasions to gain clarification about various items on their registration form.
On the 14th of May, I sat in front of my son's computer at the kitchen counter and waited to press 'send' at exactly 11:00pm Pacific time--8am in the Alps. Time seemed to slow, the clock ticked, but at a languid rate usually reserved for the last few minutes of the school day. Then the time ticked over and I sent! Then I proceeded to pay---which was why I was registering him and not Wolf registering himself. After all that, I checked the rider list and there he was, number 70! No kidding. I sent at exactly the required time and there were thirty seven racers ahead of him in those few seconds, but he was in.
The fun of international registration! It pays to ask questions and have forms already filled out in advance even if it means waiting for the clock.
