The Test
Our giant skateboards were ready to face a twisting course, weaving through gates before crossing the finish line. Every barrel knocked over would incur a 10-second penalty and the team with the fastest single run would be the winners.
Round one
First up on our giant skateboard slalom were the Extinguishers, who pushed off from the start before gunning the moped engine. It looked bizarre but the beaming smiles of the team said it all – their spring trucks worked a treat and they completed the course in 30 seconds exactly.
A tall order to follow for the Scots. Their electric motor's superior torque meant a lightning start. But only moments into the run there was a hideous noise form the Scots' board. The back axle casing had disintegrated and they had no choice but to abandon the run and pull out the welder.
Round two
So the Extinguishers had only their own time to beat and roared off full throttle but with little control over the board. They took out a gate before managing to cross the line, giving them a worse time than before – 39 seconds.
By now the Scots had done some emergency welding on the axle and were ready to roll. But once they left the line it was clear that something was badly wrong. They had no speed and there was smoke coming from the back axle. The guys abandoned the board and used human power to cross the line, hitting one barrel on the way. The Scots' lousy luck meant an awful time of 73 seconds.
Round three
The Extinguishers' final run was a perfect one. Having mastered the board's quirks, the lads put in a blistering time of 28 seconds and they knew it would take a miracle for the Steaming Scots to come back.
The Scots took off at speed, knowing full well it was an all or nothing run. But with their board's terrible turning ability, two barrels were taken out before they finally crossed the line.
It was the Extinguishers' day. Their superior mountain board design never faltered and had taken them into the next round.
