Keith DeFiebre: The artistry of course design
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Comments
December 22, 2010 1:39 am
Lopes and Defiebre are tight, of course Lopes is going to tell Defiebre exactly how he wants it. Lopes makes2 or 3 trips to monterey to check in on the designs and make sure the berms are the best before the race. Lopes is no fool and he rides Defiebres work to success. that is the way it works, Defiebre helps Lopes and Lopes tells Defiebre what is good.
Mr. Big
November 29, 2010 5:53 pm
Say what you want, the Sea Otter Dual Slalom is the greatest win for any Slalom racer in the world. There are very good dual slalom courses around, Whistler, Europe Classics, Australia, Norway, and Spain, but the Sea Otter Dual is the Grad Daddy of them all!~
It has the most history, and the greatest racers ever. To win the Sea Otter Dual is the crowning prize in Slalom racing.
The course stands alone as the greatest dual slaom ever. No reason to hate on it, cause there is too many great riders who have won. I have watched the last 10 years or so and the racing is the closest of any dual slaom I have ever seen. And I travel the world watching MTB races. The twin courses are exactly alike and that is the key for success.
See ya there in 2011
Ron- Decline Mag.
November 23, 2010 3:45 am
Tim here,
I really am thankful to Keith and his helpers for this course. It has been the best time at Sea Otter for me each year. Keith makes the thing just right and the racing always is so close for each lane. I am sure he demands the most from anyone that works on that course with him, cause the course looks so even and runs so even.
peace out
Tim Dews
September 29, 2010 1:35 pm
I would be down for bigger air, my 10 year old son is just starting to hit jumps, and if he could launch off the super big air and not get hurt, that would be great. He is still pretty small, but I want him to get the big air, even if he cant handle it.
Biggie
September 21, 2010 1:31 pm
I heard that next year they are going to keep it the same on top then add a 200 foot kicker at the end! Lopes wants huge air! Maybe a 250 foot double jump.
September 7, 2010 8:44 pm
Best Course! Best Design! I did that course maybe 9 times out of the 20 years, and it is no doubt the best course on the circuit. I even made a replica in my backyard. I have traveled to races for 15 years and each year the Sea Otter Course has been best. But if it is true Brian Lopes is telling Keith Defiebre how he wants it built, that makes sense to me. The course is so rad the world’s best rider must be telling Keith how to build it.
Brock
August 28, 2010 2:35 am
duh, that is super weak Brian Lopes gets to tell Keith Defiebre how to build the course each year so it favors him. I agree with Me2 who posted that Eric Carter should be the guy telling Keith what it should look like. The course rocks, but if carter told Keith what to do it would be more fare instead of Lopes having all the advantage.
JJ
August 17, 2010 11:51 pm
yea i heard that lopes tells keith exactly how to build the course,
lopes won qualifying a bunch of years and i heard he sends a blueprint sketch of how he wants it and then keith takes the shovel and has at it
no wonder it takes so long to build the course
lopes must demand a lot.
whatever lopes shopuld not have that much say
id rather see carter tell keith how to build it
August 2, 2010 7:37 pm
I want to see Carter win next year too. The Americans have been getting beat up pretty bad out there on that hill. The sadest thing was seeing Lopes crash out this year when he killed the qualifying. Lopes owns that course. I heard from a guy in Whistler that Lopes tells keith what to add and how to build his course, and that is how keith makes it so schweet each season.
Tim Buck
August 1, 2010 10:26 pm
Carter once told me that until he wins the Sea Otter Classic Dual Slalom his career will be missing something. And E.C. is probably the best ever slalom racer with Lopes and King and Hannah. That shows that Keith’s course is legendary and should be left up to him to keep doing that magic with his shovel.
SoCal Sammy
Carter will win in 2011 !!
July 27, 2010 12:06 am
if i had my way things would be more of the same. leave it as is and stop trying to think you can changwe things for better. keith does the best he can and it always seems to come out really fun. lets keep it that way boys
lane
July 26, 2010 8:45 pm
I have been thinking that I can design a better course. If I can bring in huge wood ramps to place in front of 30 ro 40 foot high landings then this would sort out the best jumpers and would make for some great crashes. I build courses and if I had my way you could really see I know what I am talking about. Also I want to bring in a bunch of boulders and giant rocks to create some rock sections. I want real DH racing so I have to have boulder and rock sections, I can add this. I know what I am talking about.
Josh E.
July 21, 2010 11:26 pm
I always wanted to see bigger drop off sections somewhee on course. If you could have big drop off’s in the middle of course that would change the dynamics of the racing. I recommend Keith brings in ladders or giant bridges made of either steel of aluminum to set in place which would create bigger air for the riders.
Josh E.- the best course designer who knows it all!
July 19, 2010 5:23 pm
I did not like the start guy- His starts were lacking a regular cadence and it messed up my son twice. Besides that- it was the best course yet. But the starter needs to be changed or get a clue.
July 14, 2010 12:57 am
i thought the rythum section after the second set of giant berms was the best yet, i had uber fun there
just a thought
July 12, 2010 8:40 pm
Just put some big jumps in and keep builing everything up. The downhill needs some work cause it seemed nothing was done to that course except cut down some of the grass. Kind of a weak effort there, but the slalom is better. The slalom keep growing so just keep adding jumps. Thanks
July 7, 2010 9:05 pm
Easy Big Air. Things are just fine as they are. When Keith built the stuff too big, there were way too many crashes. Sure the top guys could handle it, but the masses could not. I like it as it has been the past few seasons. Fun and fast, yet not a lot of wild wipe outs. Let Keith decide what is best and things will be just fine.
Oldy But Goody
July 5, 2010 11:45 pm
What ever happened to that triple step up keith built about 8 years ago? That thing was crazy and people were crashing left and right. A triple step up was a little extreme for most of the riders but it was cool to see the top pros rip thru it. I think a Big Air step up would be just right, forget that crazy huge triple step up creation, that thing was scary.
July 1, 2010 11:28 pm
Please Please Please put the big air stuff down at the bottom of the course! The top section is friggin cool, but I want to hit some big stuff at the bottom. I am thinking table tops like 2 years ago. Those jumps you had this year were fun, but I want BIG AIR.
Please
June 21, 2010 9:55 pm
Pure fun on DeFiebre Hill. Wow that is a lot over work over the years, I hope they pay you well my freind. The Sea Otter Classic is the best event of the year. Short Track, Cross Country, Dh and Slalom. Pure Fun!
June 13, 2010 11:27 pm
Whoever builds this slalom is Rad! Do not stop making that course so sick to ride. Please.
One thing I want to see is girls in their underwear posted up along side of the course actiing as cheerleaders. Please.
June 9, 2010 1:23 am
Me, I had fun on the Whistler Dual Slalom. That was the top notch Slalom course I have hit. Never raced the Keith built Sea Otter Dual, although I must admit it looks sharp. Maybe 2011 I will jump acroos the pond and have a go.
June 7, 2010 5:38 pm
A Berm is a berm, but those berms on that course are the sexiest berms I have ever seen. As far as I am concerned all Slalom courses are cool, but the Sea Otter is just that little bit of extra cool. Maybe its the history, maybe its the same hill coughing up awesome courses, maybe its the best riders in the world taking part, either way those berms are legendary.
June 7, 2010 1:40 am
it is the finest course from here in england to across the pond where the whiners in the usa live
if that course was here in central town parkship my lads would be going mad over how wicked it is
fort william has the gnarly riding yet that sea otter slalom is stellar beyond words
i went once in 2002 and hope to venture back one day to kick some yanky butt on the dual
June 3, 2010 10:39 pm
Any chance of having some extra big launchers at the bottom of the course for 2011?
I want Keith to build some super giant kickers like he did back in 2006. That was the year that Mike King crashed out to Cedric Gracia in the final run of the day. With out a doubt that was the best slalom racing of all time.
June 2, 2010 9:24 pm
been watching the vid
good stuff chad
nice track and berms
looked like it was perfect weather out there
whats the fuss
just rad racing on the hill
much props to chad for this clip on keith
fire up the camera i want more from next years version as well
June 1, 2010 10:53 pm
Love Is In The Air! So Much Love To Keith…… The Guy Gets All The Love! I Just Want A Little Portion Of The Love He Can Give To My Single Lane Slalom In My Back Yard. His Berms Are Perfect And I Wish He Could Come To Wyoming To Build Out My Track. I Want Some Of His Love From All His Fans Too.
Slalom Is #1 In Alta, Wyoming
May 30, 2010 6:41 pm
I love that slalom course and the course builder does a outstanding job. Please keep up the good work. Thanks.
May 28, 2010 1:06 pm
So, Jay Richten we can deduce from this that you are the jerk off who thinks he knows who is writing what here. When really your the idiot who is using a fake name and has 5th grade responses. I never really doubted your a fool who has a 5th grade mentality.
May 27, 2010 3:31 pm
Sorry jay, I am not keith. I was just trying to stick up for the guy. From what I have read here, the guy who has issues with keith should approach him instead of writing anonymous negative comments.
jay you may think you know all, but you do not.
but keith should definitly keep up his good work, so you have that correct.
Andy Shaw
May 27, 2010 12:13 pm
Some funny stuff here, wow!
So this line kinda gives it away that it’s this Keith guy with the 5th grade responses:
“Love me some stalkers who are jealous and have no guts to approach the guy themselves”
How would you know, Keith, that they didn’t approach you? Wooops. A little slip there.
Keith, just keep doin what you do. And it sounds like you need to tone down the Keithness and just be a nice guy.
May 26, 2010 9:39 pm
I think a good definition of a Jerk Off is someone who writes negative and bad comments anonymously like that individual has done in this forum! It really is quite funny how someone calls someone else bad names, when really they are the ones who are being a bad person in general. This shows the true integrity of the Jerk Off who is making the negative comments, and really shows me that this person has some major issues as a Jerk Off themself.
May 26, 2010 1:06 am
And we can also deduce that jerk off’s make posts at 4:42 pm on May 25 to this site for this video. I never really doubted it anyway.
And then at 4:43 pm on May 25 that same jerk off is in his closet jerking himself off dreaming about the slalom builder who he adores and secretly wants to french kiss.
Love me some stalkers who are jealous and have no guts to approach the guy themselves, so they talk shit while they masterbate about him.
It is obvious the same idiot jerk off hater is making multiple comments here, it is clear this fool loves keith with passion and desire.
May 25, 2010 4:42 pm
So, we can deduce from this that even a jerk off can build symetrical berms. I never really doubted it anyway.
May 24, 2010 1:44 pm
it is all good, yet I would like to see bigger jumps on the bottom of the course. I know the weather conditions can dictate what happens down there, but if there could be some giant jumps like Keith had about 5 years ago, that would be epic.
May 23, 2010 10:13 pm
It is only the best slalom course of all, ever. To say you can build better is only dreaming. It is what it is, a legendary course and should be appreciated. I travel to Monterey each year to film the Pro’s race and will continue to do so. Beautiful!
LL
May 20, 2010 8:14 pm
id just like to thank keith and the sea otter classic for having that race, and a dh race and everything. thanks for all your hard work!
May 20, 2010 12:42 am
Any chance of running a summer slalom series on that course? I think that course is the bomb, and if there were more races there I would be down for that.
May 18, 2010 12:27 pm
the best time ot the otter fest for me is that slalom
love that hill
but could you please do me one favor and build up the first step up section bigger
if the landing was higher and bigger it would be schweet
the take offs were just right
May 17, 2010 8:10 pm
Slalom Racing Rocks! And Sea Otter Classic course is #1.
May 17, 2010 12:58 pm
Congratulations Keith! This has been our most popular video ever. Most viewed by over 45%.
Thanks for taking your time to be interviewed and for increasing the Bike Mag. web site view ratings. You are Legend.
Chad great production!
May 16, 2010 10:54 pm
judging by the comments, little Johnny Boy The Slalom Ripper has a serious man crush on Keith DeFiebre.
May 16, 2010 9:12 pm
Very cool video.
May 16, 2010 8:27 pm
Yeah John The Slalom Ripper
keith ripps your ass! and my you have a big ass hole. because you are one giant ass hole.
why dont you call keith personally of find the guy and tell him how you feel instead of writing down weak ass comments here.
I bet keith told you to fuck off, so all you can do now is write sorry ass comments
if you have delt with Keith before, i bet he just straight up told you to go fuck yourself in the porta pottie, so of course your a negative bitch toward him
good for keith
if people hate him great! as long as he is telling fools like you to fuck off keith is doing the right thing!
one thing that is widely known is the video is of keith, not your sorry no name ass!
May 14, 2010 5:22 pm
Keith DeFeibre is indeed a jack a$$ kook, but I didn’t realize it was as widely known as it seems to be based on all these humorous comments… I’m sure Peaty likes him because Keith licks his boots all day long, but the others who have actually dealt with the guy know the real Keith.
Some of these comments like “KING” and “MTB 4 Me” have got to be Keith defending himself. Hahaha!
May 13, 2010 9:21 pm
Best Course By Far! Funny how people can write bad things and say they can build a better course, when that course over the years has been the Best Course By Far. I am looking forward to it next April.
See you in the start gates Keith.
May 12, 2010 10:17 pm
I would like to thank Keith for his help! For no reason that I know of, Keith approached me and offered to sponsor me at his races. I was coming back from a bad crash and had some big medical bills. Keith wanted to help, and sponsored me and really stepped up and made a difference for me and my racing comeback. he then went on to sponsor my brother and some of my friends. I have never seen anyone do this and support riders like this. Keith made a big effort to help me and I am really thankful for this. I also saw Keith do a fund raiser for a rider who had been seriously hurt. keith donated the contributions to the rider and I have heard he has done this a few times before as well. I am lucky Keith puts on races in my area, and I am lucky Keith has been cool in helping others when needed, like myself! I hope to race this slalom next year.
Thanks Keith
May 12, 2010 6:13 pm
i love what you do every year. i have raced other ds courses and they suck their like lame shovel lines on a hill.
May 10, 2010 1:20 am
I watched the racing from the hill and I was amazed at how fast guys like Lopes and Hannah could tear up that course. Seems to me it was perfectly built because the final race of the day was something like .09 in favor of Sick Mick Hannah. It was the coolest slalom racing I have ever seen, and the most close final I have ever seen, so in that respect the course was off the charts. Also I really like the photos Chad added to this very good video. Thanks Bike Mag for the clip!
MW
May 9, 2010 6:12 pm
as a 2 time winner of the sea otter dual id have to say it is the most consistantly best built course i have ever used
X Games had a few good courses for boarding that just made me want more
but the sea otter slalom put fire in my veins for some odd reason and each year Keith made a course that was uber cool to race on
best of all i beat Cully 2 years in a row for the overall
Keith, good work and way keep it flowing after so many year
lates
May 8, 2010 10:40 pm
Good Times out there! thanks Bro
May 8, 2010 10:02 pm
Uh….. your all pretty lame at reading things. I know for a fact that keith has a 45 day window to build the track. The Laguna Seca Raceway gives him a starting time 45 days before the event. So thru rain, and storms, and whenever the guy can he gets out there- he builds. So if deFiebre says 45 days, he simply ment he has 45 days to deliver the finished product and you all are reading way too deep into his video and trying way too hard to disect what the guy is saying. Whatever!!!! your all so stupidly serious over trivial stuff and all of you should stop typing and simply get out there and ride more, or build more courses- like that deFiebre lad is doing right now probably. I fully respect deFiebre for doing things his way, he seems to have to put up with a lot of people telling him how things should be or people trying to act like they know how things should be. deFiebre does it his way, so good for him!!!
May 8, 2010 9:24 am
Look I think we can all agree that 45 days to build a track is a bit much. I have never met Kieth, but I can say that he comes across a bit arrogant. As for all of you that are slinging shit in his direction, it looks foolish; the track is a nice track. KING i just want you to know that you sound like the biggest sack of shit, and do not take it out on this board, it not any one of our faults that your father fucked your mouth as a kid.
May 7, 2010 6:56 pm
As far as “Dual” courses go, that Slalom is probably the best ever. I like the Whistler Dual Slalom but the Sea Otter Classic has the best riders and the most history of any Dual Slalom ever.
Everyone thinks they can build better courses but that course is a true classic.
May 7, 2010 6:21 pm
Keith 425 wins, so your quite the player!~
May 7, 2010 1:00 pm
My dicks got more wins than you Keith
May 6, 2010 11:21 pm
I AM THE KING TRAIL BUILDER AND ALL YOU STUPID ASS PUNKS WHO TRY TO WRITE COMMENTS ON THIS PAGE ARE SO WEAK IT MAKES ME PUKE. ALL OF YOU ARE LOSERS EXCEPT FOR STEVE PEAT. HE IS WORLD CHAMPION. READING SOME BABY FACED LAME HEADS TYPE IN RANDOM COMMENTS MAKES ME BARF, THAT IS SOME OF THE WEAKEST SHIT I HAVE EVER SEEN. I LIKE BRIAN LOPES, STEVE PEAT, AND KEITH DEFIEBRE, THOSE GUYS HAVE ALL DONE GOOD STUFF. BUT TYPING IN RANDOM SORRY ASS COMPLAINTS IS THE MOST LAME THING ANYONE COULD DO. OH I KNOW, I WILL COMMENT ANNONYMOUSLY AND I AM REALLY A HARD ASS, WRONG! COME UP NORTH IF YOU WANT TO SEE REAL TRAILS. I GOT THE BIGGEST JUMPS, THE MOST SICK DROPS, CRAZY STEP UPS, AND TREE LAUNCHES YOU COULD NEVER HIT- EVER! WE GO BIG UP NORTH, WHILE YOU DOWN SOUTH GO HOME. ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE SORRY ASS COMPLAINTS HERE ARE COMPLETE DUMB SHITS. YOU ALL NEED TO GO TO SLEEP EARLY CAUSE YOU ARE BABIES PURE AND SIMPLE AND IF YOUR MOM KNEW YOU WERE TYPING STUPID PUNK-ASS REMARKS SHE WOULD KICK YOUR ASS. I AM THE KING TRAIL BUILDER AND NONE OF YOU COULD EVER CHALLENGE ME. COME UP NORTH AND I WILL DOMINATE YOU, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU.
THE KING
May 6, 2010 10:34 pm
I am the best in the world and build better courses then him any time I want. I could use a fork or a spoon or whatever, I am the best builder then all you fools, especially Cody who will need a big spoon to make 100 foot long berms like I do. See my courses in my back yard where I do all my work.
May 6, 2010 9:30 pm
this guy is a wank. I could build a better course with a spoon
May 6, 2010 7:45 pm
i have fun each time i race the slalom at laguna seca, 2 years ago when i won my category it was maybe the best day ever for me on a bike. even if i am just a begginer, i still love that course and am thankful for home boys work.
cheers to all
May 6, 2010 6:14 pm
Its my favorite and sometimes only DS of the season. Thanks for everything Keith, your work keeps me coming back. Sorry about the blokes who are jealous wankers.
Peaty
May 6, 2010 4:00 pm
random rider lays it on a bit harsh but you have to know kieth to see through the bullshit
May 5, 2010 11:56 pm
DeFiebre Rules!
May 5, 2010 11:35 pm
Seriously-45 days!!! to build pretty much the same course every year. How long are his work days?
May 5, 2010 9:02 pm
I Love his courses and I love the guy. Whatever to the haters! bah ha ha
May 5, 2010 7:16 pm
God, he is such a lier. I hate keith
May 5, 2010 4:51 pm
keith is a bad person
May 5, 2010 1:14 pm
Chad thanks for a great piece of work on Keith and the DS course. In my opinion that race is the best time by far at the Otter Classic. I go each year just for the slalom Keith puts together. see ya on the trails and keep up the great reporting
May 5, 2010 12:40 pm
props to keith for his work, too much fun when I get the chance to race his course!
May 5, 2010 11:53 am
Keith is an annoying self centered little shit. no one knows how annoying he is until you try to give him creative feedback.
May 4, 2010 10:28 pm
Real Builder–yeah Pro Purse– sounds like Brian Lopes crying again to me. Negative people will always try to dog others, and complain about things. A Real Builder, uh ok. Your the real deal dude! And there are so many builders who can do much better! SO many! yeah right.
I think there is a little more behind the scenes to build that course that you do not even know about, but you do now how to say bad things about people which makes you a Real Builder who is a Real Loser! Ha!~ Thats one of the best track’s ever and for the past 10 years I have enjoyed it. But you want the money to go to the pro purse- uh ok- put on your own race and build your own track and put all your money to the pro purse and stop complaining like the loser you are. I have a idea, why dont you leave your name and phone number or the names and phone numbers of all the builders in the area who would build a much betteer track in half the time, I dare you, and I bet the dude who put the thing together would love to have you build?? why wont you do this? cause your A Real Builder who is a real moron.
Steve C.
May 4, 2010 1:57 pm
Nice to see where some of the money goes. What a joke, there are so many builders in the area that would build a much better track in half the time and then allow some of that morons money to be put towards the pro purse.
May 3, 2010 11:30 pm
Sweet shots! thanks for showing me how it is. I had so much fun on that course and congrat’s to Jill K. and Mick H. for their pro wins. I want to race that course each weekend, too bad he knocks it down each year…..
Cynthia