Emily Pross is a 21 year old professional downhill skateboarder from New Jersey.

Emily showed up on the downhill scene in 2014 and took it by storm. She almost immediately dethroned the reigning women’s world champion and has maintained an iron grip on the women’s division ever since. Looking for a bigger challenge and the respect of the male racing elite, she set her sights on the male-dominated “open” class in 2015 and has been making steady progress.

Like every other sport, downhill skateboard racing favors a certain body type. Most top skateboard racers are tall men with long legs for an explosive push, narrow shoulders for aerodynamics, and weight around 185lbs to carry momentum.

As a woman of average height, Emily faces a steep disadvantage due to her body type that she overcomes with a combination of hard training, aggression, and strategy. An extremely fierce and motivated competitor, Emily weight-trains hard in the off-season to build muscle and be heavy enough to compete with male riders. Careful drafting and racing strategy allow her to overcome the limitations of her push start. Her aggressive riding style keeps other riders from racing dirty. Getting beaten by Emily is so common that racers have a name for it: getting Prossecuted.

A top-ten finisher in the 2016 world rankings, Emily became the first woman to win a major open-class race earlier this year, when she took first place at the Mount Jefferson Downhill race in North Carolina. She has continued to have strong race showings through the rest of the season, maintaining her dominance of the women’s division and putting up a few open-class podium finishes. The jury is still out on whether Emily’s aggressive race tactics are a good match for Maryhill, but we know the Prossecution will not rest until she’s world champion.

Emily races with the support of IXO boards; Berkeley College; Daddiesboardshop; G-form; R.A.D wheels; Ronin Trucks; Hondar; Harfang; Atopic

Text and racing by Maxwell Storey Dubler. Portrait by Alex Charleson.

We are proud to introduce Emzy as the headliner for the first Windwalk! You can catch him on the main stage after the award ceremony on Sunday evening.

Emzy, also known as Misha Zaitsev – Ukrainian Progressive House DJ and producer, supported by superstar djs like Calvin Harris, Don Diablo, Laidback Luke, Bob Sinclar, Fedde Le Grand, Tommy Trash, Blasterjaxx, Chainsmokers, Danny Howard, Gregor Salto, Lucky Date + more.

Began producing in 2007 creating tech house tracks and being resident dj in the best club in Kiev at that moment – Arena. In 2009 Emzy won the first place on Djeans DJ Parade contest in Ukraine and played his set in front of 60000 people on the main square of Kiev. That moment was breaking point after which he began producing Progressive house and performing on big festivals in Ukraine, he played on one stage with Sander Van Doorn, Erick Morillo, Axwell, Marcus Shulz, Above & Beyond, Kosheen, Joachim Garraud and many others

Since 2014 he run his own weekly radioshow “Fat Show Boys” on DJFM 96,8. In 2015 he released his first single “Smokin Aces” and EP “Here We Go Again” on Intraxx Records. His remix alongside with Juicy M on Major Lazer’s “Watch Out For This” gained #4 on DJCITY May chart in the US and was supported by Calvin Harris, Laidback Luke, Bob Sinclar, La Fuente to name a few.

Everything Emzy touches becomes neat and sharp, his sets are precise and powerful like F1 racing and his worldwide fame is near at hand for sure!

At the turn of the century a group of intrepid street lugers followed destiny to a road leading to nowhere. Previously hidden to the world of gravity sports: Maryhill Loops Road was discovered. Built literally as an example of an epic road by Sam Hill in pursuit of a federal contract over a century ago, this now asphalted and privately owned, gated road remains unscathed by motor traffic. For Isaac Newton’s most extreme acolytes, this is paved nirvana. Hidden amidst the rolling, golden hills of Eastern Washington, the street lugers found themselves overlooking the Columbia River Gorge unaware of the how this discovery would attract the world. Gravity sports found its Mecca. It became the trial ground for any enthusiast. The pilgrimage to Maryhill is a rite of passage for young men and women seeking to find themselves on the black curves of fate. It became the birthplace of legends. Maintaining the tradition of discovering the world’s one true downhill champion, 2017 will be no exception. Racers will be tested as dreams become reality at their competition’s expense. People from all over the world of all ages and disciplines will fight for the podium that rises above the rest: Maryhill.

Street Lounge Productions is proud to introduce the first annual Maryhill Windwalk: a Music and Gravity Sports Festival happening throughout Labor Day weekend (September 1-3, 2017).

For the first time ever, there will be a multi-location music festival in conjunction with the downhill race. During the day, festival goers, spectators, and racers will migrate to the hill for the competition and party. They will be met with music, drinks, and the one helluva show. Ukrainian music producer, DJ EMZY will join other performers as they keep the party going for three whole days! When the day at the hill ends, everyone will return to the city of Goldendale for an epic after party, music show, food, drinks, and countless other shenanigans will be found at the festival ground: especially the party. The city of Goldendale has embraced graviteers for years has now agreed to help execute this groovy, music and gravity fueled undertaking.

Maryhill always attracted a wide spectrum of skill levels, all with the desire to push themselves in competition. Unique to Maryhill Windwalk 2017, there will be a tiered structure for the Open Skateboard competition. Two separate 96-man brackets will race for two separate podiums with different potential rewards. The Pros will race for a cash prize pool. Ams will race for prize packs provided by sponsors. This division of classes has been made to accommodate new or casual racers while maintaining the pureness and safety of higher level competition. Registering racers will have the option to chose one of these classes to race in but are not allowed to compete in both.

Other racing classes include: Groms (under 13), Juniors (under 16), Women’s, Master’s (Over 40), Inline Skate, Gravity Bikes as well as Trikes, and lastly Classic and Street Luge. No expected changes are to occur with the traditional format of these races. It has been a while since Gravity Bikes have raced the track, and it will be the first time Trikes will officially compete alongside the more traditional urethane classes. Every class (except groms) must have at least six competitors to race. Registration will open early 2017.

Please visit www.maryhillwindwalk.com or the Facebook event page @MaryhillWindwalk for up to date information and coverage.