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Photo Michael Iacuessa
Jesse Ferreira of Wellfleet goes airborne. |
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Photo Michael Iacuessa
Dillon Buss skates the box in the middle of the park. |
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Skateboarders compete in Wellfleet
WELLFLEET — It was a day of ollies, grinds, kickflips and 5-0s at Wellfleet's Shred-e-Que Saturday.
Forty-five skateboarders, all boys with one exception, strutted their stuff for onlooking parents, teenage girls and other skaters in the sixth annual event. Proceeds from the $10 entry fee and t-shirt sales go to maintaining the park, located at Baker's Field.
"Talent-wise this is the best competition we've had," said Becky Rosenberg, Wellfleet's recreation director. "It's nice to see so many younger kids taking up skateboarding."
Eighteen-year-old Kevin Coakley captured the advanced title. Coakley, an Eastham resident who works at the park, was an early favorite. He did not plan on competing until a friend entered him.
When not at the park, Coakley is a street skater, traveling to Boston on weekends to hit spots like the Aquarium at Long Wharf.
"Sometimes you get kicked out but most of the time it's pretty good," he said.
Judges awarded 16-year-old Dillon Buss second place while 16-year-old Jesse Ferreira, a Wellfleet resident who has been skating since age 3, took third. Ferreira skated with the older boys this year after winning the mid-teen category last year.
Skaters were judged mostly on style points, particularly the consistency and variety of tricks they do in an allotted time. The competition is a jam format, meaning the skaters in each category skate at the same time.
In the intermediate category this year, 13-year-olds Jamie Sunderland and Colin Ashe took first and second respectively while Brad Lamie claimed a third place trophy. Ashe, a summer resident from Chicopee, won the youngest age category last year.
This year, 11-year-old Frederic Lalague of Quebec took the beginner title. The French-speaking Lalague began skating only eight months ago according to his mother who translated for him. Eleven-year-old Dylan McNerney was awarded second place and 10-year-old Brett Thomas third.
Silas Finch, a long-time fixture on the Cape Cod skateboarding scene, emceed the event.
The 22,000-square-foot park features a 24-foot mini-ramp which allows skaters to build up speed before skating the box and a street-style course in the middle of the park.
Rosenberg said some repairs were made to the park prior to the competition.
The park requires regular upkeep, including replacing plywood, which comes loose from constant pounding, and replacing metal attachments. Chris Thompson, who gives lessons at the park, has said he would like to see the metal parts of the park upgraded to Skatelite, a new material now popular in skateboard parks that would be more resistant to salt water in the air.
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PHS Sports
Nauset Sports |
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Aug 25th, 2005