Ketchum skateboard contest returns
Saturday
Permanent park in city’s future
By MICHAEL AMES
Express Staff Writer
This Saturday, Aug. 16 marks the fifth
annual Guy Coles/Ketchum Skatepark Skateboard Contest hosted by The Board Bin of
Ketchum.
This annual event has become one of
Idaho’s premier skate competitions and skaters from throughout the state will be
on hand to compete.
Named after former Ketchum mayor Guy
Coles, the event is part contest and part fundraiser for Ketchum’s soon-to-be
permanent concrete skate park.
Ketchum Skate Park caretaker and
visionary, Andy Gilbert, has been dealing with the maintenance and formidable
upkeep of Ketchum’s wooden skate ramp park for last eight years or so.
"When we got started in 1995, there were
only a couple hundred skate parks in the country. Now there are thousands," says
Gilbert.
"We were on the cutting edge. Now though,
the upkeep costs us way too much money and the maintenance on a concrete park
like the one in Hailey is basically non-existent."
Former Mayor Coles was an original
proponent of building a permanent park and as a former officer of the law, was
thoroughly appreciated for his unusually understanding stance towards skaters.
Guy Coles passed away two years ago and a
motion by the skating community was immediately made to name any park, present
of future, after him.
The city has since been very supportive of
the skaters of the Wood River Valley and has been recently helping raise money
for a concrete park.
The city has given $1 from ticket sales
from two of the summer concert series. The third show has $1 per ticket going to
the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation.
Skaters have also been responsible for
parking organization at the concert series.
Currently, a "Skate-a-thon," where skaters
will be sponsored per mile to skate from the future site of Ketchum’s concrete
park, to Hailey’s park, is being planned for the early in the 2003-04 school
year.
The Board Bin has also been helpful in
raising money for the construction. The Guy Coles contest is just one example of
their consistent backing.
The contest has been a hit for the last
few years. Last year over 70 contestants wowed the throngs of spectators who
surrounded the park.
This year should be no exception. A DJ
will be on hand to put the entire afternoon to a grooving soundtrack. Board Bin
t-shirts designed by Wize Design will be for sale.
Registration runs Saturday morning from
9-11 a.m., practice time for an hour runs from 11-12 and the contest officially
begins at noon.
Five age classes along with a girls’
division will allow skaters to compete against closely matched peers. Helmets
are required for all contestants. There is a $15 entry fee, which includes a
free T-shirt.
The Board Bin greatly appreciates
donations of products that can be used as prizes. Last year saw over a thousand
dollars in total prizes.
Any product donated will be openly
displayed and your company will be thanked and mentioned several times over the
PA.
For more information please call The Board
Bin. Donations can be sent to Board Bin at P.O. Box 6209, Ketchum, ID 83340.