For the week of August 13 - 19, 2003

Ketchum skateboard contest returns Saturday

Permanent park in city’s future

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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.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.