Skaters shine at 25-year celebration of Fair Go competition

CROWDS gathered as the Fair Go Skate competition celebrated its 25-year anniversary over a busy two days of competition at Ballina.

The long-running competition has evolved over the years and is now a breeding ground for future Olympians with more than 100 people competing.

The program was split into open bowl and park divisions, with Abby-Rose McMahon, Corey Nixon, Ash Wilcomes and Paige Tobin winning events.

Tobin was one of the youngest entrants at 10-years-old, while Wilcomes has competed internationally in men’s events this year.

He is one of the local teens from Tweed who aspires to represent Australia at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“It really highlights that the event is for everyone when you have kids and adults competing,” event organiser Freddie Turmel said.

“We had a fantastic time, and the level of skating is getting better each year.

“Ash Wilcomes had just been at one of the big events overseas a month ago, so to get him here again was great.

“Some of the competitors started here as kids years ago and now part of the event as adults, it’s pretty special.”

Turmel works at Truckstop Sk8 in Ballina and has been running the event for 10 years with Tony Chavez and Graeme McDonald.

The competition was first held in 2000 in the car park of Ballina Fair Shopping Centre.

It was way for the local riders to highlight the need for a proper skatepark which council built in the coming years.

The addition of the bowl section at the park has enhanced the competition to help it become longest-running skateboarding event in the country.

“It’s probably getting to the point where the skatepark needs a bit more work,” Turmel said.

“The surface needs to be looked at next, but we’re thrilled that we’ve been supported to run a community event like this over so many years now.”