CROWDS gathered as the Fair Go Skate competition celebrated its 25-year anniversary over a busy two days of competition at Ballina.<\/p>\n
The long-running competition has evolved over the years and is now a breeding ground for future Olympians with more than 100 people competing.<\/p>\n
The program was split into open bowl and park divisions, with Abby-Rose McMahon, Corey Nixon, Ash Wilcomes and Paige Tobin winning events.<\/p>\n
Tobin was one of the youngest entrants at 10-years-old, while Wilcomes has competed internationally in men’s events this year.<\/p>\n
He is one of the local teens from Tweed who aspires to represent Australia at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
“It really highlights that the event is for everyone when you have kids and adults competing,” event organiser Freddie Turmel said.<\/p>\n
“We had a fantastic time, and the level of skating is getting better each year.<\/p>\n
“Ash Wilcomes had just been at one of the big events overseas a month ago, so to get him here again was great.<\/p>\n
“Some of the competitors started here as kids years ago and now part of the event as adults, it’s pretty special.”<\/p>\n
Turmel works at Truckstop Sk8 in Ballina and has been running the event for 10 years with Tony Chavez and Graeme McDonald.<\/p>\n
The competition was first held in 2000 in the car park of Ballina Fair Shopping Centre.<\/p>\n
It was way for the local riders to highlight the need for a proper skatepark which council built in the coming years.<\/p>\n
The addition of the bowl section at the park has enhanced the competition to help it become longest-running skateboarding event in the country.<\/p>\n
“It’s probably getting to the point where the skatepark needs a bit more work,” Turmel said.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n