Fun and flips at Ballina skate comp

NEARLY 100 people competed for $5,500 worth of cash prizes at the Fair Go 24 Skate Comp at Missingham Park in Ballina recently.

Freddie Turmel from Ballina skateboarding shop Truckstop Sk8, who helped organise the event, said competitors ranged in age from five to 51 and came from as far north as Agnes Water in Queensland’s Gladstone region and from as far south as Newcastle for the event.

“It was all about fun and good times,” she said.

“Even when people are falling off, everyone is cheering them on to make it next go. When they are trying something hard you can still see the smile on their face.”

Local skateboarders founded the competition in 2000 as a way to show Ballina Shire Council that there was a need for a skate park in the town. They got their wish in 2008.

“We have been running Fair Go for 10 years now and it is always amazing to see so many people come back year after year, especially so many families, and it always feels amazing when we see new faces in the crowd,” Turmel said.

She said seeing the delight on children’s faces when they win a prize, especially for the first time, made all the hard work she and her colleagues put into organising the event worth it.

“We love the comradery, our skateboarding family and everyone in it,” she said.

Local winners included Everly Leard in the under 10 girls, Bonnie Coote in the under 16 girls, Aston Lawrence from Tweed Heads in the under 16 boys, Tanisha Gardner in the open womens, and Zac Davis in the masters division (over 40).