By Rhea-Frances Tetley
Staff Writer
National Go Skate Day was well celebrated at the Crestline skate park on Friday June 21 with more than 100 skaters coming to town along with many skateboard-related vendors.
Best Trick winner Jordan Karasch being presented his $100 check by Stoops owners Josh Thrower and Tyler Aubrey with DJ Nodnoise, who was announcing the presentation.
Sponsored by Stoops, the park was hopping with fantastic tricks, with many skaters in competition for the Best Ollie and a $100 prize for the best trick and then topped by a product toss. Smaller entertaining tricks and those with crowd approval in the competitions were immediately presented a handful of cash from the organizers from Stoops.
The event lasted from 2 to 5 p.m. The weather was excellent for skating. Skaters attended from all over the inland area, including Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, San Bernardino and Corona and elsewhere. It was well advertised in the skating community. There were large video cameras capturing the high jumps and tricks and wipe outs, too. It was amazing for the spectators to watch the skateboarders as they completed great tricks over the rails, pipes and off the platforms and pipes. When they messed up, they rolled across the cement and, because of the practice and previous fails, no one got too hurt when they wiped out.
At 2 p.m. the area was filling with arriving skateboarders, who were practicing since extra pipes and platforms were added to the regular skateboard park course for the contest. At 3 p.m. began the Long Ollie contest, and the Best Trick competition began at 4 p.m. The riders would line up, push off and show off their best stuff on the various equipment to the cheers of the spectators.
The special guest for the afternoon was DJ Nodnoise, who was giving immediate color descriptions to the action, naming the tricks, making up trick names, complimenting the skaters and encouraging them when they wiped out. He was constantly on the microphone and pointing attention to the variety of skateboarders and razor scooters. The skaters ranged in age from 8 to 45 years of age. Some may have been older, as one or two had grayer hair, but they were not taking the great risks the younger riders were.
The vendors who attended were selling T-shirts, hats and skating accessories. Giving away stickers were The Avenue, Visionless, Island, In the Loop, BODworld and SnakesDrive Screen Painting, Shmuk and Mutt. There were several food vendors including Rippin’ Bowls. There was a gallery for spectators, under an E-Z Up for shade set up along the southeast fence.
The winner of the best trick was 25-year-old Big Bear resident Jordan Karasch who said he has been riding skateboards since he was 5 to 6 years old. “It was awesome today. It is everything to ride and have fun. It was up to us to do our best and entertain, I tried and I did my best stuff, and I am excited to win,” Karasch said.
Greg, 28, from Colton was impressed by the vendors. “They had so much great stuff, in those booths, and I got stickers from them all, too.”
This event was coordinated by Josh Thrower and Tyler Aubrey of Stoops who wanted to celebrate Go Skate Day locally at Lake Gregory Regional Park, as Thrower is from Valley of Enchantment. They were impressed by the turnout and the skill of some of the skaters. They operate Stoops, an Internet business with skateboard items.
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