Grinding, sliding and 360-flipping their way to the top, skaters shredded on half pipes and rails, while helping support a local non-profit organization.
Participants converged at McBride Skate Plaza in Long Beach for the LBCity Skate Competition on Saturday, and all proceeds went to the Action Sports Kids Foundation.
“It’s always been ASK’s mission to help support the local kids through sports and activities – anything to help them stay away from gangs and crime,” ASK founder and Executive Director Mike Donelon said. “We’ve got a skateboard team that, right now, consists of about 60 kids … and all the proceeds will go to helping the community.”
The contest hosted three different age divisions for skaters to compete in ranging from 15 and under, 16 and up and an expert division for the most experienced skaters.
No matter the division, the competitors all came out with a bag of their best tricks and a display of strong skating ability, as even the youngest of skaters were hitting the handrails, flying over gaps and performed difficult maneuvers.
“I want to win, but the contest isn’t all about winning,” said Ruben Bermundez, competitor and winner of the 15 and under category. “The real reason is to just have fun.”
For a full six hours, music boomed from the speakers as the skate park transitioned between ten-minute competitive rounds to intervals of rambunctious free skating.
The judges sometimes were competitors themselves, and would swap out with other skaters from ASK in order to participate.
Competitors signed up for the event in the parking lot of the McBride Skate Plaza. The cost to compete was a $10 donation.
After five hours of intense skating by the participants, three competitors were left in each division. Out of the three, only one would be presented with a prize in the form of a sponsorship from ASK and free gear.
With only three competitors at the end, pressure and tension increased among the participants.
“Yeah I got a little nervous, I’ll admit it,” said Luis James, first place winner of the expert division. “When it’s just you three, you have to just focus on yourself and not focus on what the other guys are doing, but if you do that, then you’re going to lose for sure.”