Cloudy skies part for youth skateboard competition

  • Published
  • By David Bedard
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Family member Kristian Renna zipped across the cement, darting up a blue ramp before pirouetting his skateboard into a kickflip. Though the board rolled 360 degrees beneath him, Renna managed to rendezvous his feet with the deck high above the tarmac and the skater maneuvered his left hand into a tight Indy grab before deftly landing the trick to the uproarious applause of the crowd.

The scene was part of Saturday's skateboard competition hosted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's Outdoor Skate Park, and included a few dozen JBER youths intent on proving their skateboard mettle to friends and onlookers.

A.J. Brooks, JBER teen coordinator, said the competition was organized into three competitor categories - beginner, intermediate and advanced.

The competition included three events - S.K.A.T.E., freestyle and big trick.

S.K.A.T.E. is a skateboard version of basketball's H.O.R.S.E. Skaters were charged with successfully landing a trick. If they did, other competitors had to follow suit or they added a letter to their tally.

The last skater standing was the victor.

The freestyle competition afforded skaters a minute and a half to run the skate park in an effort to string together their best routine.

The big trick competition allowed skaters 30 seconds to successfully land their biggest, most technical trick.

Brooks said JBER-sponsored skateboard competitions like Saturday's event help skaters plug into a tight-knit community.

"A lot of people look at skating as bad, but if you have a positive venue for it and you're doing it the right way, this is what happens," he said, gesturing toward a group of young skaters sharing stories.

Brooks said skaters develop social networks away from the Internet, with groups gelling together to share ideas and learn tricks.

Michael Curran, 12, son of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tim Curran, Alaska Regional Flight Center, said he agrees with Brooks' assessment of skateboarding's social value.

"Skateboarding is a great way to make friends, go out in the sun and get some exercise," the skater affirmed. "Instead of sitting on the couch all day playing videogames."

Curran said he is part of a group called the Nethberry Skaters who get together every day to practice. Currently, the skater is working with older kids to master the hardflip.

Renna said he has been skateboarding for 10 years and is at the stage where he is helping new skaters like Curran.

Learning new tricks often involves repetition, frustration and skinned knees.

"That's a part of skateboarding," Renna said. "You don't land everything, but you keep trying. You fall, you get back up ... It's determination."

Though he didn't win his category, Renna said he was thrilled to land the difficult kickflip Indy in the heat of competition.

He summed up the event in a tone suited for an energy drink commercial.

"We saw an intense skate competition," Renna said. "People were going big and everyone threw down some cool stuff."