Skaters flock to competition Skate

Skaters flock to competition
Skate-park competition winners

Sept. 12, 2000

BY MATT GLECKMAN
Journal Staff Writer

Skaters and spectators of all ages circled around the steep cement bowls of the Cortez Skate Park on Sunday for the park’s grand-opening celebration and first-ever skateboard competition.

By the end of the day, four dozen skaters — separated into beginner, intermediate and expert categories — had dropped into the park with hopes of dazzling onlookers and the three expert judges.

SKATEBOARDER J.J. Van of Durango defies gravity during Saturday’s skateboard competition in Parque de Vida. He took first place in the expert category.

"There were contestants there from Telluride, Durango, Farmington and Cortez — people came from all over," said Cortez Parks and Recreation Director Chris Burkett, who estimated that roughly 200 people attended the five-hour event.

Burkett said the day’s festivities were kicked off just after 11 a.m. with Cortez Mayor Joe Keck dedicating the park and Cortez city-council member Jim Herrick skateboarding through the grand-opening ribbon.

The park’s opening was sponsored by the City of Cortez, Kokopelli Bike and Board, City Market, Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers and the First United Methodist Church, said Kokopelli Bike and Board owner Jimbo Fairley.

Kokopelli organized the contest and provided a number of prizes including clothing, shoes, backpacks, skateboard decks, wheels and bearings for the first-, second- and third-place skaters in each category.

Each contestant was given two one-minute runs. "The skaters were judged on originality and use of the park, technical difficulty and consistency," said Fairley.

"It was great. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves — next summer we are going to run a contest each month and make it like a point-series type of thing," Fairley said. At the summer’s end they can declare an overall winner, he said.

Skate-park competition winners

Expert category

First place: J.J. Van (Durango)
Second place: Carlos Henry (Cortez)
Third place: Rudy (Durango)

Intermediate category

First place: Robert Smith (Cortez)
Second place: Dale Nelson (New Mexico)
Third place: Syrus Bennet (Telluride)

Beginner category

First place: Fernando Fernandez (Cortez)
Second place: Dylon Abeln (Cortez)
Third place: T. J. Hamilton (Cortez)