The Cross Plains Optimist Club, in conjunction with the Cross Plains Parks and Recreation Department, is sponsoring the inaugural Optimist skateboard competition on Saturday July 31st at the Cross Plains skatepark. The rain date is Sunday August 1st. The facility is located in Baer Park on Church Street (County Highway P). Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. and the competition begins at 11:00 a.m. There is an entry fee of $15, and skaters under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present to sign a release waiver.
Proceeds from the event will go toward Cross Plains Optimist programs for kids in the community. In operation since 1991, the Cross Plains Optimist Club sponsors an annual bicycle rodeo, scholarships for college bound students, student of the month awards to local elementary and middle school students, essay and oratorical contests, a Tri-Star basketball competition, an annual fishing derby, and other youth activities. For more information about the Cross Plains Optimist Club contact Lee Sorensen (608)577-9173, Sherri Sarbacker (608)798-4000, or Susan Oja (608)798-4998.
Competition is open to skaters of all ages. They will compete in one of three divisions: Expert, Intermediate, or Beginner based on skill. Each skater will make two individual one-minute runs. They will be judged on the basis of consistency in landing tricks, difficulty of the tricks, style or smoothness and board control, and diversity of tricks on the various obstacles in the park. The top three skaters in each division will receive prizes and an invitation to compete in the District championship at the Four Seasons Skatepark in Madison on Saturday October 16th. In addition, the fourth-place finisher in each division will be invited to compete in the District championship if any of the top three are unable to compete.
The Cross Plains competition is one stop on the Southern Wisconsin (SWIS) District Optimist skateboard circuit that culminates in the District Championship. 2010 is also the inaugural year for the circuit. Other competitions have been or will be held in Delavan, Racine, Viroqua, Milwaukee, Beloit, Monroe, Lacrosse, Wisconsin Rapids, and Oshkosh.
For more information about the competition, go to http://www.phenomskateboards.com/extremeflow.html or email the organizer at optimist@phenomskateboards.com
