John P. Brackin - Freelance Writer - Articles - Pat Wachter Pro Bowl Contest

Skateboard Park to Host Pro Event

Alabaster Newsletter, April 2007

Ride Skateboards at Veterans Skate Park Over the weekend of April 28, Veterans Skateboard Park will play host to one of the state’s largest skateboarding events ever.

The first annual Pat Wachter Pro Bowl Contest will be the first professional event held in Alabama in over 15 years, and according to Ride Skateboards owner Brian Kelly, it’s expected to draw upwards of 3,000 people.

The contest is being organized by World Cup Skateboarding, the same group responsible for putting on the X Games. It will be hosted by popular skateboard figure Dave Duncan.

Duncan is known as the Voice of World Cup Skateboarding and has become a constant personality at the major skateboarding events. A native of Long Beach, Cal., Duncan skated with Alva skates in the 1980s and judged his first snowboarding contest in 1989. Today, he’s involved in competitions around the world and even called the snowboarding action at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Other big names expected to be on hand include legendary skater Christian Hosoi and top bowl rider Benji Galloway. Hosoi was one of the sport’s first superstars, known for his incredible vert riding in the mid-80s. Galloway is one of the sport’s current stars, having just won the Kronik Desert Dog Bowl Bash in Arizona.

This is the first time World Cup Skateboarding has visited Veterans Park. According to Kelly, this is a great coup for the fledgling park.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “This is the equivalent of the PGA Tour coming to town to play a par-3 course out in the middle of nowhere.”

This year, the pros will be competing for over $7,000 in prize money, though in future events, they’ll also compete for points.

“It’s a first run for us,” Kelly said. “To have the names we’ve got, it’s huge. We’re expecting folks from Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, all over.”

The contest is a bowl-only event and includes three different categories. Weather permitting, the qualifying rounds will be held Saturday, April 28, with the finals scheduled for Sunday, April 29.

The event will also include live bands, camping, and catered food. It also coincides with the Alabama Old School Reunion.

“It should be a great atmosphere,” Kelly said.

For more information, visit http://www.rideskateboards.com.