Sunday 21st August saw 2005’s Blantyre Fun Day
organised by South Lanarkshire Council’s Radworx
programme.
Sponsored by Blantyre skate store Kaos and staffed by
many local skaters the day was not really a grass
roots skate comp as we know it but more of a, well,
fun day for young local skaters, bladers and bmx’rs.
Not being interested in the bikes or blades in the
slightest I can only really write about the skate
comp…
As opposed to the age groups normally run at comps and
jams, here we had "beginners" and "intermediate"
groups.
Quite how it was decided who fell in to which category
I’m not sure, but either way the comps were very much
"under 16".
I have to admit I didn’t get any names of winners and
I didn’t film any of it because it seemed fairly
chaotic and interupted by the odd rogue blader who
refused to do as the middle aged female council
employees told them to, regardless of how much they
frowned, as it probably all seemed a bit like taking
orders from yer maw down the park!
Anyway, enough with the negativity. A hardcore skate
jam this was not ("Could all skaters collect their
pads and helmets from the container before entering
the comp!") but a day out for the kids and a chance to
grab some prod it certainly was.
The skate comps were extremely respectfull compared to
the inline events where certain participants pursued
the judges afterwards with cries of "You never seen
nuthin ah done!" when they didn’t win a prize.
Young skaters zipped about with some nice touches but
it was the ten minute free skate at the end of the
day, after 10 minute free sessions for the bladers and
bmx’rs, that took my attention.
Here the "older" dudes stepped into the park and had a
go at winning a deck for the best trick and some swag
for nice touches.
The sesh wasn’t really well attended but the few that
took part ripped for at least a good thirty minutes
without taking a breath.
Kaos skaters James Symington, Benson, Tam and Kyle
tricked off the 8′ walls.
James is by far the most smooth and fastest skater
I’ve seen at Blantyre with a style similar to Pete
King but the big tricks eluded him on the day.
Benson really worked hard and had the most consistant
runs but Duggie took the deck for the best trick and
that new hair do.
It’s a shame it was so crowded with shuffling bladers
and kids on their sisters’ old mountain bikes because
I really wanted to see the Blantyre crete ripped up as
it’s built for long fast flowing runs but it wasn’t to
be.
Can I just say a big up to the girl who skated well
all afternoon and who was the only female participant
in any of the sports from what I can remember.
Kaos skate store are organising a pure skate jam soon
which should attract the likes of Ben Leyden (who was
here as a judge only), Stu Graham and the likes so be
on the look out for talk of it on their site in the
very near future.