The weather could not have been any better for Lithgow’s first Australian Skate Park League (SPL) competition, held at Lithgow skate park on Saturday, May 19.
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YMCA Action Sports director Alice Hogan said organisers were very happy with the level of community engagement at the event.
“I know a lot of people travelled from lots of different places to be there, because they had heard of the series and wanted to be a part of it,” she said.
The series, which is part of the NSW League, was designed as a way to get communities engaged in their skate parks.
“What we were finding was that skate parks were often built and then left,” Ms Hogan said.
“It’s engagement around the use of the space.”
While clinics were often held in skate parks, there was little competition offering a chance to progress to a higher level of contest, which was where SPL came in.
The winners of the skating sections will be offered an opportunity to take part in the state final.
Opportunities are still being investigated to allow scooter and BMX riders to progress to another level.
Ms Hogan said the event came about as a result of a collaboration with Lithgow City Council and, based on that successful partnership, she hoped the competition would be making a return in the future.
“We will also be working with other councils around the Central West in the hope we can bring competitions in the future,” she said.
The Australian Skate Park League is one part of YMCA’s national pathway program that visits skate parks in Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Victoria.
YMCA, in conjunction with participating councils, facilitates more than 90 SPL events a year, making up the Australian Skate Park League – the biggest and most established grass roots skateboard, scoot and BMX series in Australia.