Summer of skating wraps up

Despite not having a local skate park, local eighth grade student Will McGauchie has wrapped up his second season of competition.

After starting the year in the beginners category, McGauchie moved up to intermediate for the final competition of the Bowl Series in Whistler on August 15 and 16.

“It was really good,” he said of the competition. “Intermediate was a bit more challenging but much more fun.”

Participants perform tricks in a bowl and are evaluated by three judges. McGauchie placed fifth after going up against 12 others in his section.

“I’m pretty proud of that,” he said. “In beginner I came first and fourth.”

His skating has improved over the summer and he has learned tricks like five-0s, 50-50s and rock to fakies. But he has had to practise in other communities or on homemade ramps.

“It makes a big difference, the one thing you can’t do here at Sun Peaks is you can’t practise.”

He said having a skate park would not only allow local kids to use and practise with it, but it could draw big crowds.

“If we did have a skate park up here at Sun Peaks it would bring a community. There are 200 people at competitions.”

For now, McGauchie has returned to school and plans to continue to practise on his skateboard and get ready for skiing and freestyle competitions. But he said he’s looking forward to more skateboarding competitions next summer.