Skateboards and bikes tackle the Maryhill Loops for IGSA championship
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
It’s not just hype to say that Maryhill Loops is a Mecca for skateboarders. It is well- known around the world. When the championship event for the International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) chose the Loops for it’s main event, the top riders from around the world came. Nine of the top 10 men and the top three women skateboarders were here.
Australian, Steve Daddow, said he had been waiting for five years to come to Maryhill. Daddow is one of several skateboarders who travel the world, competing in most of the IGSA world cup series events and other races in Europe, Africa, South America and Australia.
Maryhill Loops was the fifth stop on the ISGA tour this year, following races in Bathurst, Australia, Peyragudes, France, Jungholz, Germany, and Thalgau, Austria. From here the tour visits England, Brazil and finally, South Africa.
The winner of this year’s headliner event, the downhill skateboard, was Scott “Scoot” Smith, of Pendor Harbor, British Columbia. Smith, with emerald green hair, is the repeat champion, having won the Maryhill event in 2007. Smith took home $2,000 and a trophy for his win.
Winning was no easy task with so many top riders from around the world. There were 153 riders who ran single, time trial runs on Friday and Saturday. The top 96 advanced to the race brackets on Sunday. Sixteen, six-man races eliminated half the field, as the top three in each race advanced.
Twelve riders were left after three rounds. Round four determined who would run in the championship race, and who would settle for consolation.
Proving consistency counts and maybe that the cream rises to the top, even in a hazard-filled sport like skateboarding, five of the top six riders were among the top five qualifiers. Only Mike McGoldrick, of Canada, survived from as far back as the 14th qualifier.
The number one hazard on the course was a corner called Cowzer. It is a tight hairpin toward the end of the 2.2 mile run. Many riders had their day come to an end against the straw bales in Cowzer Corner.
Smith won the final race by a comfortable margin, after staking out a lead at the quarter-mile mark. Second place finisher James Kelly, was dubbed the American Dream, as he was surrounded by world competitors. Canadians dominated the event, with McGoldrick finishing fourth, Patrick Switzer, of Ontario, sixth, and Mischo Erban, of Vernon, B.C., winner of the consolation bracket race, finishing seventh.
Third place went to Switzerland’s Martin Siegrist, who was top qualifier, and holds the course record. Fifth was won by Mike Zietsman, of South Africa, race favorite among many due to his showing in the bracket races.
The other divisions, while fewer in numbers, were every bit as competitive. Brianne Davies, of Canada, won over 10 other competitors in the women’s division of skateboarding, and Brett Phillips, of Australia, took the gravity bike division. Gabriel Tiller, of Portland was second. The inline skating had only seven entries, and was won by American, Scott Peer. The runner-up, George Merkert, of California, was the oldest competitor over all events, at age 57. Merkert once played professional hockey and is currently a filmmaker. He began skating competitively 11 years ago.
Twenty-six competitors were in the junior division for ages 17 and under. The youngest skateboarder was just nine years old. Zak Maytum, from Colorado, was the winner. Canadian, Nick Jean was second, and Bellvue’s Spencer Smith was third.
The sport also attracts extremes in lifestyles and professions. Some riders limit their involvement around vacations from jobs, while others devote most of their time and money to the sport. President of the IGSA, Marcus Rietema, says he is a horse dentist 20 hours per week so he can work 40 hours on gravity sports. Michael Serek is a dentist in Austria, Chris McBride is a software engineer for Microsoft, Christopher Lang is an art salesman in Long Island, NY, and David Lambert is an engineer for United Airlines.
Engineers seem to be abundant, as the sport attracts people who are as interested in developing the perfect board or luge, as they are in competing. Luge runs in two classes, the classic luge, which is the four-wheel kind…basically a long board accommodating a rider lying down, feet-first, and the street luge, which is an expensive, uniquely engineered board that is longer with more wheels.
Most riders ride in just skateboard or just luge or just gravity bike. Riley Meehan, of Glendale, Calif., was an exception. The junior rode in four events, finishing sixth in the street luge, second in classic luge, fifth in junior downhill, and was one of the top riders, but out of the money in the downhill skateboard.
Sponsors contributed dozens of tee-shirts and skateboards that were distributed to the crowd on race day. THey also put up $10,500 in prize money, including $2,000 from Goldendale McDonalds for five places in the street luge. Goldendale provided a great deal of support for the event. Rietema recognized Lorraine Reynolds, Jim Allyn, and Lucille Bevis for their work during the Sunday night award ceremony.
The ISGA has tentatively set August 2009 for a world cup race at Maryhill Loops, if arrangements can be worked out again. The championship will move to Australia, probably in November.
 Youth will be served in B league volleyball
ANDREW CHRISTIANSEN
Reporter
It’s a common theme at each of the Columbia Gorge League, 1B schools, “young team with enthusiasm.” Sunnyside Christian and Trout Lake-Glenwood have the greatest change in players. Graduation will change the complexion of play at both schools.
The Knights graduated 6-0 center, Andrea Schutt, who led Sunnyside Christian to its first state tournament trophy. They have nobody nearly that tall to replace her, and senior, Melanie Van Wingerden, who at 5-10 was heir apparent, opted to hold down a job this year, instead of playing volleyball.
Coach Tammy Bangs is happy with the team she has, which returns her daughter, Abby, a senior setter. She describes her team as hard working and is looking forward to this season.
TLG lost key players to graduation, including all-opponents team player, Dave’y Lumley. Their ace in the middle is sophomore, Liz Vogt, who will be looking for sets from another sophomore, Veronica Glenn. There will be help from Krissey Avery and Mariah Smith who are tall enough to give some front line help to Vogt. Coach Angie Cox will have help from assistant, Bo Arnold in teaching basics to much of the team. Cox describes her team as “scrappy.”
TLG is forgoeing the Stevenson and SunDome jamborees. Their opener is Sept. 11, in Glenwood against Columbia High School. Tournaments at Mollala and Dufur are the only tournaments on the schedule, in what Cox hopes to be an easier year.
The remaining two teams in the conference, Klickitat and Bickleton should be getting older, but it takes awhile when you are playing eighth graders.
Klickitat is the defending conference champion, finishing in a tie with Sunnyside Christian and placing ahead of the Knights at State with their seventh place finish. The Vandals pulled off the great season in spite of having only eight players, three of whom were eighth graders. It would be hard to repeat that effort.
The good news for Klickitat is that nobody graduated and they now have 15 players. That’s significant because the team didn’t have enough players for a decent scrimmage last year. It is hard to work on shot placement when there are only two people on the other side of the net.
Six of the 15 are eighth graders. At least of couple have a good shot at contributing. “Everyone is equal now,” says Coach Jaece Ramsey.
Even without the eighth graders, the team is young with Kali Fargher the only senior. Zoe Lindner and Tia Spino are experienced juniors as are sophomores Brenda Lambert and Samantha Brewer. Brewer, the only freshman on the all-opponents team last year, will continue to dominate the middle.
Bickleton graduated several players, including all-opponents team setter, Ilsa Chapple. They have some similarity to Klickitat, as their big hitters are sophomores, Katelynn Clinton and Star Kibby. Clinton also provided much of the setting last season, but is going to spend more time on kill shots this year. Kibby isn’t particularly tall, but has great leaping ability and should score from the outside.
The supporting cast is experienced with juniors Morgan McBride, Johanna Jensen, and Holly Goodnight. They will need some help from first-year varsity players.
A significant change this year is the schedule. The split with 2B league removes LaSalle and Riverside Christian from the league game schedules. Lyle will continue to play the Klickitat County 1B teams in non-conference matches.
Gridiron openers this weekend
High school football and the Gorge Youth Football league games begin this weekend. Goldendale hosts Columbia High School at 7 p.m., Friday, in a cross-county rivalry. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat is on a long road trip to Lowell, Ore., also on Friday, Sept. 5.
Youth Football games are in Goldendale at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6.
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