[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=16097

Skate Park Jam Retools Its Format For Second Contest

Nick Dettmann
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - After a successful first year, the Skate Park Jam made some changes for Year Two.

One was to alter the agenda of the event: eliminate the two age group categories (15 and younger and 16 and older) and change it to four skill levels.

The other was to eliminate the participation and admission fee. Last year, it cost $5 to enter.

If not for those changes, 14-year-old Avery Nicastro-Aikman likely wouldn't have participated Sunday.

Aikman was driving past the park while in the area to visit his aunt and uncle in New Buffalo, Mich. Aikman grew up in Champaign, Ill., but was in town from San Francisco, where he and his family moved last year.

"I saw the tournament," Nicastro-Aikman said. "So I might as well be in. I don't even really ride skate parks that much. I'm more of a street rider."

Riders, heavily represented by Northwest Indiana, with some from bordering states like Illinois and Michigan, were divided into three disciplines: BMX, skateboarding and aggressive inline skating. Those disciplines were further divided into four skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert.

To aid in finding out who should be placed where, riders were asked a set of questions, such as favorite move, type of equipment used and how long they have participated in the sport.

Last year, an estimated 70 participants competed in the event. While this year's count was not immediately known, event chairman Ed Beutner anticipated that number to be higher because of the changes.

"(Last year) I noticed walking around," said Beutner, whose 13-year-old son, John, and 11-year-old daughter, Amanda, are constant visitors to the park. "That (the age groupings) left a lot of kids feeling like in the older class they knew who was going to win.

"So the first thing I did was to give more categories, not by age, but by skill level. So they can compete with people of similar abilities."

One of the winners Sunday was Ryan Hastings, La Porte. Hastings, 15, will enter his sophomore year at Michigan City High School. He competed in the intermediate BMX level.

He said he spends about five to seven hours a day at the park when it's not raining. He was glad to win because he was out of town and unable to compete in the event last year.

"I had a little dirt jump in my backyard when I was little," he said on how he got into the sport. "It just progressed.

"... I like to do 360s over things. That's pretty fun."

Other winners included Tommy Sosinski, Michigan City (beginner skateboard), Keith Gregory, Chesterton (beginner inline), Jordan Eperjesi, South Bend (beginner BMX), Amanda Beutner, Michigan City (intermediate inline), and Nicolas Tharp, Michigan City (intermediate skateboard).



Contact sports writer Nick Dettmann at ndettmann@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 447.

[ChickenCityRoller]

Ed Beutner is THE MAN!
I'm glad Amanda won, she's awesome. I was freaked out watching her skate two years ago getting BIG air at age 9! I'm suprised her brother didn't come home with a first place. It's very cool that ED puts his time and energy in to this and it's even cooler that they eliminated the entry cost to make it available to anyone.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Why didn't this get more play before it occurred? And, yes, good for Ed!

[ChickenCityRoller]

Why didn't this get more play before it occurred? And, yes, good for Ed!

I wish the N.D. would have wrote something about this. I guess if you weren't in the know (re: down at the skate park often) you were outta luck. God forbid there are some spectators that show up. I would have brought my camera gear and got some nice shots. Oh well.

Last year they told Ed there would among other things, an ambulance. There wasn't any ambulance but they have one on hand for the drum corps, lol.

[Roger Kaputnik]

A trombone can put an eye out, you know.

[Southsider2k12]

I wish the N.D. would have wrote something about this. I guess if you weren't in the know (re: down at the skate park often) you were outta luck. God forbid there are some spectators that show up. I would have brought my camera gear and got some nice shots. Oh well.

Last year they told Ed there would among other things, an ambulance. There wasn't any ambulance but they have one on hand for the drum corps, lol.

Tell 'em to sign up here. They can have all of the enk they can type.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54875.99

Skate Park Jam winners announced
MICHIGAN CITY - Here are the results of the Skate Park Jam held Sunday at the Michigan City Skate Park.

Beginner
Inline skate: Keith Gregory, first. BMX: Jordan Eperjesi. Skateboarding: Tommy Sosinski, first; Tyler Carlson, second; Shaquon Smith, third.

Intermediate
Inline Skating: Amanda Beutner, first. BMX: Ryan Hastings, first; Tyler Lichkay, second; Matt Judge, third. Skateboarding: Nicolas Tharp, first; John Holley, second; Daniel Fredenburg, third.

Advamced
Inline Skating: Rick Blank, first; Mario Sesala, second; Matt Reed, third. BMX: Tyler Nowicki, first; Robert Cannon, second; John Beutner, third. Skateboarding: George Daubbs, first; Chuckie Metheny, second; Gordon Tharp, third.

Expert
Inline Skating: Dalto Gregory, first; Dan Meyer, second; Blake Sellenberg, third. BMX: Brett Banasiewicz, first; David Freund, second; Steve Valutas, third. Skateboarding: Nick Giorgi, first; Sean Herrington, second; Blake Lewis, third.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Good for them! I have seen some kids over thar when I run, and it looks like a lot of fun.