World-class downhill skateboarders compete in Picton this weekend

Administrator | Sep 16, 2011 | Comments 0

The County's Kolby Parks is he is currently first in both streetluge and classic luge in the North American Championship race.

It’s downhill all the way as world-class asphalt athletes gear up for the second annual Prince Edward County Gravity Fest this weekend in Picton.
Gravity Fest is a sanctioned downhill skateboarding event that is part of the International Gravity Sports Association’s 2011 NorAm Downhill Series. It was introduced to the County by Classic Luge Canadian Champion Kolby Parks who won a World Cup Championship Race earlier this month in Vernon, B.C. and placed second by just a few inches in the Street Luge Championship. He brings his points forward, toward the World Championship Cup for both events.
The series consists of five downhill racing events: the Vernon Downhill, the Maryhill Festival of Speed, the Winsport Canada Cup, the PEC Gravity Fest and the NorAm Finals. The series run from June to October.

Picton’s events begin tonight with a on-site registrations and technical inspections. The races are on Saturday and Sunday (York, Pitt and Church streets) and include: Downhill Skateboarding, Street Luge and Classic Luge competitions. An awards ceremony finishes the event Sunday with more than $2,000 in prize money.

Picton’s York, Pitt and Church Street roads close to traffic at 9 a.m. Saturday and practice begins for all classes until noon when qualifying races will begin and run through to 6 p.m. Sunday the road closes at 9 a.m. The Street Luge racing is set for noon; Downhill Skateboard races at 2 p.m. and the Classic Luge by 4 p.m. Roads re-open at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony follows at 6:30.

This link:
http://www.igsaworldcup.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=502 shows all the different races, how they are catagorized according to type of race and points earned. Kolby Parks is accumulating points not only toward the North American Championship, but also toward the World Cup. The highest points of four world cup races determines the winner.
Currently, he is first in both streetluge and classic luge in the North American Championship race. He is 9th in Streetluge and 8th in Classic Luge in the World Cup race. If he wins at the Prince Edward race he will maintain his 1st place standing in the North American series and it will move him up to 2nd and 3rd respectively in the world cup race.