Event honors boarding.

Byline: Eric Florip The Register-Guard

About 40 local skateboarders on Friday afternoon tried their best to be sick - but in the good way.

Riders came out to compete in the first event of this year's Eugene Skate Park Contest Series, which consists of four skateboarding competitions in city skate parks held throughout the summer. Friday's contest, at Cal Young Skate Park near Cal Young Middle School in north Eugene, drew dozens of skaters, spectators and parents.

To the constant backdrop of mostly rock music, competitors threw tricks with names such as ollies, nollies, kickflips and anything else they could think of to impress the judges. More difficult tricks were often praised as "sick" - skateboarding lingo for good or impressive.

Friday's competition drew a smaller turnout than usual, but the atmosphere makes it more than worth it for the skaters who do compete, said Isaac Markehe, a program assistant with the City of Eugene, which organized the event.

"It's just having a reason for all of them to come out here and get together - it's respecting and honoring their sport," he said.

The annual competitions also give skateboarders a chance to practice their craft in a positive atmosphere, Markehe said, something most cities lack.

"I don't think there's enough places that embrace it," he said. "A lot of places criminalize it."

Competitors were judged on their trick selection, style and consistency, and overall use of the park. Each skater received two 60-second runs, which were tallied toward a final score.

But when each rider dropped into the park to begin his run, he received plenty of cheers and support from the rest of the competitors. And that's exactly what makes the sport fun, said 18-year-old Justin James, who placed second in the 18-plus and sponsored division.

"If you skateboard, it's like a big community. Everybody knows everybody," James said.

Several competitors agreed that skateboarders have a bad reputation in most cities, even though it's not always deserved. Most skateboarders don't have bad intentions, James said.

"To skateboard, you don't have to do drugs or vandalize things," he said. "It's just a bunch of kids having fun."

Prizes for the event included a new board for the winner of the oldest age group, along with shirts, gift certificates and skateboard accessories.

Nick Blombers took top honors in the 18-plus and sponsored division. Caleb Grant won the 14-17 age group, and Shinya McWooster placed first in the 11-13 division.

Eleven-year-old Tyler Mercell, who said he'd been skateboarding for about four years, said being around other skaters was the best part of the competition. He didn't place in his division, but said he has won other events in the past.

"I didn't do as well as I usually do," Mercell said.

Markehe said he feels skateboarding is growing in popularity around Oregon, and expects future competitions to draw bigger crowds and fields.

"It's great," he said. "How often do you get parents coming out to watch skateboarding?"