Olympic skateboarding events inspire young boarders at North Bay skateboard camp
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan has for the first time introduced skateboarding as an Olympic event with several medals being awarded out to young athletes.
In North Bay, the sport is growing. At a unique skateboarding camp, those grinding up and down the ramps are inspired by the pros.
"There are multiple tricks I can do and it's just really fun," said boarder Mackenzie Clements.
Amber Moffatt, lead instructor for Inertia Skate Co., is teaching the next generation of boarders everything from the basics like safety to more advanced tricks in a skateboarding day camp. It's the first time this camp has occurred.
"Skateboarding is not about being the best," she said. "It's about going out and having fun and building your best and being better than you did the day before."
Moffatt is a former competitive boarder herself. She says it's time to pass on what she's learned over her years on the ramp to the next generation.
"A lot of people have kids so this is bringing it full circle to help the parents of kids that want to skateboard as the parents don't know what's going on," she said.
Young boarder James Kirstein has been watching the Olympic skateboarding events closely. He is inspired to be Canada's next skateboarding star.
"You can go on lots of adventures," he smiled. "I'd like to go to the Olympics to become a pro skateboarder."
The sport has become more widely accepted. In the past, it was mostly a male dominated event. But now the rise in popularity is pushing a lot of younger girls to find their love for the skate park.
"I'm free to ride wherever I want," reflected boarder Tegan Pigeon.
Ramona Mitchell has been skateboarding for three days.
"I feel like I'm actually riding on an airplane," she said. "I love skateboarding."
Boarder Jacob Kirstein hopes through the camp he can improve on one tricky move he struggles with.
"I've been skateboarding hard-core since last year," he said. "I've been trying to perform a revert-fakey ollie. That's when you're on your board, you spin your board around, you pop your tail, and slide up your foot."
Twisting, an ollie here or there or speeding up and down the ramp, Canada could have a bright Olympic skateboarding future from athletes right here in our own backyard.
The next skateboarding camp is set up for Aug. 28. More information can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Nine suspects arrested in $24M gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport: Peel police
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year, Peel Regional Police said Wednesday.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
O.J. Simpson was chilling with a beer on a couch before Easter, lawyer says. 2 weeks later he was dead
O.J. Simpson's last robust discussion with his longtime lawyer was just before Easter, at the country club home Simpson leased southwest of the Las Vegas Strip. About a week later, on April 5, a doctor said Simpson was 'transitioning.'
Father of boy accused of stabbing 2 Australian clerics saw no signs of extremism, Muslim leader says
The father of a boy accused of stabbing two Christian clerics in Australia saw no signs of his son’s extremism, a Muslim community leader said on Wednesday as police began arresting suspected rioters who besieged a Sydney church demanding revenge.
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Liberals must now sell a budget they say will help younger Canadians catch up
It's now up to the federal Liberal government to sell a spending plan it says will help younger Canadians catch up to their elders.
Ontario woman out $30K after investing in mortgage company accused of being unlicensed
An Ontario nurse is fighting to recover tens of thousands of dollars in savings she invested in a mortgage company that has since been accused of operating without a licence.
Canada is expected to win 22 medals at the Paris Olympics
Canada is expected to win a total of 22 medals, including six gold, at the Paris Summer Olympics, which open on July 26.