SK8 Lake Tye going the distance

A rare, if not unique, sporting event is being hosted in one of Monroe’s popular community parks this weekend.

The Sk8 Lake Tye 2018 skate race takes place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The races are set to traverse the rim of the 42-acre lake for which the park is named. Any type of board, as long as it is human-powered, is welcome, said organizer Angela Kuhn.

“This kind of race has never been done before,” the Arlington woman said. 

While each course is considered long distance, the matches are really more like quick sprints in the world of endurance skating, Kuhn said. Also called Long Distance Push, the style is gaining more traction worldwide, she said.

Kuhn and her husband started A Huge Production company six years ago, through which they put on the annual Centennial Sk8 Festival. With the help of various partners, including the Snohomish County Sports Commission, and some funding from a Snohomish County’s Tourism Promotion Area grant, they work to turn the region into a global destination for longboarding and other forms of the sport.

Riders familiar with the Arlington competitions know they are a little longer than what contenders will be up against at Lake Tye. The races up north include 5K, 8.5-mile and 14.5-mile routes. That’s next to nothing compared to some of the world’s biggest events, Kuhn said, such as the annual Ultraskate in Miami.

At the Homestead Miami Speedway, skaters see how far they can go in 24 hours, according to the event’s homepage. Seattle resident James Peters came up with the concept in 2006. Awards are given to those who finish up to 300 miles. 

Competitors can take part in 200-meter, 1.5-mile or 3-mile races at Lake Tye on Sunday, July 1. There will be giveaways, food, music and a kombucha garden. The first place prize is $1,000.

Tickets can be purchased for Sk8 Lake Tye here.

The Skate International Distance and Supercross Association sanctions the races in Monroe and Arlington. Kuhn said the upcoming “sprints” will be the first of their kind supported by the IDSA, and the first that she knows of that have been put on anywhere. 

The IDSA’s mission is similar to that of A Huge Production’s. Both groups work to promote acceptance and awareness of skating in its many forms.

“It is our aim to grow global awareness of the sport by supporting skateboard racing conducted in a way that is exciting and safe for all participants,” according to IDSA.

Kuhn said she and her husband have received support from different organizations in Monroe since they began their efforts to promote the upcoming event. The City of Monroe has worked to make sure operations will run smoothly, Kuhn said, and the Evergreen Speedway allowed a group of skaters to race the track during a NASCAR event earlier this month to let people know about the upcoming races.

Interest in skating continues to grow around the world, Kuhn said. Some of that is due to social media connecting people with the same passions. She meets an array of personalities through the sport, and everyone is kind and ready to help out.

“It is just a neat community that we are a part of,” she said.