The autumn gloom failed to put a damper on the 8th Annual eXeter Games, which were initially postponed from Saturday, Sept. 13 due to weather and held instead Sunday, Sept. 14 at Pineland Park. The contestants, some of whom had been on their boards practicing well before the event’s afternoon start, demonstrated no shortage of enthusiasm for their craft, whether their interest included scootering, biking or skateboarding. In spite of a few hardships, including a damaged scooter and some dramatic tumbles, each player proved that the most important aspect of mastering any sport, regardless of age, skill level or coolness factor, is getting up once more than you fall down – even in front of a crowd.
The contestants were divided into three categories, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, and given two one-minute runs which culminated in their best trick.
From this demonstration of ability, each was then ranked based on a variety of factors, including style, originality, use of force, power and consistency. Nick Kelly placed first in Beginner Scooter, followed by Nick Silvius, who rose to the top in Intermediate, and Pierce Hoyle, who took home the gold in Advanced.
Brandon Smith placed first in Beginner BMX, followed by Hunter Mailloux in the Intermediate category and Curtis Myers in Advanced. Boards, by far the most popular category among contestants, also boasted of the largest variety of ages and skill levels. Ultimately, AJ Delp, 6-years-old, placed first in Beginner, while Jansen Horrocks topped the charts in the Intermediate category and Tony Valadez dominated in Advanced.
In such a male-dominated arena, it is worth noting that Sandra Holley, the eXeter Games’ only female contestant, dazzled judges and received a second place trophy for her BMX skills at the Intermediate level, providing an inspiration to other local girls who may want to try their hand at eXeter Games in years to come.