“Let me get this straight Stanley, you want me to travel an hour away to skate for likely less than half an hour in a contest?” I ask. I can’t wrap my head around it.

“Yes, from the footage I think you will do well, it is an open Am contest there is a vert section but I think you have what it takes,” he watches my reaction as I just take a seat nearby.

“Shit…”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah sorry, I just didn’t think I was there yet, I mean, I know I consider myself a skater more than anything, but I am still a kid,”

“Skill doesn’t have an age requirement. I am not saying you will win it, but I think you will do fairly well and it could be a path to actually step up, and maybe go for the idea of a career if you would like. I am not saying you have to go down this path, there is no shame skating for fun, but if you want to seriously push into this as a future, give it some thought okay?”

“Fuuuuuck,” is all I can manage as I think it over. I pick up my board and look at the decal. Completely shredded and yet I love this board. This is my life... This is my life, “What can I expect from it?”

“Well, it is not the biggest contest, but I wouldn’t be surprised if about thirty people turned up, you will need to sign up by Friday. It is on Sunday and you might struggle with a crowd, but just focus on your skating, and you will be fine,”

“I will ask my mum, I think I will go for it if possible, she has been really supportive of my skating, just don’t tell her I have been swearing more recently, she is starting to take notice,”

“My lips are sealed. I will get you a flier and the sign up details, just call before Friday and you are in,” he quickly finds the flier offering it to me, I hesitate but take it firmly. I check out a little of his stock before leaving with my free mag. I skate home trying to take my mind off everything. I never dreamed I was contest ready, I still don’t think I am, but if Stanley says so then maybe I am, who am I to argue?

Mum takes little convincing. She just would have liked more warning since it is so close, but promises I can get signed up tomorrow, before I go skating. The next day I am signed up and soon the contest is here.

I have never skated in front of a real crowd and it isn’t just that there are people I have watched the tapes of. There is a demo with minor pros, not the biggest names but to actually be able to meet big names is amazing. I hope I don’t ruin this chance. I see Adrian, Casper, Ryan and Will from the park here. Will moved here recently and I don’t really know his skills fully so he is an unknown, Ryan is likely to beat me and Adrian is just here for some fun rather than taking it serious.

It starts with the street contest, they all compete but I watch, I am still not interested in street but I cheer for my friends and, well, everyone else to be honest. They share my love so they are my people, my siblings, so of course I support everyone.

Finally it is time for the vert contest. Names are called as we take our turns, the halfpipe is a bit bigger than I am use to, not a mega ramp or anything, but it will be a bit of an adaptation, more to work with I guess. Ryan gets called and I watch him, good form, nice balance, he is playing it safe before finally doing a big finish and lands back up with us.

“Rad line Ryan,” I call out to him giving him a high five.

“Thanks,” is all he responds as my name is called. Shit! I am nervous all of a sudden. Still, I have been skating a long time now, I can do this. I prepare to drop and the signal to start is given. I have been practising so hard since the ad tape, pushing myself and I land a 360 aerial, finally having gotten good enough to really push it without it being an issue. I do a few more tricks before I go into a 180 heelflip. Finally, it is time for the big trick to finish before the end of the run. While I have practised this I haven’t managed to land it. I have good speed, my balance feels perfect and I feel confident enough to try with this size halfpipe. I just let go of all doubt and go into the trick.

“Incredible, Celia Roberts has just preformed a McTwist,” the announcer calls out but my landing is bad, I don’t fall but I can’t bring myself to go up to end at the top of the half pipe and have to walk to the side to let the next person go.

“Shit a McTwist? I know you have been working on your grabs but I have never seen you manage that kind of spin,” Adrian says at the bottom of the stairs.

“The bigger size helped a lot. Just a shame I couldn’t finish the run at the top of halfpipe, feels like I failed,”

“A fucking McTwist, heck I would give you a medal right now if I could,”

“Thanks, let’s go back up and watch the rest,”

“Yeah, sure,”

Adrian placed as expected in the lower third for street and decided against trying the vert contest when he saw the size of the halfpipe. Will placed low down as well. Ryan placed fifth in street and Casper was Second losing out to someone much older and more experienced. What shocked me was that on vert Ryan got fourth place and I got third, I actually got a medal in my first contest!

I know it is an Am contest that no one will really hear about but still, I got a medal, I managed to prove myself as a skater. I am not just someone that is just a kid, but a real skater. Standing on a podium being seen as someone, seen as me, and even getting a small prize. I never would have dreamed of this before we moved out here, and even a few months ago? I couldn’t imagine being here.