Even with a competing event at Mankato, the first ever Utopia Skatepark Skateboard and Rollerblade Tournament was described as &uot;smooth.

Monday, August 30, 1999

Even with a competing event at Mankato, the first ever Utopia Skatepark Skateboard and Rollerblade Tournament was described as &uot;smooth.&uot;

The Saturday tournament drew youths from Albert Lea, Austin, Chatfield, Clarks Grove, Rochester, Des Moines and Northfield.

&uot;We also had a lot of friends, parents and grandparents come,&uot; said Utopia Director Mona Satre. &uot;We probably had about 150 spectators. We had about 25 in the tournament.

&uot;For our first tournament, I was pleased because there was some other competing rollerblade tournament in Mankato that day,&uot; she added. &uot;For our first tournament, everything went smooth. I was glad it turned out like that. You never know when something is new.&uot;

In the four class event, Albert Lea’s Jason Barr placed first in the beginner skateboard class. Corey Anderson, also of Albert Lea, was second.

Another Albert Lean, Kyle Nasby won the beginner in-line competition. Austin’s Matt Raskin was second.

Austin’s Luke Leifelmann was first in the advanced in-line class. Randy Peterson, Albert Lea, placed second. A pair of Rochester youths, Darin Limvere and David Livingston were first and second respectively in the advanced skateboard class.

&uot;We had some really impressive runs,&uot; Satre said. &uot;These kids have nerves of steal to do this stuff.&uot; She said she plans to schedule another tournament in a couple of months.