Simi Valley Takes Third CHSSC Skate Competition

May 28 2007 / Simi Valley, CA

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A team of skateboarders from Simi Valley High School topped Royal High to win the third event in the California High School Skateboard Club (CHSSC) season, held Saturday at Skate Lab in Simi Valley, CA.    Santa Monica High came in third while Agoura was in fourth.  Westlake, Oak Park and Newbury Park rounded out the rankings.

Simi Valler's win means a different team has won each event thusfar in the four-event CHSSC season.  Agoura won the first skate street event held on April 15, followed by Santa Monica winning the street event on May 12.

This is the inaugural season for the seven-team CHSSC, which is believed to be the first high school-level skateboarding league in the country.  Each team features five skaters, led by a captain, and three skaters are chosen to compete in each event for the participating Los Angeles-area high schools: Agoura, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Royal, Santa Monica, Simi Valley and Westlake.
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 PHOTO GALLERY

 

 Check out a gallery of the riders, including Simi Valley's Roy Canright, from the third CHSSC event.

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More than  80 people watched the team competition inside and the individual Game of Skate (a one-on-one individual competition similar to a game of Horse in basketball) outside.  “This was the best yet," said CHSSC founder Jeff Stern.  "Today’s event topped the first event.”

Strong overall team performances were turned in by two schools.

“All three Royal skaters (Adam Swanson 7.66 points, Tanner Fazil 7.33, Shorjiro Kokubo 6.33) did well overall.  They had the most consistent team effort.” CHSSC Head Judge Steve Badillo said.

Agoura skaters Josh Krakover (7.33), Ryan Klass (6.67) and James Jensen (6.33) also had a very good team effort.
 
Santa Monica's Kristos Augustus was the individual point leader with a 9.33 -- his second impressive performance in a row.  Augustus landed a tremendous 12-foot drop that kept Santa Monica in the competition.

Simi Valley's Roy Canright was close behind Augustus with a 9 point individual effort. 

“Roy Canright has this park wired,” said Badillo.  “He skates here every day and used the whole course.  He had style, speed and was a consistent standout.”

“We are all excited by this win,” Canright said.

Teammate Adam Shecter (5 points) agreed, “This is my first competition ever, it’s with my best friends and we came in first.”

The Game of Skate

After the team competition was completed inside at Skatelab everyone moved outside to the parking lot for individual competition in the Game of Skate.

"The Game of Skate is what these guys love," said Badillo, "it is always a favorite of skaters."

In all, 21 skaters took part in the competition and were divided into four groups.  Bryce Mandel (Oak Park) was the Group 1 winner; Tanner Fazil (Royal) topped Group 2; James Jensen (Agoura) took Group 3 and Shorjiro Kokubo (Royal) won the Group 4 competition. 

In the semi-finals, Fazil topped Mandel and Kokubo stopped Jensen.  That left Royal teammates Fazil and Kokubo in the finals.  Both skaters went back and forth with each having a “t” before Fazil finally won.

"I did not think I was going to land well but everything worked out okay today," Kokubo, whose Royal team finished second overall, said.

National High School Skateboard Association in 2008

CHSSC founder Stern also announced that thanks to the national attention the CHSSC has received this season it will be renamed next year to the National High School Skateboard Association (NHSSA).  The goal is to reach 15-20 schools from the current lineup of seven schools.  For more information about the CHSSC contact Stern at: J4Stern@Adelphia.net.

CHSSC 3rd EVENT RANKING (5.26.07) - POINTS
1.    Simi Valley - 22
2.    Royal - 21.33
3.    Santa Monica - 20.33 (won tie-breaker with higher individual score on team)
4.    Agoura - 20.33
5.    Westlake - 19.33
6.    Oak Park - 15
7.    Newbury Park - 14

2007 CHSSC STANDINGS SEASON TO DATE AFTER THREE COMPETITIONS
1.    Santa Monica
2.    Agoura
3.    Royal
4.    Simi Valley   
5.    Westlake   
6.    Oak Park
7.    Newbury Park   

2007 CHSSC SCHEDULE
CHSSC Event 1 - STREET - 1ST Room @ Skatelab    First Place: Agoura
CHSSC Event 2 - STREET – Outside @ Skatelab    First Place: Santa Monica
CHSSC Event 3 - STREET - 2ND Room    @ Skatelab    First Place: Simi Valley
CHSSC Event 4 - 8 STAIR - 2ND Room @ Skatelab    DATE: June 9    1:00 PM

- Check out the full stats and schedules after the third event