King of Rockford skateboard competition provides fun 'escape’ from virus, chance to shred

ROCKFORD — All across the city, skateboarders have congregated for more than a week trying to video as many skate-trick challenges as possible in an attempt to claim the title, “King of Rockford.”

This is one annual competition that COVID-19 could not derail.

“Especially with everything going on, this is just such a good time to help people focus on something else for a little while,” said Bryan Nambo, one of the event organizers. “Even with something like this there was still that uncertainty of whether we could do it or not. But with enough guidance on how to do it safely, it’s turned into a great escape, and a bunch of fun for skaters from all over.”

The competition — which includes a book of challenges to be completed on video — is part skateboard comp, and part scavenger hunt. Teams of six must travel through Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park hunting out designated locations, and then performing specific tricks on video.

The idea was born from Thrasher Magazine’s King of the Road competition. When Eric Neubauer and Nambo started the Rockford competition five years ago, they didn’t expect it to take off the way it has. This year, despite the pandemic, was the largest yet, with seven six-person teams registered.

The weeklong competition deadline was pushed from 7 p.m. Monday to 7 p.m. Tuesday, giving skaters one more day due to the difficult situation.

“It’s just fun, and it gives the kids and skaters around northern Illinois — and all over nowadays — a reason to get out, skate, hang out the right way,” said Neubauer, the owner of Ground Floor Skateboards, and a competitor for the team Not Going to Lose. “And, well, this year, we’re going to lose, but it’s still fun.”

The first-place team wins a prize package as well as a handmade trophy. Other prize packages are awarded to individual winners. It takes the judges and editors almost a month to come up with a winner and edit a new video, and they hope to be able to find a place to hold an awards ceremony of some kind at that time.

“The end is near, but we’re still finishing up some stuff,” said 31-year-old competitor Thom Ping of Rockford. He was on the winning team two years ago, and is on a team called Slurping Rachel Rays this year. “This is my fourth year, and it’s just a chance for me to get out and feel like a kid again. And nowadays, it’s kind of my therapy on wheels, you know. We all need it.”

Jay Taft:@jtaft@rrstar.com; @JayTaft