Vancouver鈥檚 Kevin Reimer re-established his dynasty at the Britannia Classic on Sunday, May 24 but a young competitor took him to the edge.
Reimer captured his sixth open division longboarding title in the eight year history of the event, but 17-year-old Alex Charleson came out of nowhere to place second.
Charleson, who also won the junior event, participated in the open event for the first time in his longboarding career and didn鈥檛 disappoint. The previous two years he competed exclusively in the junior division and said it was surreal to be on the podium with racers he watched in the past.
鈥淚t was kind of strange being at the top and surrounded by all the top open people,鈥� he said, of his mood before the final race. 鈥淏ut I was hyped and it was a good time.鈥�
He explained that it was the first time he could race in the open division, as all competitors have to be at least 17 years old.聽The final four saw Reimer, Charleson, Dillon Stephens and Will Smallwood battle it out in an extremely close heat. Charleson, who lives in North Vancouver, said he battled Reimer hard.
鈥淜evin got me off the push and I kind of stayed behind him the whole time,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here were opportunities to pass but I just didn鈥檛 take them.鈥�
He said it was a thrill to fare so well in the open division and took home $1,000 for placing second, along with $500 for winning the junior division.聽
鈥淚 just wanted to do as best as I possibly could,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know I was going to do that well.鈥�
Charleson has been riding for four and a half years and said the Britannia Classic is always a good time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a super fun time,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ee [Cation, organizer] always hosts a great event and it鈥檚 such an amazing thing to have this every year and have people out here to support us.鈥�
He plans on attending the Whistler Longboard Festival in September, along with races on the East Coast and in the Czech Republic later this summer. He also hopes to return to the Britannia Classic next year.
Other winners at the event included: Calgary鈥檚 Matt Kroetsch (masters division) and Peru native Marisa Nunez (women鈥檚 division).聽
For more info, visit britanniaclassic.com.
