{"id":25824,"date":"2019-06-21T20:09:18","date_gmt":"2019-06-22T02:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=367749"},"modified":"2019-06-21T20:09:18","modified_gmt":"2019-06-22T02:09:18","slug":"keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/local-news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Keeping the shred around all season\u2019: Downhill skateboarders wrestle with an extreme-sports quandary here in Summit County"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery\" readability=\"6.5819253438114\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-367749-783\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-1-1-1024x674.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Breckenridge resident and Florida native Kyle Peel does a pre-drift just before hitting a corner while riding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.95287958115183\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8.5759162303665\">\n<p><strong>Breckenridge resident and Florida native Kyle Peel does a pre-drift just before hitting a corner while riding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-1-1-1024x674.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-1-1-1024x674.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-1-1-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"Breckenridge resident and Florida native Kyle Peel does a pre-drift just before hitting a corner while riding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-2-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-2-1-1024x692.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak races down on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.94478527607362\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8.5030674846626\">\n<p><strong>Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak races down on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-2-1-1024x692.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-2-1-1024x692.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-2-1-1024x692.jpg\" alt=\"Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak races down on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-3-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-3-1-1024x731.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Kyle Peel walks back up the road with his skateboard in hand, his green foot-stop in view at the front of the board, for another downhill skateboarding lap on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.48101265822785\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11.544303797468\">\n<p><strong>Kyle Peel walks back up the road with his skateboard in hand, his green foot-stop in view at the front of the board, for another downhill skateboarding lap on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-3-1-1024x731.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-3-1-1024x731.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-3-1-1024x731.jpg\" alt=\"Kyle Peel walks back up the road with his skateboard in hand, his green foot-stop in view at the front of the board, for another downhill skateboarding lap on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-4-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-4-1-1024x729.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Russell Janoviak tucks to gain speed on his skateboard while downhilling on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.94155844155844\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8.474025974026\">\n<p><strong>Russell Janoviak tucks to gain speed on his skateboard while downhilling on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-4-1-1024x729.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-4-1-1024x729.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-4-1-1024x729.jpg\" alt=\"Russell Janoviak tucks to gain speed on his skateboard while downhilling on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-5-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-5-1-1024x744.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Frisco born-and-raised local Mike DeGrado examines his worn shoes used for breaking during downhill luging on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.47794117647059\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9.5588235294118\">\n<p><strong>Frisco born-and-raised local Mike DeGrado examines his worn shoes used for breaking during downhill luging on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-5-1-1024x744.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-5-1-1024x744.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-5-1-1024x744.jpg\" alt=\"Frisco born-and-raised local Mike DeGrado examines his worn shoes used for breaking during downhill luging on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-6-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-6-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Kyle Peel tucks to pick up speed while riding his downhill skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.94039735099338\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8.4635761589404\">\n<p><strong>Kyle Peel tucks to pick up speed while riding his downhill skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-6-1-1024x682.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-6-1-1024x682.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-6-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Kyle Peel tucks to pick up speed while riding his downhill skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-7-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-7-1-1024x676.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel shift some of their balance to their palms to control speed into a turn while downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.47954545454545\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11.509090909091\">\n<p><strong>Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel shift some of their balance to their palms to control speed into a turn while downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-7-1-1024x676.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-7-1-1024x676.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-7-1-1024x676.jpg\" alt=\"Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel shift some of their balance to their palms to control speed into a turn while downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-8-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-8-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel walk back up the road on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge, Breckenridge Ski Resort in view in the distance.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.47643979057592\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11.434554973822\">\n<p><strong>Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel walk back up the road on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge, Breckenridge Ski Resort in view in the distance.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-8-1-1024x682.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-8-1-1024x682.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-8-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel walk back up the road on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge, Breckenridge Ski Resort in view in the distance.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-9-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-9-1024x716.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel stretch before downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10.373417721519\">\n<p><strong>Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel stretch before downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-9-1024x716.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-9-1024x716.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-9-1024x716.jpg\" alt=\"Russell Janoviak, right, and Kyle Peel stretch before downhill skateboarding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-10-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-10-1024x674.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com | Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel ride downhill on skateboards on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10.331081081081\">\n<p><strong>Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel ride downhill on skateboards on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.<\/strong><br \/>Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-10-1024x674.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-10-1024x674.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboard-SDN-062219-10-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"Russell Janoviak, left, and Kyle Peel ride downhill on skateboards on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-11-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-11-1024x784.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Troy Westbrook | Wisconsin native and Breckenridge resident Troy Westbrook took this nasty spill that dislocated his shoulder while racing in an sanctioned downhill-skateboarding event.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.95544554455446\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8.5990099009901\">\n<p><strong>Wisconsin native and Breckenridge resident Troy Westbrook took this nasty spill that dislocated his shoulder while racing in an sanctioned downhill-skateboarding event.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Troy Westbrook<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-11-1024x784.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-11-1024x784.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-11-1024x784.jpg\" alt=\"Wisconsin native and Breckenridge resident Troy Westbrook took this nasty spill that dislocated his shoulder while racing in an sanctioned downhill-skateboarding event.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-12-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-12.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Russell Janoviak | These kinds of full-body leather suits are the gear downhill skateboarders like Russell Janoviak (front) wear during officially-sanctioned racing events.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.4285714285714\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7.6190476190476\">\n<p><strong>These kinds of full-body leather suits are the gear downhill skateboarders like Russell Janoviak (front) wear during officially-sanctioned racing events.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Russell Janoviak<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-12.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-12.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-12.jpg\" alt=\"These kinds of full-body leather suits are the gear downhill skateboarders like Russell Janoviak (front) wear during officially-sanctioned racing events.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-13-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-13-1024x630.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Troy Westbrook | The crew of downhill skateboarders tuck to gain speed while riding all together.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.3815789473684\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7.3684210526316\">\n<p><strong>The crew of downhill skateboarders tuck to gain speed while riding all together.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Troy Westbrook<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-13-1024x630.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-13-1024x630.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-13-1024x630.jpg\" alt=\"The crew of downhill skateboarders tuck to gain speed while riding all together.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-14-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-14.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Russell Janoviak | Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak shifts some of his weight onto his palm to take a turn during a downhill-skateboarding race.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.4262295081967\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7.6065573770492\">\n<p><strong>Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak shifts some of his weight onto his palm to take a turn during a downhill-skateboarding race.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Russell Janoviak<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/SummitDaily.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+SummitDaily.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/&amp;image=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-14.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-14.jpg\"> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/06\/Speedboarding-SDN-062219-14.jpg\" alt=\"Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak shifts some of his weight onto his palm to take a turn during a downhill-skateboarding race.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>FRISCO \u2014 In a digital day and age when many connections are made by computer, Russell Janoviak befriended the newest, youngest member of his downhill-skateboarding tribe at the Woodbridge Inn Summit Stage bus stop.<\/p>\n<p>It was something akin to how Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met. More than a half-century ago, Richards struck up a conversation with Jagger when he was impressed with the albums Jagger carried while both waited at a train station. In the same light, the Ohio-native Janoviak initiated conversation with his fellow Breckenridge resident and North Carolina-native Harrison Bell when he noticed the customization of Bell\u2019s skateboard. Namely, what caught Janoviak\u2019s eye was an added wooden-block at the front of the board that prevents downhill skateboarders from flying off their boards when, say, hitting a crack in the pavement when going 40 miles-per-hour.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith a setup like that you have to know something about the sport,\u201d Janoviak said. \u201cAnd I was like, \u2018man, that kid, he\u2019s got a foot-stop. He knows what he\u2019s doing. Come skate with us.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo,\u201d Janoviak added, reflecting on the moment, \u201canother to the crew.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe crew,\u201d as Janoviak put it, is a friendly group of about 10 downhill skateboarders who live in the county and take the sport seriously enough to spend thousands of dollars on the gear \u2014 such as the foot-stop \u2014 required to \u201cbomb\u201d recreation paths or open, mountain-pass roads. The speeds approach, and sometimes exceed, 50 miles per hour. Considering the inherent velocity and danger that comes with the hobby, downhill skateboarding \u2014 not \u201clongboarding,\u201d as the crew is certain to clarify \u2014 is, for all intents and purposes, the final relative-outlaw fringe of skateboarding.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-five years ago, most any kind of skateboarding was viewed as reckless and a nuisance to communities. There were the iconic \u201cSkateboarding Isn\u2019t a Crime\u201d T-shirts. Then came Tony Hawk on ESPN. The Tony Hawk\u2019s Pro Skater video game series followed. And, now, the sport of park skateboarding is not only accepted in the Olympics \u2014 set to debut in Tokyo next summer \u2014 it\u2019s a celebrated part of action sports communities such as Summit County.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve gone by the (Frisco) skatepark to get a drink of water,\u201d said one of the members of the crew, Troy Westbrook of Breckenridge, \u201cand there is literally a fleet full of little children with skateboards in their hands. Like, a squad of 30 little children with skateboards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>To ride or not to ride?<\/strong><br \/>But Westbrook\u2019s beloved skateboarding discipline of downhill is not in the same mainstream standing as park skateboarding, or even the more tame style of longboarding many Summit County locals use to travel from part of the county to another. Though downhill skateboarding is permitted on portions of recreation paths in the county, any time a member of the downhill crew rides on an open-road such as one of the many nearby mountain passes, he\u2019s technically breaking the law. Westbrook said this is because downhill skateboards are classified as \u201ctoy coasters\u201d in the eyes of the law.<\/p>\n<p>With that, it\u2019s illegal on open roads except for the one time each year an officially sanctioned downhill-skateboarding race is permitted in the area: the annual Devil\u2019s Peak Downhill on Guanella Pass, near Georgetown. The event is sanctioned by the sport\u2019s international governing body, the International Downhill Federation. At the race downhillers like Janoviak, Westbrook and the rest of their crew have a legal opportunity to downhill out on the open roads.<\/p>\n<p>That outlaw element puts the crew in a predicament that they acknowledge is quite the quandary. On one hand, they like the fact that their crew almost feels like a tribe where, in order to ride along, you have to be skilled enough to be noticed and adopted by one of the elders. From there, a veteran like Westbrook or Kyle Peel of Breckenridge can give you the lowdown on gear before riding along at one of the crew\u2019s secret spots.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTroy was really the first one to introduce me in a way,\u201d Bell said. \u201cHe said, \u2018Yeah, you\u2019ve ridden a skateboard before. But what this is to be taken a little bit more seriously.\u2019 And you learn when you\u2019re riding extremely close to each other, there\u2019s a level of trust.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, when their chosen extreme sport is deemed untouchable by some in an action sports community like Summit County, it prevents the sport from becoming more socially acceptable and successful from a monetary standpoint. And for a downhiller like Peel, who would love to see downhill skateboarding in the Olympics one day, the longer the sport is contained to underground tribes like their\u2019s, the longer it will take for more officially sanctioned events to be approved. And, with fewer sanctioned events, the more the members of the crew need to satiate their need for speed illegally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt strikes an ethical dilemma,\u201d Bell said. \u201c\u2026For someone like me, there aren\u2019t a lot of events that would be too good for me at an intermediate skill-level range. There\u2019s so few of them and it\u2019s such a pain in the a** to get a road closed, get hay bails out and be allowed to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, yes, these guys are fully aware they may sometimes be riding where they shouldn\u2019t be. And they are willing to take the physical risk of clasping their hands behind their lower backs, tucking their head to their torso and kneeling down to create speed against the wind. It\u2019s a hobby that has left other downhillers paralyzed in Colorado and dead elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n<p>All that said, the crew is adamant they are careful enough with their hobby that not one of them has ever received a ticket for downhilling where they shouldn\u2019t and none of them have ever collided with a cyclist or pedestrian in Summit County. Though Bell concedes he killed a marmot that stuck its head out into the recpath last summer.<\/p>\n<p>All in all, to many, this kind of risk would be quite the load to shoulder onto your conscience when careening down pavement at 55 mph. So, why do they do it?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve been skating so long,\u201d the Florida-native Peel said, \u201cand you\u2019re like, I\u2019m going to try something else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust over time, man, you get better,\u201d Westbrook added. \u201cYou put in the time and energy and that\u2019s kind of how I evolved into where I\u2019m at. I was never really, personally, overly competitive as a skater as an individual. I just really liked skating and surfing the pavement, keeping the shred around all season. That\u2019s how I got involved in it, kind of by default \u2014 people skateboarding, being around these individuals are kind of motivating me to just be fast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Need for speed, need for safety<\/strong><br \/>The crew takes the safety and public perception of their sport super seriously even if they are stuck in this extreme-sports limbo, that spot between taking pride in being the few who do what they do in the county all while wanting the sport to be more socially accepted. For example, when the crew goes out to ride, specialized helmets are a must. Spine protectors are also mandatory, as are special gloves with 3-inch-deep cutting-board palm-blocks affixed to the inside to help control speed and to turn and stop on pavement. And often when out on the open mountain-roads, members of the crew don full-body leather suits for even more protection \u2014 and, of course, speed.<\/p>\n<p>The sport itself, the crew agreed, is much more difficult than snowboarding. Case in point: When on a snowboard, there is an ability to feather your motion while you slip more slowly through the snow. On a downhill skateboard, though, there is no such feathering. Also, all of the crew\u2019s wheels are the equivalent in hardness to a stock skateboard wheel as a softball is to a baseball. But even with more forgiving wheels and customized setups, properly learning how to stop and control speed while downhilling is a different level of difficult. There\u2019s learning how to throw your board sideways all while not high-siding and hurtling to the pavement from your board. There\u2019s learning how to switch your balance to that cutting-board block on your hand. And there\u2019s learning how to check your speed with special shoes that have literal tire-tread adhered to the bottom.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Different kind of downhill<\/strong><br \/>Some members of the crew, push the sport even further. Mike DeGrado is a born-and-raised Frisco local who saw the sport grow over the past dozen years. As a kid, he looked up to and learned from famous longtime local longboarders such as Tim \u201cSlim\u201d Decamp. To this day, he and other members of the crew idolize elite IDF downhiller Daina Banks, who owns a home in Dillon.<\/p>\n<p>But, for some reason, standing up wasn\u2019t enough for DeGrado when downhilling. He wanted to lay down. So he opts for luging \u2014 feet-first \u2014 and skeleton \u2014 head-first \u2014 variations of downhilling when he\u2019s, say, riding with the crew down to Copper Mountain from the top of Vail Pass.<br \/>In a dream world, DeGrado will reach triple digits, 100 mph, when skeletoning on a sanctioned, closed-course such as the annual Maryhill Festival of Speed in Washington state. The crew took a group-trip their last summer to legally improve their skills.<\/p>\n<p>For now, though, back at home DeGrado\u2019s content to ride with his merry tribe of Summit speedsters at their secret spots. And, no matter where their brand of skateboarding progresses from here, DeGrado and the crew want to go fast. They need that speed come summertime even if they don\u2019t exactly recall how and why their skateboarding lives evolved into this outlaw-lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still don\u2019t know,\u201d DeGrado said with a laugh, \u201chow I got myself into doing it, either.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/keeping-the-shred-around-all-season-downhill-skateboarders-wrestle-with-an-extreme-sports-quandary-here-in-summit-county\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breckenridge resident and Florida native Kyle Peel does a pre-drift just before hitting a corner while riding on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com Buy Photo Ohio native and Breckenridge resident Russell Janoviak races down on a skateboard on Friday June 21, in Breckenridge.Hugh Carey \/ hcarey@summitdaily.com Buy Photo Kyle Peel walks back [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-25824","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-12 06:37:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIFT - The LIFT FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25824"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25824\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}