Atascadero scooter rider wins World Skate Scootering Pro Tour
Claire Parks.
Ceremony to be held to honor Claire Parks, other athletes on Wednesday
– The City of Atascadero and A-Town Park have announced that award-winning rider, Claire Parks, from the local North County community, has received #1 in the World Skate Scootering Pro Tour in Barcelona Spain. This achievement has once again put Atascadero on the map in the world of Scootering. On Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. on the steps of Historic City Hall, Parks along with several other talented athletes attending will be officially recognized.
Parks started riding her scooter on speed bumps in parking lots back in elementary school and as soon as she was old enough, she started riding at A-Town Park and Templeton Skate Park. Her first competition was in 2017 at A-Town Park. Parks continued to compete in competitions throughout California and the United States. Her first international competition was in 2019 in Barcelona Spain, where she placed 4th. In 2021, she placed 2nd in Barcelona, and in 2022, she placed 1st in Lake Havasu Ariz., 1st in Buenos Aires Argentina, followed by two more 1st place wins in 2023 in Madrid Spain, and again in Barcelona.
Throughout her years of scootering, Parks has had unwavering support from her parents, grandparents, many friends, fellow scooter riders, her sponsors, and many other members of the community. She says is looking forward to competing in Sydney next month, Rome in 2024, and onto the Olympics in 2028.
Left to right: Kennedie Baker, Aymee Marquez, Claire Parks.
Also to be recognized in Wednesday’s celebration will be Kennedie Baker, ranked #7, and Aymee Marquez, ranked #6, in the world. The event will also have a special guest athlete, Chris Farris in attendance to cheer on A-Town Park’s professional scooter champions. Farris has had success with placing 1st in several International Scooter Association (ISA) competitions for both Action Space and Best Trick. He also took second in the ISA Worlds Park Final and was ranked #1 Men’s World Champ in 2022/2023.
A-Town Park is operated by Kevin and Andrea Campion, who have been running many classes, camps, and activities for local kids for many years. They have dedicated many hours to keeping the grounds and equipment maintained, both inside and outside the facility. The Campions work together with the city to provide repairs and upkeep to all of the skate surfaces so that all the local skateboarders and scooter riders have a safe place to skate and have a fun place for many families and kids to enjoy.
A-Town Park offers 8,000 square feet of indoor plus 7,000 square feet of outdoor facilities for skate/scoot riders in a safe, supervised environment. Full rentals are available along with a full Pro Shop. A-Town Park is also one of the hosts for the Monster SK8 program, where many professional riders have gotten their start. For questions or more information about the park, call (805) 461-7606 or visit www.atownpark.com.
