the new
wild west
23
WORDS: JEFF MORAN PH OT O S : J EF F B U Y D O S
I
t’s about time!” “We’ve needed this!” “I can’t wait!” These are just a few of the comments heard over and over. We couldn’t have agreed more.
After years of chatter within the Jackson skateboard community about how we needed some type of skate contest, the stars finally aligned in June 2013 when Claire Johnson, Lauri Aittola, and I joined forces with Teton County/Jackson Parks and Recreation to give the skaters of Jackson what they’ve been craving. Although our motivations varied slightly, our initial goal was the same: create a fun event that showcased our local skatepark and skaters while drawing attention to the amazing talent, camaraderie and culture that exists in our skateboard community. After getting the green light and dedicated support from Mike Estes and Jill Russell at Parks and Rec, we realized we had our work cut out for us. We needed a name. We needed dates. We needed sponsors.
They call him Rock and Roll Vertone.
How were we going to market? Could this really work? Would anyone show up?
