Longest skateboard 24h ride-world record set
by James Peters
[Nov
5] SEATTLE -- In support of a charity, a local skateboarder set
out to break a world record by covering 200 miles on his skateboard
in just 24 hours.
Packing four wheels, he set out to cover the
distance equivalent to almost eight marathons. The challenge was
new to Peters, but long-distance skateboard has been a long-time
passion of his. "It's not a very well-known sport," he said.
Peters helped pioneer long distance skateboarding starting
in 1999. "Got into a little bit of slalom boarding about eight years
ago, slalom skateboarding, which uses more of a pumping motion.
And I found that it's a pretty efficient way to move around," he
said.
It's proven so efficient, in fact, that Peters
even uses his skateboard to commute to work, a distance of 12 miles
each way.
Peters began at 8 a.m. on the 27th and rode around
the Burke-Gilman Trail and the Sammamish Trail four times, which
added up to a hundred miles. Then he circled Green Lake for another
hundred miles. (Details here)
"It's pretty intense. Eight miles is pretty much
a chore. And 200 miles is insane," said Shane Donogh, skateboarder
and Peters' friend. Friends like Donogh rode alongside Peter for
parts of his challenge, but none rode the entire way.
Propelled by muscle and willpower, Peter outlasted
his companions as a tribute to those who face a much bigger battle
every day.
"It's a challenge, but it's nothing compared
to, you know, what these people do every day. You know, battling
cancer," Peters said.
After a full day, one sunset and a sunrise, Peters
finally came to a stop with 195 miles covered. Though his total
mileage fell short of his original goal, it's still better than
the current world record.
