Longboard races return for three days of events

The Third Annual Cathlamet Downhill Corral, a series of internationally sanctioned longboard races, will take place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Cathlamet.

The longboard races are expected to bring 100 competitors to the area this weekend. They will compete for prize money; a portion of the entry fees will be donated to the skateboard facilities at Erickson Park.

Event Coordinator Judy Edmondson said organizers expect a large number of contestants again this year, including the downhill race champions for the first two years, James Kelly and Patrick Switzer.

Californian Cliff Coleman is coming and will put on workshops on the techniques of sliding, in which riders show their skill in controlling and riding the board.

"He's famous for essentially inventing sliding," Edmondson said. "He's doing at least three clinics that weekend that even someone brand new to skating could take."

The schedule is:

Friday

5 p.m., the slide competition on Broadway Street,

6 p.m., the tight slalom on River Street.

Saturday

10 a.m., push races will start at the Stockhouse Farm on West Birnie Slough Road.

2 p.m., Sidewalk Showdown, Una Street, Cathlamet.

Time to be announced: Boardercross, a new race.

Sunday

10:00 a.m., down hill races will get underway, starting with warmups and elimination heats. Racers will take a lunch break and have finals in the afternoon.

The downhill course starts at Wahkiakum High School and weaves down South Third, Spring, Columbia and Broadway to finish on Commercial. Last year, organizers added jumps on two of the hills, making the finish a challenge as racers sped down Broadway, took the second jump, and tried to make the turn onto Commercial for the finish line.

Parts of streets will be closed for the races.

On Friday, Broadway and River streets will close at 3 p.m.

On Saturday, Una Street will close at 12 noon for the Sidewalk Showdown race. Butler and a portion of River Street will also close from 3-6 p.m. for the Boardercross.

At 8 a.m. Sunday, racers will begin setting up the downhill course. The town council passed a resolution closing the streets along the course to parking during races and gave law enforcement authority to have violating vehicles towed away. Course marshals will direct local traffic during the races.

The SR 409 intersection at the foot of Columbia Street will be closed at times during the Sunday races.