Rock skipping records set
Nicole Tavenner
Darryl Sutton, Sherwood Park, Alberta, focuses on his throw at the Saturday morning Flathead Lake Rock Skipping contest.
Nicole Tavenner
A young rock skipper, upper left, winds up.
Berl Tiskus
Dax VonFossen brings his magic rocks
Nicole Tavenner
Ryan Gage, left, high fives his sons after he threw a good rock.
Nicole Tavenner
Blowing on skipping rocks for good luck is one tactic used during the contest.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Berl Tiskus
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Berl Tiskus
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Boone Goddard
Nicole Tavenner
Berl Tiskus
Nicole Tavenner
Joni Strong photo
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POLSON — It was B.Y.O.R., bring your own rocks, for the first ever Flathead Lake Rock Skipping Championship held May 30 at Riverside Park.
Competitor Ken Richardson took the organizers at their word and brought a gallon Ziploc bag of “good” rocks, which he shared with his son Bret and other competitors. Jolene Shortman carried her rocks in a Crown Royal bag while Dax VanFossen, Bigfork, had a bag marked “Magic Rocks” attached to his belt. Ryan Gage preferred big rocks, while others like Adam Conard used smaller stones. Many competitors just picked their throwing material off the beach at Riverside Park.
Organizer Kevin Avison had been thinking about the event for three or four years.
“I know a lot of friends and family who like to skip rocks. Everybody has the idea they are better than everybody else,” Avison said.
Riverside Park is very accessible to the Cove Deli and Pizza, the Avison family business, where contestants registered. Then they walked on down to the park to skip rocks.
Avison recused himself from the competition, serving as judge along with Steve Lozar and Cliff Rusted.
However, Avison had lots of family members competing — his sons Nate and Lex, nephew Declan and his aunt and uncle Dorothy and Daryl Sutton, international competitors from Alberta, Canada.
Some participants admitted to practicing, but others said they just relied on their natural rock skipping talent.
Saying her husband had been working on her rock skipping skill for 30 years, Pat DeVries laughed and said she hadn’t practiced.
Brian Erickson, Kalispell, said, “I’ve been practicing all my life.”
Adults received six attempts while those 12 years old and under each got four rocks. The best rock of all the throws was the one judged. Entry fees were $30 for a family or $10 for an individual. Awards and lunch for competitors was held at the Cove Deli and Pizza.
The contest benefited the Mission Valley Ice Arena Association, whose goal is to bring ice sports for all ages to the Mission Valley.
Avison said the contest and its 33 competitors netted about $280 for the arena.
State inaugural record holders were:
Men 13 and up — Bret Richardson, 17 skips
Women 13 and up — Rachel Grant, 9 skips
Girl, 12 and younger — Lily Strong, 3 skips
Boy, 12 and younger — Declan Avison, 8 skips
Avison said plans are already being made for next year’s contest, with grateful thanks from the Mission Valley Ice Arena, who’s thinking of donating T-shirts for the contestants. Another couple of corporate sponsors have approached Avison, too.
“We never want to veer too far away from having fun and raising money,” he said.
Polson’s Riverside Park seemed the perfect setting for the Flathead Lake Rock Skipping Championship. After all, it’s hard to visit the stone-laden shores of Flathead Lake and not skip a rock or two.
