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P-Town Throwdown Event: May 29th

12 Annual Event Poster. Sponsors providing prizes for the raffle that anyone can win. The more food you bring, the better chances of winning!
12 Annual Event Poster. Sponsors providing prizes for the raffle that anyone can win. The more food you bring, the better chances of winning!
Legalized Skateboarding in Portland City Ordinance Sticker will be given out to everyone at the event!
Legalized Skateboarding in Portland City Ordinance Sticker will be given out to everyone at the event!

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE LINK

This 12th annual skateboard push race is going down again May 29th.  The route leading from Mt.Tabor Park to Sellwood Park has been a tradition in Portland and definitely the longest running skateboard race in the Northwest.  Riders meet in Mt.Tabor park to register and bring their food for donation to Oregon Food Bank.  Every 4 cans of food they bring, they receive one raffle ticket with no limit of how much food they donate.  The Prize raffle happens at the end after everyone has finished near the finish line at Sellwood Park.  We always have more than enough prizes for everyone to get something thanks to all of our generous sponsors.  More food = More raffle tickets = More chances at winning!  For the last five year’s the event has collected over 7,000 pounds of food!
Besides raising food for the hungry in Portland, this event celebrates our unique City Ordinance 20.12.205 that states Skateboarding is as a legal form of transportation.  As long as we obey traffic laws just as cars and bikes do.  The course starts near the west entrance of Mt.Tabor Park in the neighborhood and goes straight through the heart of the Eastside of Portland down a bike route.  Lincoln and Harrison streets are the main roads from 58th avenue all the way to 9th avenue.  Then you cross Division street and enter the nearby entrance to the Spring Water bike trail going South for 3 miles leading to the finish line at Sellwood Park.  There are only 3 stop lights and a handful of stop signs during this 8.5 mile course.  However all riders stop at each red light and stop signs in accordance of the City Ordinance.  Riders who disobey risk being banned from the event and DQ’ed from the raffle and podium.  So for the top 20 or so who are racing, it’s part skill and luck by stopping and restarting as you go.  For the majority its all about riding together and having a good ol’ time rollin’ down the Eastside!  Critical Mass!
If you live in the area or visiting during that time, be sure to check out all the info here and come out to support this Portland Skateboarding tradition!  It’s always tons of fun!

 

Registration and Riders Meeting located on the lower parking lot of Mt.Tabor.
Registration and Riders Meeting located on the lower parking lot of Mt.Tabor.  Photo by Matt Hemingway.

 

Startline outside the park at S.E. 60th and Salmon.
Startline outside the park at S.E. 60th and Salmon.  Photo by Kroll Images

 

The mass start heading into the first turn.
The mass start heading into the first turn onto 58th Ave.  Photo by Kroll Images.

 

Second turn onto Lincoln St.
Second turn onto Lincoln St.  This one will be spotted so riders can make the right safely. Photo by Janse Deming.

 

First downhill section from 55th - 52nd on Lincoln St. Photo by Spencer Morgan.
First downhill section from 55th – 52nd on Lincoln St. Photo by Spencer Morgan.

 

End of the second downhill section at 20th and Harrison St. This one will be spotted to riders can go through the gap and into Ladds Edition. Photo by Kroll Images.
End of the second downhill section at 20th and Harrison St. This one will be spotted to riders can go through the gap and into Ladds Edition. Photo by Kroll Images.

 

After navigating across Division St. riders then enter the Springwater bike path going South to the finish line at Sellwood Park. Photo by Tim Laidlaw
After navigating across Division St. riders then enter the Springwater bike path going South to the finish line at Sellwood Park. Photo by Tim Laidlaw.

 

Eastsider Mario Pieretti coming through the finish line. Photo by Janse Deming.
Eastsider Mario Pieretti coming through the finish line. Photo by Janse Deming.

 

Organizers Josh Burt and Robin McGuirk about to run the raffle near the finish line.  Photo by Kevin Carlton.
Organizers Josh Burt and Robin McGuirk about to run the raffle near the finish line. Photo by Kevin Carlton.

 

T-shirt toss at the end of the raffle.  Photo by Kroll Images.
T-shirt toss at the end of the raffle. Photo by Kroll Images.

 

Racer bibs.
Racer bibs.

 

2015 Open Podium.  Current Champion Colby Cummings in the middle.
2015 Open Podium. Current Champion Colby Cummings in the middle.

 

2015 Womens Podium.  Current Champion Christin Ellis of the left.
2015 Womens Podium. Current Champion Christin Ellis of the left.

 

After party hosted by Sponsor Pizza Cato on S.E. 22nd and Hawthorne.
After party hosted by Sponsor Pizza Cato on S.E. 22nd and Hawthorne.

 

2015 food drop off at Oregon Food Bank!  We average 1200 pounds a year!
2015 food drop off at Oregon Food Bank! We average 1200 pounds a year!

HELMETS ARE REQUIRED! No helmet = no raffle ticket, no racer number.

REGISTRATION and Food Collection – 10am – Located at the lower parking lot on the North side of Mt.Tabor Park.
Map – http://goo.gl/maps/38Sc

RIDERS UNDER 18 MUST HAVE A PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGN THE WAIVER AND SHOW UP WITH YOU TO CONFIRM. Or you cannot participate in this event. Waiver will be available online shortly with a link here.

ANYONE RUNNING RED LIGHTS WILL BE DQ’ED FROM THE RAFFLE AND PODIUM.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is the original course used for Portland Pusher #4 in 2005, the Annie Ross Open from 2006-2010, and the last five years of the P-Town Throwdown. The route is 8.5 Miles through lower S.E. Portland. First 5 miles is mostly slight downhill but includes two sections that are 6-10 blocks of steeper downhill with speeds of 20-30 mph. Knowing how to footbrake will keep you under that. The last 3 miles you enter the bike path leading you South along the Willamette River towards Sellwood Park and the finish line just before the Sellwood bridge. The whole route includes only 3 traffic light signals to watch for. As a city bike route there are very few stop signs along this course, but please be aware of traffic at all times!
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION AT THE RIDERS MEEETING – The course will be explained highlighting the most dangerous intersections. If you are unsure then follow a group of riders who have done it before. NOTE: This race is unique to other distance skateboard races. Riders will be going as fast as possible but will be obeying city traffic laws all the way through. Basically racing to the stop signs or red lights, stopping, then continue racing again. Any riders not doing this will be disqualified and banned from the event!

ENTRY FEE: 4 Cans of Food and approved liability waiver.

4 items of approved food are required for entry into the race (See list at bottom).
Bring more food for more tickets! Every 4 items will receive another raffle ticket with no limit on donations for tickets. More food, more tickets, more chances of winning prizes from our generous sponsors.

PLAN OF THE DAY:

After everyone is signed in and all food is collected, we will hike up to the upper parking lot and gather at the gate leading into Run 1 – a closed to car traffic hill leading around the Reservoirs. Here we will carry on the tradition of this race by doing a fun group run and celebrate the history of longboarding at Mt.Tabor! Once you get down to the lower gate, continue downhill towards the exit of the park turning into Salmon St. We will gather again on the Westside of 60th ave on Salmon for the start of the race.
RAIN OR SHINE!!!

Prize Raffle near the finish line at Sellwood Park after everyone has finished at approx. 12:30-1pm.

AFTER PARTY following the Prize Raffle at HOT LIPS PIZZA on S.E. 22nd and Hawthorne. We have a large area reserved at 2pm.

PRIZE RAFFLE SPONSORS:

These four top sponsors have been the longest running supporters of this race and all of the original Portland Pusher Series. Huge thanks to all of the sponsors generous support!

Daddies Board Shop
Eastside Longboards
Subsonic Skateboards
Longboard Larry

Together we can make a big difference in people’s lives right here in Portland. Bring food and lets have fun Rollin’ down the Eastside!

LOCAL SKATE LAW: City Ordinance 20.12.205

*It is legal to skate on any street or sidewalk in the city 24 hours a day outside of the defined downtown core. In the downtown core area–defined geographically by Naito Parkway to the east, 13th Avenue to the west, Northwest Hoyt Street to the north and Southwest Jefferson Street to the south–you are allowed to skate in the street only, not on the sidewalk.

The City of Portland has designated certain downtown streets as “preferred skating routes.” These streets will be signed as skate routes. Outside of downtown, the Portland Office of Transportation recommends skaters use designated bike routes. Those routes are signed for bicycles and will be signed for skating in the future. To obtain more information on the city’s bike routes and to get a map, please call Transportation Options at 503-823-CYCL(2925).

There is NO skating allowed on any portion of the downtown transit mall on 5th and 6th Avenues or on the walkways in the center of the downtown park blocks.

All skaters under the age of 16 years old must wear a helmet at all times while skating. If you skate after sunset, you must wear either reflective materials, a flashing reflector or a light on both your front and back. All skaters using the city streets must obey the same rules of the road that apply to bicycles.

Any violation of the new skate rules carries a $25 fine. If you are under 16 and get caught skating without a helmet, your parent or guardian will be notified of the violation.

Remember, it is still ILLEGAL to skate on private property or to cause damage to any ledges, stairs, rails or other urban architecture. Other applicable laws still apply to this illegal behavior and these laws will be strictly enforced by the Portland Police Bureau. It is also still illegal to skate on any brickwork, cobblestones or ornamental surface, picnic table, tennis court, fountain area, planter or sculpture located in a public area.

OREGON FOOD BANK needs these nutritious foods:
canned meats (i.e., tuna, chicken, salmon)
canned and boxed meals (i.e., soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese)
peanut butter
canned or dried beans and peas (i.e., black, pinto, lentils)
pasta, rice, cereal
canned fruits
100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed).

Oregon Food Bank can’t use-
To ensure food safety, we cannot use:
rusty or unlabeled cans
perishable items
homemade items
noncommercial canned or packaged items
alcoholic beverages, mixes or soda
open or used items
PLEASE NOTE: Do not bring GLASS items. They will not be accepted.

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