Article written by Skate Slate photographer Jon Huey who rode in the mix of this years P-Town Throwdown!

Direct Link to Article – http://www.skateslate.com/blog/2016/06/02/2016-p-town-throwdown-photos/

The 12th Annual P-Town Throwdown was successfully completed this last weekend. Many had fun riding through the streets, almost of ton of canned food was donated, and nobody died! Check out my photos from the event.

This Sunday around 80 people showed up for the Critical Mass/ Race starting at Mt. Tabor and ending at Sellwood park. 1,535 pounds of canned food were donated to the Oregon Food Bank. The organizer Robin McGuirk gave out directions and a map and then announced to everyone where the most dangerous parts of the route are and warned that you could die. After the unofficial safety meeting, we were all ready to ride.

Everyone got to bomb down Mt. Tabor as part of a tradition led by Portland OG Josh Burt. Josh organized the first ten Portland Pusher races that Robin famously dominated over the years. Now, Robin has taken the torch and has been running the P-Town Throwdown for years.

At the bottom Mt. Tabor, everyone gathered together to ride the eastside of Portland down to the water. Following a bike route for most of the way, it’s a relatively safe race.

Once you get to the waterfront, it’s mostly a flat push and everyone gets spread out. At a certain point, I put away the camera and pushed.

I caught my friend Skip (the man behind Turnco) finishing the race at almost 50 years old, soda in hand. He most likely found a few shortcuts in order to finish the race. The hardcore pushers lined up for a podium shot and Everyone hung out by the train tracks as prizes were raffled out. So many prizes were raffled off. If you brought a good amount of canned food, you could have easily walked away with a a new longboard set-up.

After all of that, we went to Hot Lips Pizza to relax and get our well-needed protein.

A big thanks goes out to the volunteers who collected food, distributed raffle tickets to those who donated, spotted corners and intersections on the route, and recorded final placings for the competitors. A big thanks goes to all the sponsors of the event as well: Daddies Board Shop, Eastside Longboards, Longboard Larry, Gorge Performance, Cal Skate Skateboards, Abec 11 Wheels, Seismic Skate, Loaded Boards, Orangatang Wheels, Bustin Boards Push Culture, Predator Helmets, Sellwood Market (Water/Gatorade), Hot Lips Pizza (After Party).

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!

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.