Street Smarts

Mike Sciacca

If you’re the grounded sort, don’t let the name Surf City throw you --

there’s plenty to do in the city without getting wet.

Huntington Beach offers an 8 1/2 mile beach path where residents and

visitors can take in a leisurely walk, run, roller blade or bike along

the beautiful coastline.

If it’s less leisure and more adventure you seek, there are two --

soon to be three -- skateboarding parks available for use.

There are two skateboard parks that have been designated “official” by

the city: one is at Murdy Park on Goldenwest Street, the other, on Main

Street just outside the football stadium at Huntington Beach High School.

At the Murdy Park location you can skateboard or in-line skate just

about any time of the day. Afternoons, however, tend to attract the

largest crowds, which taper off once evening sets in.

The park is open to the public and is restricted to skateboarding and

in-line skating only.

The skate park at Huntington Beach High School is open from 7 a.m. to

10 p.m., daily. There are posted rules to abide by and no skating is

allowed when the area is wet.

One important note: any person riding a skateboard in the facility

must wear a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. Any person failing to do so

will be subject to citation.

WATCH PROS TEAR IT UP

Skateboarding will take the Huntington Beach outdoor stage between

July 27 Aug. 4 when the 2002 Philips Fusion US Open of Surfing and Beach

Games rolls into town.

Along with the surfing event, the games will feature skateboarding and

BMX biking competitions.

A new skating event will make its debut in Huntington Beach on Sept.

6-8. The weekend event is called the Core Tour and it will feature

exhibitions and competitions in BMX racing, skateboarding, in-line

skating and mountain boarding.

Street sport competition will move indoors on June 2 when the fifth

annual Plyo City Roundball Extravaganza comes to Huntington Beach. A

daylong schedule of basketball competition, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and

running until 6:30 p.m., will be played out on the courts within the

Ocean View High School gymnasium.

The public is invited to come watch more than 180 of the top prep

basketball players in Southern California showcase their talents. In

addition to the eight games that will be played, the extravaganza will

feature an exciting three-point contest and an electrifying slam-dunk

contest.

More than 6,000 people have attended the four previous Roundball

events.

GET IN ON THE ACTION

If ocean front competition is your bag, runners should give the 48th

annual Huntington Beach Distance Derby a go. The Aug. 10 event will

feature both a five-mile and 10-mile run, that both start and finish at

Pier Plaza Downtown. It is open to the public. Early registration is

being taken by calling (714)536-3525.

Murdy Park also is offering a couple of outdoor sporting leagues for

residents. One is the summer basketball clinic from June 18 to July 16,

the other is a baseball league. An adult basketball league will be held

on Sundays, beginning June 22, at the City Gym.