Harley Powell, 12, displays his aerial prowess at Monbulk Skate Park last week.By Paul Pickering
MONBULK skater Harley Powell has launched himself into the competitive arena with a three-month assault on the North Western League Skate Series.
After earning the respect of his peers during the 13-round qualifying competition, Powell will compete for the silverware in Saturday’s final at Melbourne’s Riverslide Skate Park.
Having qualified with the third highest aggregate score for the series, the young aerial artist will be among the favourites to take out the 12-and-under skate-off.
Powell, who has honed his skills during countless hours at the Monbulk Skate Park, will go into the final with the confidence of having recorded the highest individual round score in the series.
In round nine, Powell carved out a near-perfect run to earn a score of 144 from the judges – some 30 points ahead of his closest competitor.
And for those rivals looking for the secret to Powell’s success, they need look no further than his trademark determination and preparation.
No matter where the day’s competition is held – be it Greensborough or Gisbourne – Powell is always among the first skaters to arrive and familiarise himself with the park.
“I always like to get there early, because there’s not many people there and I can pretty much have the park to myself,” he said while practicing at his home park in Monbulk last week.
It’s that precocious professionalism that makes you believe him when he says he intends to make a career out of skating.
And while the humble youngster is not willing to make any predictions about his chances on Saturday, few would be surprised if this weekend proves to be the beginning of an illustrious competitive career.
