Rockin’ for the Rink
Skippers compete for title
Rob Zolman
Tom “Golden Stones” Adrignola skips his set of rocks to become the men’s F.L.R.S.C. Champion.
Rob Zolman
Rob Zolman
The Great Scots lead the procession of rock-skippers down to Riverside Park.
Rob Zolman
Jen “The Skipper” Kern, left, is presented the Women’s F.L.R.S.C. Champion trophy.
Rob Zolman
Tias Fyant works his way to a first place finish for boys in the age 12 and under category.
Rob Zolman
Rob Zolman
Rob Zolman
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POLSON – One of the quirkiest sports championships in Montana made a big splash on Saturday during the fourth annual Flathead Lake Rock Skipping Championship.
“This is a community service to support the ice rink, so I really wanted to do this to help them,” Tom Adrignola said. He won first place in the men’s division by skipping his rock 20 times. He said getting a rock to skip across the water involved several elements including power, luck and a good spin on just the right water. “It was a perfect day for rock skipping,” he said.
Twenty-nine rock-skippers converged along the shores of Flathead Lake in Polson with the aim to take their best shot at winning the golden rock trophy and coveted title of “Flathead Rock Skipping Champion” at one the most prestigious tournaments in the state.
The Flathead Lake Rock Skipping Championship is a bring-your-own-rocks event, and while there may be a gillion good rocks along the shore, many rock-skippers show up with a stockpiled arsenal of handpicked rocks.
The Great Scots opened the event with a bagpipe-led procession from the Cove Deli and Pizza to the rock-skipping staging area at Riverside Park. Once in the park, the skippers made their way down one-by-one to the lake’s edge and took turns skipping their rocks across the water’s surface as a panel of three judges, Geri Browning, Kate Taylor and Hillary Lozar, attempted to count the number of skips of each thrown rock.
Spectators gathered along the shore’s edge to cheer loudly at some amazing throws and groaned at the kerplunks. When the last rock was thrown, skippers and fans wandered back to the deli for a slice or two of pizza and some socializing while waiting for the final scores.
The Best Throw of the Day for boys under 12 years old was awarded to Tias Fyant for 10 skips across the lake. Chenoa Villegas came in first for the girls under 12 years old with five skips. Jen “the Skipper” Kern came in first place with a Best Throw with 14 skips in the women’s division. Tom “Golden Stones” Adrignola defended his 2017 title with 20 skips in the men’s division.
The Mission Valley Ice Arena Association will receive the proceeds from the event. The association manages the rock skipping championships as a fundraiser to help build the Mission Valley Ice Arena and develop a youth and adult skating, curling and hockey program. For more information about the MVIAA, visit MissionValleyIceArena.com.
Results
Girls under 12
First place – Chenoa Villegas, 5 skips
Boys under 12
First place – Tias Fyant, 10 skips
Second place – Lex Avison, 7 skips
Third place – Patrick Villegas, 5 skips
Declan Avison, 5 skips
Women
First place – Jen Kern, 14 skips
Second place – Lisa Heinle, 9 skips
Jo Schoenecker, 9 skips
Nancy Sendler, 9 skips
Third place – Ellie Moore, 7 skips
Men
First place – Tom Adrignola, 20 skips
Second place – George Murphy, 16 skips
Ryan Townsend, 16 skips
Third place – Micah Doty, 15 skips
