Fingers on Fire

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

Get ready Strathmore for the second annual Fingers on Fire 2 competition at Kinsmen Lake, a United States Fingerboard League sanctioned event, on July 28. 

This all-ages event will feature prizes for contests such as Best Run, Best Trick and Game of Skate with the winners of the contests receiving engraved medals for first, second and third in each event. There will be a free barbecue, raffles, giveaways and local vendors scattered around the Kinsmen Lake main amphitheater for this all-day event. 

“The most important part of it is that there’s not many things like it (fingerboard competitions) going on in Canada at all. The closest thing that has anything happening is Vancouver and Toronto and in the middle is this gap of no professional fingerboard stuff really happening,” said event organizer Brandon Kehler. 

In 2023 when Kehler realized that there was a lack of professional events in the local area he decided to reach out and see what the interest would be like. 

“And since then, I’ve made a lot of really great connections,” said Kehler. “I think it’s a super fun hobby.” 

Kehler had some help from Levine Cunnigham, who runs the United States Fingerborad League. 

“He’s been a really good supporter of me and my artwork and all the stuff that I do for the different fingerboard companies,” said Kehler. 

Cunningham is doing a professional tour with the American league with only two Canadian stops, Toronto and Strathmore, which is a pretty big deal. 

“It’s trying to put Strathmore on the map, or even Calgary, in the scene that is out here because there is a scene happening and it’s only a matter of time before we see little fingerboard shops maybe in Calgary or more events like what I’m doing here,” said Kehler. 

Everyone is welcome, even if you’re just spectating and seeing what the fingerboard scene is all about. The fee is just $5 for competitors.

Kehler said with this local event that he hopes to encourage more fingerboard activities to grow the scene in the local area. There will even be some “pioneers” of the hobby coming to Strathmore and “it will be really cool to see these people in person.” 

Kehler was interested in fingerboarding from the get go, when the company Tech Deck introduced their fingerboards 25 years ago. He also said he got more into creating obstacles for his fingerboards during the pandemic with his sister who he introduced to the hobby.

“It’s really, really fun and I’ve been into it basically my whole life,” he added.

Fingers on Fire 2 takes place July 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kinsmen Lake.