Fingers on Fire returns

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

The fingerboard scene in Strathmore is heating up again, as Fingers on Fire 3 gets ready to roll on July 26, bringing with it global sponsors, international talent and a growing local following.

Organizer Brandon Kehler says it all started modestly. 

“The first year we didn’t have a competition. It was more of an exhibition kind of event,” said Kehler. “We just had a bunch of skate parks and a bunch of stuff we were giving out, but we didn’t have the competition side.”

That changed in year two, when Kehler connected with the organizers of the United States Fingerboard League. 

“I became friends with the guys that run the USA Fingerboard League and I had them sanction the competition last year. It was one of only two Canadian events they sanctioned, which is a pretty big deal, considering they’re an American-based league with over 50 stops on their season roster.”

Kehler’s inspiration to build a scene in Alberta came from a lack of activity in the region. “Ontario and Vancouver have pretty decent fingerboard scenes,” he said. “But in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba – there was just nothing happening. So I said, ‘okay, I’ll pick up the reins’ and do something about it.”

Fingerboarding, a miniature version of skateboarding using fingers instead of feet, has long been part of Kehler’s life. 

“I’ve always been into skateboarding. That and music have always been my number one thing,” he said. “I was an avid skateboarder until I was about 25 and then due to injuries and health issues, I had to stop.”

The shift to fingerboarding was gradual. 

“During COVID, like a lot of people, I dug out all the old tech decks and ramps,” he explained. “I’ve been collecting fingerboards since they came out and I have hundreds, bins full of loose ones and two store displays full of packaged ones.”

What began as collecting soon turned into active fingerboarding. 

“I used to just flick the board around, but during COVID I really started learning how to use my fingers like legs, to mimic how you ollie and do tricks properly. That’s when I realized there was a whole professional side to it, with wooden boards and real trucks and wheels made the same way skateboards are made.”

As for the competition itself, Kehler said it’s mostly sticking to last year’s successful format. 

“The event is totally free, except for entering the competition, which is $5 per event, just to help cover medals and things like that. We’re doing three events: Game of SKATE, Best Trick and Best Run on a street-style course.”

This year’s event is also expected to feature more than 20 fingerboard skate parks. 

“We’ve invited anyone with a fingerboard park to bring theirs out, as long as it meets some safety and quality standards. Some of these are professionally made and worth thousands.”

One particularly exciting addition is still under wraps. “There’s a special park coming that’s unlike anything ever seen before in fingerboarding,” Kehler teased. “Last year, we had something big and wild. This year, that builder is bringing something even crazier.”

Last year’s event drew between 10 and 15 competitors per event, and Kehler is anticipating more this year thanks to growth in nearby Calgary. 

“It’s been overwhelming,” Kehler said. “Some of the packages I’ve received, I’ve been almost in tears opening them. I just feel lucky to be part of this.”

The event starts at 11 am on July 26 at the Kinsmen Park amphitheatre where people are encouraged to register.