Reference letters

  Friday, 28th August, 2009

RE: Paul Kent, Longboarder

To Whom It May Concern,

As a sponsored amateur skateboarder of three years, manager of a number of high-profile skateboarding-related websites (including Happy Skater, Long Treks On Skate Decks, and Skate Further), and supporter of the distance skateboarding scene on a global level, I have yet to discover another individual like Paul Kent.

His dedication to his personal fitness, nutrition, motivation and achieving his goals are unrivalled in a field he has helped to progress – that of the North American push race scene. Bringing an athletic mind to a seemingly recreational situation, his focus has encouraged others to look inwards and bring out their own personal bests. His world record 250-mile result at Ultraskate 2009 astounded everyone, but surprised no one.

Paul’s journey to Peru with two good friends not only made the media in Canada, it spread far and wide, with news of it reaching further than just our shores in the United Kingdom. Paul has an international reputation as a true winner, a sure bet, and the benchmark to which all other distance skaters aspire. Many around the world wish for him to attend their events in order to ‘gauge’ their own performance, and his results are closely followed.

By adding another niche to the already massively developed Canadian longboarding scene, Paul’s success has opened up the way for more push and endurance events nationwide. It has also inspired us in the United Kingdom to begin a Push Race Series of our very own. He is a great communicator - eloquent, informative, and a great ‘ambassador’ for his sport.

On a personal level, I know Paul to be family man, devoted to his beautiful little daughter. The struggle to fit in training around a busy life, as well as meeting the entry/travel costs to events, means that it is not always easy for a proud Canadian such as Paul to have the presence he, and we, his supporters worldwide, would like.

I believe Paul to be a very worthy candidate for sponsorship. His confidence with brand representation and promotion, coupled with his unique appearance at events, and consistent top podium placing make him an attractive catch!

Sincerely,
Laura Hatwell
Co-Director, Skate Further (UK)