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Show Photo By Christine CotterLos Angeles Timet George "Wild Man" Orton stretches out on his street luge just btfore the recent ESPN-sponsored "X-Games" at Oceanside, Calif. Orton will demonstrate the popular alternative sport as part of Panguitch's Pioneer Day activities on the Panguitch Lake hill at 11:30 a.m. today. Highway 143 will close for one-half hour while Orton races at speeds of nearly 60 mph only inches from the pavement. By George "Wild Man'9 Orton Pioneer Day Street Luge Demonstration Set For Panguitch Lake Road PANGUITCH George "Wild Man" Orton will demonstrate demon-strate street luge on the Panguitch Lake hill, adding excitement to Pioneer Day activities on Thursday Thurs-day at 11:30 a.m. following the big parade. Highway 143, the Panguitch Lake Road, will be closed off to through traffic at the highway's first big curve out of Panguitch for approximately one-half hour while Orton races downhill, flat on his back on a street luge, just inches off the asphalt, reaching speeds of nearly 60 miles an hour. The demonstration is free of charge and Orton will sign autographs later in the day at the Panguitch City Park. A sports buff from youth, he was named Most Valuable Boxer at age 22 at the Washington County Fair. He has mastered sky diving, deep sea diving, skiing, skateboarding, snowboard-ing, snowboard-ing, speedboarding and various other sports. Orton holds the world downhill skateboarding speed record. Last November he was timed at 61.87 mph near Lake Elsinore, Calif. His skateboarding skills go back to his youth when he was known for the chances he took in developing new tricks. He is famous for the "Orton Aerial," now a common maneuver among skilled skateboarders. In the early 1980's Orton decided to get a little more serious about life and settled down for college, a regular job, and creating a family life with wife Tracy and their son Shane. A sheet metal contractor in Huntington Beach, Calif., who flies planes and bungee jumps, Orton was challenged last year by friends to try his hand at street luge. A half a dozen runs and he was hooked on the sport and ttmmBmmU George "Wild Man" Orton quickly became skilled enough to compete less than a month ago in the "X-Games" sponsored by ESPN at Rancho Del Oro in Oceanside, Calif. He took part in the "Super Mass Downhill" where six street lugers race simultaneously simultan-eously downhill on a two-lane course. Just before the "X-Games," Orton was featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times by sports writer Martin Beck with photos by Los Angeles Times photographer Christime Cotter. His interest in street luge also led to his return to skateboarding and the world record set last winter. Leather clothing and helmets protect against injury in street luging, but the sport can be very dangerous. Lugers stop at the bottom of their downhill plunge with their shoes, sometimes wearing out a pair of shoes in a single stop. Spectators on Pioneer Day will want to bring their (See Street Luge Set For Panguitch Pan-guitch Pioneer Day On Page 4A) Street Luge Set From Front Page binoculars, if they have them, and watch the entire run as Orton picks up speed before coming to a heart-skipping stop at the end of the run where his shoes will smoke as he stops his luge, lifts its bow and gets to his feet. It'll all be over pretty fast, but it's an unusual opportunity for local sports fans to watch an expert at a sport rarely, if ever, practiced in Utah. Orton hopes to have street luging accepted for competition in the 2000 AD Olympics in Australia. He is the son of Panguitch native David Orton and his wife Connie. The David Ortons have recently retired to Panguitch and son George and his wife Tracy who often vacation in the Panguitch area hope to retire there also. George Orton, who will probably never retire from alternative sports, may someday be seen at age 65 skateboarding his way through Panguitch. |
