By Kelvin Ololo
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba has fingered inconsistency as one of the reasons why Team Cross River did not come out winners in the just conclude 2025 Calabar Skate-a-thon Marathon.
Ekpenyong stated this while responding to questions from newsmen during the event where he said there is a need for improvement in sport activities in the state.
He said: “For a long time there have been some inconsistencies in participation in various sport…, we are making improvement and I think as the host state, we are going to be having more participation and I believe that in the coming year, Cross River State will grow stronger.
He added that the state government will continue to ensure that Cross River State remains the paradise city in Nigeria, the haven of tourism and human capital development.
Meanwhile, Team Rivers and Taraba emerge winners among the 29 states of the federation and 4 invited African countries – Ghana, Togo, Cameroon and Sierra Leone in the 2025 skate-a-thon competition
The winner in the male category, Kelvin Vitalis, representing Team Rivers in the competition, finished swiftly in a four lapses skating, finding his way to the top of the game, while Rosemary David, representing Team Taraba smoothly endures the two lapses tenaciously, making a drastic moved to claim the top position in the female category.
Speaking to CrossRiverWatch, Kelvin Vitalis who said he has been skating for fifteen years, attributed his victory to hardwork, saying “it has been hell all through, skating is a grassroot sport in Nigeria whereby we don’t have sponsorship, but we have being doing it because is something we love doing. Last year I came up second and this year first, it’s a big one for me,” he said
Rosemary David also expressed happiness for emerging top as against the third position last year.
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the skaters, the National Vice President of Skate-a-thon, Henrietta Daniel said that “the essence of the yearly event was to take the young people off from the street and give them a future through sport.”
She appreciated the state Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu for his collaboration and for hosting the national event in the state.
Highpoints of the event was marathon racing and cultural parade, showcasing various tradition by the participants.
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