Wanganui rallies for ill skate legend

WELL BUILT: Castlecliff skate park designed and built by James Blas.

Wanganui's skateboarding and musical community is rallying behind aneurysm victim James Blas with a skating competition and concert planned for next month.

Mr Blas, 37, who has spent most of his life in Wanganui, is in intensive care in Christchurch Hospital after suffering a ruptured aneurysm on Sunday. He has undergone multiple operations and is still unconscious.

He is well-known for designing and building skate parks around the country including Wanganui's Kowhai Park skate park extension and the skate park in Rangiora St, Castlecliff.

Wanganui skateboarding stalwart Gareth Balderston said friends of Mr Blas were organising several events, donating goods and holding raffles to help raise funds for Mr Blas' recovery and the support of his young family.

Organisers had sourced sponsorship of prizes from skateboard shops around the country and Wanganui shop Cheapskates had agreed to help run a skate competition at the Castlecliff park on September 28.

A concert was also in the pipeline although who was playing and at what venue were yet to be confirmed.

Mr Blas was involved in the construction of skate parks in towns and cities including Hawera, Oakura and Papakura. He also designed the Barry Curtis skate park in Manukau and Victoria Park skate park in Auckland.

"There wouldn't be a skater out there today who hasn't skated one of his [Mr Blas'] parks," Mr Balderston said.

A Facebook page promoting the event, called Skate for Blas, was started yesterday and already had more than 400 members and many offers of support.

Mr Blas has been living in Christchurch with partner Selena Ounsworth and their three children Ethan, 7, Mia, 5, and Arnica, 4, since moving there last year to work as a foreman in a construction company helping with the Christchurch rebuild. Mr Blas' sister Sarah Green said family were keeping vigil by his bedside and support and well wishes had been pouring in from around the country.

He had suffered several setbacks including a stroke and coughing but he kept fighting back and was responding to family being in the room. So far about $2500 had been raised through www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/JamesBlas and a special bank account under Mr Blas' name had been set up at ANZ Bank with the number 0605 6500 544 3611.

"Everyone's hoping for the best but it's likely to be a long time before he recovers," Mrs Green said.