He's one gnarley dude, but don't ask him to ollie or fakie.

Premier Peter Beattie did his best Bart Simpson impression last week as he rode a skateboard around Parliament to promote a Queensland joint venture * taking on the world.

Caloundra-based Mitchell Boards and a company called Would Inc have come up with what they believe could be the holy grail for riders – an all-but indestructible revolutionary skateboard.

The fibre-composite deck will be distributed in Australia and the United States *, the world's biggest skateboard market, from this month.

Mr Beattie might not be overly familiar with skateboard terms, such as stalefish air, feeble grind, goofy foot, gay twist, sex change and brain bucket, but he knows how to promote Queensland inventions.

"Skateboarding is a growing sport and a billion-dollar industry," Mr Beattie said.

"In the US, there are around 13 million skateboarders providing a market worth approximately AU $7.5 billion annually."

Serious skateboarders can wear out a traditional wooden deck in just two weeks.

But the Mitchell board – three years in the making – has a much longer life and will be better for the environment.

"Fibre composite material is ultra light, super strong, non corrosive, non magnetic and non toxic," Mr Beattie said.

"This will give the new skateboard more flexibility or 'pop' than the Canadian rock maple * that's been used in skateboards since the 1970s, or the more recently used Chinese * birch.

"The 'pop' is what skaters use to generate the lift-off needed to do manoeuvres. It's a major part of a board's design."

Mr Beattie tried to get Innovation Minister Tony McGrady to don a helmet and knee pads for the photo opportunity – but there is only one media tart in this government. So Petey-Boy – not to be confused with Avril Lavigne's Sk8er-Boi – performed the stunt to launch the 2004 * Australian * Innovation Festival, which starts tomorrow and runs until May 16.

Brother and sister Ross Nosworthy and Jenny Mitchell invented the new board on the Sunshine Coast.

Mitchell Boards director Michael Collins said wooden decks took about 12 hours to make and retailed for up to AU $200.

The fibre composite could be completed in 30 minutes and would cost about AU $150. Mr Collins said the board would eventually be sold in 23 countries under the Would Inc brand, with a woodpecker logo.

The companies had already signed up some Australian riders to promote the board and would next target the bigger US professional stars.

This article was originally entitled " Smart State to Bart State" and was found at http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/ 0,5936,9440390%255E2765,00.html

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