The European skateboarding Championships 2008

The European Skateboarding champions 2008 was amazing, with just under 400 competitors from as young as 6and from all over Europe, the 10,000 spectators over the four days were not disappointed at all.
Throughout this massive weekend the excitement from these new hopefuls of tomorrow as they skateboarded around the arena, followed by a few more seasoned pro battling it out in the mini ramp final, it stood out that the level of skateboarding in Europe is just getting better and better.
The whole event kicked of on Thursday with 70 skateboarders in junior championships, Saturday held host to the street qualifications, which also saw the mini-ramp session begin.  To wrap up this massive weekend the girls took to the stage, showing what they can do in the arena.

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Kelly Slater sets his sights on boost mobile pro.

The up and coming boost mobile pro presented by Hurley may be the closest thing eight time ASP world champion and ratings leader Kelly Slater has to a home court advantage on the ASP world tour. Kelly Slaters is an amzing surfer showwing off his skills on home tuff in California, for the boost mobile pro championships.
The event is held in lower trestles in San Clemente, California from September 7 – 13th 2008, the seventh of the eleventh events on his years ASP world tour is the only elite tour stop in the continental U.S.A.
Kelly Slater has featured in the Boost Mobile Pro final for the last four years, being able to win in 2005 and 2007 and finishing second in 2004 and 2006. he has claimed four of six events on this years ASP world tour, it is quite likely that’s Slater may win an unprecedented 9th ASP world title in 2008.
In fact, if Slater had not suffered his second hiccup of the year and posted an equal 17th finish at the last ASP world tour stop in Bali, Indonesia, Slater would have been mathematically capable of clinching in California. (Which has never been done)
Slater was quoted saying “I know the numbers and possibilities roughly in my head. I would love to wrap this thing up at any point, but yes, trestles would have been really nice”
Despite his early exit in Bali, Slater maintained a healthy ratings lead when perennial title contenders like world no. 2 Joel Parkinson (AUS) and three time ASP world champion Andy Irons (HAW) bowed out early too.
Joel Parkinson is the closest thing Slater has to Spoiler at this point. The 2002 and 2004 ASP world title runner- up beat Kelly Slater in the 2004 Boost Mobile Pro final to win the event, but has only won one contest since, in 2006 in France.
Parkinson has made it to the quarterfinals or better in 12 of the 14 events, he has not featured in a final in close to two years, this is a main competitor for Kelly Slater.
Parkinson has been quoted saying, “its been a while since I had my last tour win” he goes on to say he has no explanation for it but he is feeling fit, and knows he can win this title again as he has done so before.
Joel Parkinson has secured his current world number 2 rating, even though Slate looks like a sure win, he still needs to complete.

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ESPN plans top launch online network dedicated to ‘action sports.

ESPN is one of the most famous sports , news channels around, to plans to launch a number of websites in the all,, which will be devoted to a specific action sport, to offer coverage of events that aren’t unusually carried on mainstream television, hopefully appealing and reaching to a grater numbers of sports fans.

ESPN was the first media outlet to court the anti- establishment athletes, and their fans with the doubt in 1995 of the extreme games, later dubbed the x games. The event has gained momentum, attracting nearly 38 million viewers last year, and the big media companies now want to get into the game.

ESPN wants to draw the audience for extreme sports to the online world, where avid sports fans, spend nearly as much time watching videos streams and reading and boosting on blogs as they do sitting in front of the television, according Jupiter Research.

The action sports network will offer more original detail programs, such as “guerrilla cam” which takes fans behind the scenes of events. The site will provide exclusive content and ‘first looks’ at sports films., including snowboarder/ producer Travis Rice’s film.  This site will also offer fans to up load and share their own sports videos, this will form a community around each of the sports.

ESPN has also developed deals with sports information and product websites Surfline.com, Vans.com, and Active Ride Shop to share content and achieve cross promotion.

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Sooruz Lacanou pro kicks off in France

The E365 – Sooruz Lacanau Pro, an ASP world Qualifing series 6 star event, got underway at the famous French town of Lacanau, home of the oldest professional  surfing event in France, fance was host to wind tricky waves and sunny skies, throughout the first rounds in the heats.
From a 192 surfers who enter the event only 144 surfers remain, for the outstanding and prestigious Sooruz Lacanau Pro crown. Throughout the start of the copetition so far there has been a number of factors making it tough to proceed mainly due to the weather, as there have been a number of strong currents, which have been proving difficult.  A number of hopefuls and favorites have made it through the some of the heat stage. These being same page (AUS) as he put on a good performance winning heat 16 with an average 12.30 point tally and was one of the suffers of the day to find a barrel.
Good luck to all the competitors competing in the Sooruz Lacanou.

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Fancy a paddle?

The Franklin River is situated in the Australians rainforest s one of the world’s greatest rafting experiences but 25 years ago it nearly disappeared, as there were plans to build a dam, this caused a lot of epic battle of protesters across Australia. Protesters blocked of the dam sites, chaining themselves to machinery. More than 1,270 were arrested and 600 jailed as the dam project become a key issue in the general election. One of the biggest campaigns of civil disobedience in the country’s history ended in July of that same year when the high court ruled in favor of the protesters.

The Franklin river still maintains a high level of popularity with rafting now even through there have been a number of casualties resulting in a number of deaths. So before being able to take to the river very clear guide lines are set in place, say if you are not sure of your abilities do not go any further. Through out the experience within the raft there are two guides, who make clear that will do there best to safe you if you your raft does run into trouble, but clearly stating, sometimes rescue procedures can fail, so never trust the river.

The river holds host to a number of different twists and turns, given anyone brave enough to experience, the epic and challenging river in a raft.

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White Air Extreme Sports Festival 2008

White Air is one of Europe’s premier festivals and is now running into its 12th year; it is host to some amazing extreme sports championships, with over 25 sports competing on and off the water plus a whole host of astounding acts I n the main line up of the live stage including the Pigeon detectives and parties at the beach bar with festival and radio ones Rob Da Bank, and many local and new groups on the scene.

 

White Air 2008 Extreme Sports Festival

The main events include UK BSUPA championships stand up paddle board, European Thundercat Powerboating championships, UK windsurfing freestyle championships, European mountain board freestyle championships, skate pro’s on the new mini ramp and street course, flatland BMX, FMX freestyle, kitsurfiing bocking, wakeboarding, surfing and many more sports, arts and music, this has created a complete and action packed sports festival, evolving over the last 12 years.

The red arrows will be in force with a 23 minute display across the weekend in the mornings, and then hold a meet and greet with members of the public.
The RAF falcons are the worlds leading parachute display team and they will be dropping in to open the festival

 The festival also holds a ‘have a go’ where members of the public have a chance to experience and take part in a number of different extreme sports competing, throughout the festival.

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WWA Wakeboarding World Champions

The wakeboarding world champions return to its home of the united sates, after being abroad for a year, it will be held this year around the 20 – 24 of September in Fort Worth, Texas. September in Texas will be home to a number of top riders all competing for the wakeboarding champion 2008.
Wakeboarding has become increasing popular over the last few years offering an international flavour in many sporting events held.

Throughout the past number of years the championships has seen an increase in the number of international riders climbing more closely to the elite of Americans holding the top spots. The main competitors climbing up the top are Josh Sanders, Brett Eisenhauer and Daniel Watkins all from Australia, challenging for the title. The defending world champion Phillip Soven will not go without a fight, also Andrew Adkinson is also a competitor to keep an eye on throughout the competition.

With the Men’s pro team performing well and getting ready to compete, so are the pro ladies, with them perfuming just as well as the men ones to watch  competing are Dallas Friday, and Emily Copeland Durham the defending world champion. 
The championships are increasingly hotting up this year with a number of international rider competing for the WWA wakeboarding championships in Texas untied states, good luck to all competing.

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