Action Sports World tour is back in Chicago.

The ASA Action Sports world tour, has turned to Chicago for the first time in a decade, well renowned for being on of the industry’s oldest and most elite action sports competition circuits. The 1st of March will held host the ASA Action Sports world tour as they visit the Sears centre Arena with a one day competition featuring the worlds top pros in Skateboarding, BMX and FMX.

As the third stop on the 2009 Tour, this event offers a chance for competing athletes to gain the valuable ranking points necessary for qualification into the season ending Action Sports world Championships and for fans in the windy city to see these amazing aerial artists live for the first time after a 12 year absence.

This is going to be an outstanding event giving three hours, for fans to witness intense competitive action between the sports top pros such as 2008 X Games and LG Skateboarding vert world champion Pierre-luc Gagon (montreal, Canada), X games Skateboard vert champion Bucky lasek (Baltimore, Maryland), former skateboard world champion sandro Dias (sao Paulo, Brazil), BMX star Mike spinner (Oceanside, New York), X Games BMX gold medallist Daniel Dhers (Caraces VZ) and chicago’s own star, koji Kraft, Revving up the intensity will be the FMX pros whose back flips and whips will leave spectators on the edge of their seats.

As part of this action packed event, The used will take to the Maxell Music stage for a full concert featuring their lastest and greatest hits. The used is a high energy alternative rock band from orem, utah who has achieved both gold and platinum status world wide after reasing their debut self-titled album, “the used” in 2002.

Tickets to the ASA Action Sports World tour’s Chicago stop of the tour, go on ale Friday the 27th at 10am, Via all ticket master outlets ticketmaster.com, or the sear centres Box offices. Advance ticket prices are $20 for adult and $10 for children’s general admission seats, $35 for reserved club seats and $60 for reserved premium floor seating, which give fans an up close and personal view of all the action and a private meet-and-greet with the pros. Each ticket includes the best of skateboarding, BMX and FMX, as well as a full concert from The Used.

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Wallisch wins Dew Tour Freeski Slopestyle.

Tom wallisch won the winter dew tour Toyota. Championship Freeski slopesstyle competition over the weekend- his first tour event after missing the first two stops because of injures.

The 21 year old Tom Wallisch, from Pittsburgh, had a few wobbles on his first run, but executed a flawless second run to score 92.83. Canadian Alexis Godbout was second at 91.83, and New Zealand’s Jossi Wells was third at 90.50.

His winning run began with a 270 on to pretzel 270 out on the box and a blind side misty 630 out on the cannon rail. He continued with a rodeo 900 with high mute grab into a switch tails over 270 disaster. He finished with consecutive swath 1080’s on the last two jumps.

He was quoted saying he hasn’t been into many big competitions, let alone being on live TV, he go on to say he got a little over excited and went a little to big at first, but he went back up and tried to focus on what he was doing and put it all into prospective, he used the method of just acting like it was any other day in the park, and he was able to pull it off and ski through it.

PK Hunder, of Norway, finished sixth in the event, but won the dew cup season title in freeski slopestyle.

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TTR Battle coming.

With only a short time left until the Swatch TTR Tour Campion crowing at the 6 star Burton US open and Roxy Chicken Jam, the race is on. The upcoming 5 star Nissan X-trail Asian open from February 24th – March 3rd in Alts Bandai Japan, presents riders with a great chance to climb the world ranking.

Countless numbers of top-ranking snowboarders including Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), Kevin Pearce (USA), and Jamie Anderson (USA), will be in attendance – all of them eager to pull out their best tricks and go for the Halfpipe and slopestyle titles and take home two lots of 850 TTR ranking points and some of the $125,000 USD prize fund.

2007 – 2008 Swatch TTR Tour Champion Jamie Anderson (USA), is confirmed and will be keen to further extend her lead over the pack. However, current World no. 6 Sina Candrian (SUI) and world no.3 Lisa Wiik (NOR) are both after Jaime and locked in a battle for the world no.2

Kjersti oestgaard Buaas (NOR) Clark (USA) and Spencer O’Brien (CAN) could all enter the TTR Top 10, whilst U.S. riders kimmy Fasani and Elizbeth Beerman could find themselves in TTR Top 20.

One Riddr who still has to collect her share of TTR points this season is former Tour Champion, Torak Bright (AUS). Her previous Victories in the Halfpipe contest in Asia in 2007 and 2008 may give her the necessary confidence to collect two good result anmd, thus, to move into the TTR Top 20.

On the men’s side of things, it is impossible to exactly pinpoint what will happen in the male ranking with so many Swatch TTR contest going down concurrently around the world. However, it can surely be said that many riders out of the TTR Top 10 will travel to Asia to collect crucially important last points before the final showdown at the US open in March.

Depending on the outcome of the 6 star Oakley Arctic Challenge on Saturday, February 21st, Peetu Pirroinen (FIN) will be defending his world No.1 spot . However, competition is fierce as Kevin Pearce (USA), who has a good chance of moving up to the TTR Top 5 with his possible third victory in Oslo, will make a final charge for the Tour Champion title in Asia. In his way stands Risto mattila, who will be focused on staying in the TtR Top 3. Also Antti Antti (FIN) may find himself defending a top 5 position after the Oakley Arctic Challenge.

With the tour Champion crowning events in sight, things are sure to tense up as riders fight to claim their part of the total Swatch TTR Tour prize money payout of over $200,000 USD.

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Dee Caffari became the first women to sail solo around the world in both directions.

Dee Caffari became the first women to sail solo non-stop around the world in both directions when she finished sixth in the Vendee Globe on Monday, Dee Caffari aged 36 crossed the line at 12:12 GMT after sailing over 27,000 miles in 99 days, one hour and 10 minutes.

Fellow Britons Sam Davies and Brian Thompson finished the race in fourth and fifth position respectively. The only British competitor still to finish is Steve White 36, from Dorchester, who has about 1,700 miles to go.

Three years ago former teacher Dee Caffari, from Titchfield in Hampshire sailed around the world in a westerly direction, against the prevailing winds and currents, taking 178days. On Monday she made sailing history when she arrived at les sables d’Olonne, France, on her 100th day at sea. Dee Caffari has said, she had an awesome start, after making a few mistakes tactically in the Atlantic and the intensity of the race in the south, then she lost a bit of her confidence in the first storm.

“Everybody was having lots of problems and that was when all the damage was happening and there was Elies Yann’s injury , and I lost all my confidence then.” Thompson was delighted to finish the race one place ahead of Dee Caffari after encountering problems with his yacht. Brian was fighting his whole way to stay ahead of Dee Caffari, with keeping his Keel problem a secret, with the last night proving his difficulties after disengaged from the keel. He was amazed he managed to do any sailing at all after being stuck down below fixing various things, such as electronics, weather, and equipment.

Despite finishing on Saturday, over two days ahead of Marc Guillemot, Sam Davies was denied third spot because the Frenchman had time in hand from helping a stricken rival earlier in the race.

The Portsmouth born 34 – year old, along with Dee Caffari one of the two women competing in the gruelling race, finished in a time of 95 days, for hours and 39 minutes. She had 35 hours time redress for diverting to the aid of stricken rival Elies, while Guillemot was granted 50 hours more for his role in the rescue of Elies.

The Frenchman crossed the line at 0121 GMT on Monday, with 0241 GMT the target he had to beat to deny Sam Davies a place in the top three. Sam Davies time, achieved in 60 foot yacht Roxy, made her the second fastest female competitor after compatriot Ellen Macarthur, who finished second in 2001.

The four yearly race was won by Frenchman Michel Desjoyeaux, who finished on 1st February after sailing 28,303.2 nautical miles in 84 days. Campatriot Armel Le cleac’h came second after 89 days at sea, while another Frenchman, 2005 winner Vincent Riou, was credited with joint third after his yacht lost its mast during the rescue of Jean Le Cam off Cape Horn. Thirty yachts entered the endurance race back in November, but just 11 look set to complete the course.

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New TTR Top 5 After Burton Canadian Open

The battle for the podium started early in the semi-finals with Sarka Pancochova busting out a massive BS Rodeo that confirmed her a spot in the finals. However, once the eight- women, three-run final commenced, Sarka panocochova was unable to stick her monster tricks when it counted, paving the way to the podium for shredders Silvis Mittermueller, Megan Ginter (USA) and Mary Sallah (USA)

Megan Ginter has set the pace early in the fianls and grabbed second place with her first run, stomping a Boardslide to FS Boardside FS 50/ 50 BS 180 Out, a cab 540 into a slick BS 720 and opting for some creative combos on the final jibs. Sallah took third with some solid tricks, a cab 5 and BS 3, but on her third run, Silvis Mittermueller managed to floor everyone – from the judges to the other riders, after laying down a 50 / 50 to FS Boardslide and a FS Boardslide to Frakie, Silva landed a sick Switch BS 5 and went right into a FS 7 tail, landing perfectly to ultimately stand on the podium.

The men had an equally impressive contest, with a strong contingent of riders going for gold until the bitter end. Still holding on to Swatch TTR World No. 2, Chas Guldemond was slaying if from the beginning with a good looking BS 12 in his bag of tricks, but some epic second runs from Canadian riders Charles Reid and Sebastian Toutant turned up the heat resulting in a 4th place for Guldemond.

Mikkel Bang took top prize on his third run with his perfect Swatch BS 12 and styled-out BS Rodeo stalefish after stomping a FS nosepress through the Flat down and 270 to FS Boardslide on the upper rails and a BS Lipslide and 540 mushroom bonk on the lower jibs. Canadians Toutant and Reid fired out their own double cork renditions, Toutant opting for a cab 9 into a BS Double cork 1080 for second and Reid taking things frontside with a cab 9 and FS 1080 Double Flip.

Amazingly, Czech rider Sarka Pancohova, despite only finishing 7th in Calgary, managed to squeeze out enough points to move into TTR world No. 2 just one point ahead of now TTR world No. 3 Lisa Wiik, who finished 4th.

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Jed Anderson and Palmer Tayor Trump all at the Canadian Halfpipe.

The Canada Olympic park in Calgary, Alberta welcomed a range of talented snowboarders on Sunday, with local Canadian Shredders Jed Anderson and Palmer Taylor claiming the men’s and women’s halfpipe title at the inaugural swatch TTR Star Burton Canadian open. Each rider managed to take home $7,500 USD and 850 TTR ranking points.

With the progressive halfpipe session that favoured a clean style over big spin combos. The Canadians swept the men’s board managing to take 1st by Jed Anderson, and 2nd for Justin Lamoureux, with Jeff Batchelor rounding up in the 3rd.
Chas Guildemond manage to hold on to TTR world rank number 2 after failing to reach podium in 4th place at yesterdays event. However one of the strongest Canadian shredders on the swatch tour is Charles Reid who managed to improve his place in the Top 10 moving up to world TTR ranking number 9 with a 5th place result in Calgary after sticking an epic final run.

With both Reid and Guidemond looking to improve their TTR scores and ascend the TTR top 10 with today’s Slopestyle event.

With the women’s session being equally as impressive with local champion Palmer Taylor taking the top spot followed closely by favourites Sarah Conrad of Canada in 2nd, and Lisa wiik from Norway in 3rd. Lisa Wiik podium finish will bump her up TTR world Number 6, with being in close reach of Sarka Pancohova who did not qualify for the finals and only placed 13th in the Canadian open halfpipe.

Lisa Wiik and Sarka Pabcohova are also favoured to do well today with Lisa coming off a recent Slopstyle win at the 6 star Burton Eurpean Open. Protential for a new women’s TTR Top 5 is huge.

The Halfpipe contest yesterday was indeed a breathe of fresh air with exemplary riding from the northern nation’s best. Jed Anderson has been talked about being one of the worlds best riders and he proved that here! With a combination of back to back and spins, are not always in the winning equations, as Anderson proves, making it look easy, on his final run with a huge Frontside 7, a backside 7, a slick and stalled out Frontside 3 Crail, a cab 7 and a swatch 7. Justin Lamoureux and Jeff Batchelor stuck their 5s and 9s but couldn’t match the effortless style of Jed Anderson.

While Sarah Conrad seemed to dominated throughout, palmer Taylor pushed just a little bit harder on her final run and was the only female in the pipe to stop a 900, a trick that arguably won her 1st place, complimented by textbook airs. Conard, however, still came out with sick 540 combos as Lisa Wiik dominated the inverts, laying down McTwists and Haakon flips with ease.

The 5Star Canadian competition continues today in what is sure to be an amazing Slopestyle session with a robust group of local Canadian shreds ready to prove their skill’s against some talented internationals.

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The ultimate guide to The 10 things you didn’t know about base jumping.

I believe that we have all dabbled in a little late night base jumping after a few pints, ……….but I bet you didn’t know ……?

• The art of base jumping doesn’t actually refer to jumping off a ‘base point’ it’s an acronym for building, Antenna, Span, and Earth.
• Unfortunately Base jumping is a illagel almost everywhere in the world.
• This extreme sport is featured in a number of popular movies such as XXX and the spy how kiss me.
• Trollveggen (troll Wall) in Norway is regarded as the highest base jumping point on earth, but in the Guinness recorded the highest jump as Meru Peak in Northern India, at 6,604 meters (21,667 ft)
• Over the past number of years there has been at least 124 fatalities related to the sport of base jumping.
• After 100ft in free fall, the average base jumper is travelling at 120 miles per hour (54 meters per second)
• At this point, they’re roughly 5.7 seconds from hitting the ground.
• Upon completing all of the four jump categories (building, Antenna, Span, Earth) Base jumpers are awarded a number. Phill smith and Phill Mayfield earned the numbers BASE number 1 and 2 after jumping together from a Houston skyscraper on the 18th of January 1981.
• Soon after Qualifying, Phil Smith earned the Night Base number 1 for performing the same jumps after dark.
• Base jumping is insane.

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A sky diving accident, – first time skydiver survives but the instructor dies.

When a us solider took his debut skydive and landed safely, many would have cheered, however this was not the case as in a recent tragedy in Chester, South Carolina, the rookie skydivers instructors died after suffering a heart attack in mid descent.

Daniel Pharr 25 years old, managed to steer himself and his instructor clear of buildings and trees to touch down safely after leaping off at 13,500ft (4,100m). The two skydivers were talking over AP, moment before Daniel had released his instructor was not responding he said “its surprising how quite it is,” with his instructor replying “welcome to my world”

Daniel Pharr realised there was something wrong he asked his instructor a question and there was no response. Daniel understood that he had to get down as quickly as possible to help his instructor, due to his basic knowledge of skydiving he managed to land safely. After landing Daniel Parr attempted to resuscitate his 49 year old instructor, but failed to revive him, he had suffered a massive heart attack. Ground instructors said that he could have put the parachute into a spin had he pulled the toggles to hard.

Daniel Parr was told after that it was amazing that he knew what to do, he responded with it was my survival instinct taking over.

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James Stewart makes it four for four in San Francisco.

James Stewart won his fourth consecutive monster energy AMA Supercross race AT & T park before 39,414 fans. Monster Energy / Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s jake weimer won his second western regional AMA supercross lites class race, snapping the two race win streak of Ryan Dungey, who rides for the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team.

After setting the fastest lap time in the practice, James Stewart who rides for the San Manuel Yamaha team, grabbed the holeshot to start the AMA Supercross class main event with Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s mike Alessi and Monster Energy kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto following in second and third respectively. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Chad Reed started in forth and moved into second place on lap three.

Chad Reed who went on to finish in second place, spent the rest of the race chasing James Stewart but had little luck in making up ground. Villopoto finished third.

Weimer opened the AMA Supercross lites class main event with the holeshot leading Suzuki’s Cole Seely through turn one. Dungrey started in fourth and by the end of lap one he moved into second place. Geico powersports’ Trey Canard moved into third place on lap three.

After failing to pass Weimer on the first 11 laps of the main event, Dungey made the pass and lost his front end, causing him to crash. The crash allowed canard to move into second place. Dungey remounted, passed canard for second where he finished the race, Canard earned a season-best third place.

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