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Skateboarder Andy MacDonald, competing in Beijing in April, says once action sports is experienced, it doesn’t take long for top competitors to emerge.
About 10 years ago, all Anthony Furlong needed was a skateboard for competitions. These days, he needs passports and plane tickets. The action sports world, once confined to ramps and parks in the United States, has gone international. The X Games, the world's biggest action sports extravaganza, now holds events in Asia, Brazil, Dubai and Mexico. Last month, the Action Sports Tour joined the craze with its first event in Asia.
"In most parts of the world (South America, Europe, Australia) it has been big for years," said Furlong, a Tampa resident who recently skated in the AST in China. "With the introduction of these events to Asia it just shows the growth on a yearly basis. In '04 when I was here there were seriously no skaters. I've already seen some on this trip."
Action sports, such as skateboarding and BMX freestyle, broadened its reach after a number of foreign-born athletes started competing — and winning — events.
At last year's X Games, there were more than 50 skateboarders from 10 countries and more than 20 BMX riders from four countries. Bob Burnquist of Brazil won the men's skateboard big-air competition and Jamie Bestwick of Britain won the men's BMX vert medal.
"Skateboarding is a global sport," professional rider Andy MacDonald said. "I did a tour of Malaysia in '97. We were the first pro action sports athletes the country had ever seen live. Last year at the Asian X Games there was a kid from Malaysia riding BMX that made the finals. It doesn't take long. Kids get hooked."
There are difficulties in selling sports with no local tradition. But some countries, particularly China, are starting to catch on.
In 2005, Danny Way used massive ramps to launch himself and his skateboard over the Great Wall of China.
Since then, China has opened the world's largest skatepark in Shanghai and the Chinese government has created an extreme sports association with plans to build a facility to train athletes.
"These sports are relatively unknown to most Chinese so the looks on their faces are priceless," Furlong said. "It is really cool to be a part of introducing skateboarding to these people. They're very intrigued."
With action sports trying to establish roots worldwide, the next step is to try to introduce them on an even bigger stage — the Olympics.
"The Olympics are very traditional, having the same sports for years," Furlong said. "But from worldwide appeal they're falling off. No one can deny that skateboarding, once it is added, will overshadow most Olympic sports because of how visually exciting it is."
BMX racing has been added to the 2008 Beijing Games. Skateboarders are hoping their sport gets an invitation soon.
"The Olympics needs skateboarding more than skateboarding needs it," MacDonald said. "Once they get past all the politics, skateboard halfpipe will do for the Summer Games what snowboard halfpipe did for the Winter Games."
Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4169.
[Last modified: May 09, 2008 11:33 AM]
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