|
|
|
|
|
|
Politics
U.S.A.
Everyone Else
Health
Science
Business
Technology
Sports
Video Games
Entertainment
Future
Retractions
News Home
News Archive
Other
SCRAPE TV NEWS STAFF
Editor-in-Chief
Dave Dalkin
Business
William Ashford
Health
Lauren Hebert
U.S.A.
Mike Michaels
Everyone Else
Emil Uliya
Science
Anna Phillips
Sports
Alexi Orton
Videogames
Douglas Havermore
Politics
Edward Bastil
Entertainment
Samantha Dryden
Technology
Martin Philton
CONTACT
NEWS > SPORTS > X GAMES TO TEST TANDEM BMX EVENTS
X GAMES TO TEST TANDEM BMX EVENTS
August 7 2008
Bristol, CT – ESPN has announced that an entirely new event will make its debut at next year’s X Games in Los Angeles. Tandem Freestyle BMX will debut at the 2009 games as a demonstration sport, and will become an official event for the 2010 games.
The event will feature two riders on a custom made tandem bike and take place on a vert ramp. Officials indicate that should the event prove a success they may expand into street and SuperPark venues as well. BMX legends Mat Hoffman and Dave Mirra, who were on hand for the announcement, will be the first tandem pair in the demonstration event.
“It’s an exciting step forward for the sport,” said Mirra. “It will add a whole new dimension to things. Not only will the two riders have to work together, but the added size and weight will alter the types of tricks we can do. I’m really looking forward to where this could end up going.”
“We’ve been practicing, just sort of testing the waters,” added Hoffman. “We are starting out slow, but I’m very excited to see where this could lead. I’ve tried working with a partner before, but this time it just feels right. I really can’t wait to see where things are a year from now, two years from now. I think this could be a perfect match.”
Road Kill Bicycles has been contracted to design and construct the specially designed bikes that will be used for the event.
“We at Road Kill are thrilled to be a part of this new revolution in the sport we all love so much,” said the company in a statement. “While this new design presents us with huge technical and logistical challenges, we are more than up to the task. Our engineers and designers are already hard at work in developing the next stage in BMX design.”
With BMX also making its debut at the Olympics this year, X Games officials are hoping that this new discipline will be able to make it onto the roster for the 2012 games in London.
“We are going to take it step by step,” said an official. “We will give it a shot here and move forward. With what we have seen with testing I honestly don’t see any way that this couldn’t take off. It is the most exciting event i have seen in a very long time. Hopefully once we get it off the ground, the IOC will appreciate it for what it is.”
“Tandem bikes are so cute,” said an ESPN official. “It’s exactly what we need to bring the X Games to a whole new audience. We hope the event will bring couples to our events. They really have become a sausage fest in recent years and we want to open that up.”
Alexi Orton, Sports Correspondent
NEWS > SPORTS > X GAMES TO TEST TANDEM BMX EVENTS
|
