Gatorade Free Flow Tour - Amateur Skateboarding Competitions

The Gatorade Free Flow tour is an amateur skateboarding and BMX competition that tours around the United States, with stops all over the country. The competitions are open to any amateur skater or rider aged 18 or under, and it only costs $10 to enter! If you lose, you still get a prize bag and there's a party, but if you win, you can get into the Free Flow Tour finals, and then win a Wild Card spot in the finals of the Dew Action Sports Tour, skateboarding or riding against the pros!! The Free Flow Tour is handing out over $7000 in cash prizes, along with tons of free skateboarding gear and other stuff. You should check it out!

For 2009 there will be 33 skateboarding competitions (five skate vert and 28 skate park) at 28 parks across the United States. The winners in each of the 33 skate competitions will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place at the Dew Tour's Toyota Challenge, September 17-20 2009.

The goal of the Free Flow tour is to give younger amateur skaters a chance to get out there and get seen. "To go from Flow to Pro," is the way they put it. Plus you get to meet other skaters, perhaps some pros, see what a competition is like, and have a LOT of fun! And $10? That's nothing! You'll get prizes just for showing up and trying, and if you WIN ... well then, you'll be getting back a lot more than your $10!

What's the Free Flow Tour Like?

I asked a mom of a couple of skaters who did well at the Free Flow Tour (but who's names I'm leaving out on purpose!) to tell me her impressions of the tour:

This is one of the most exciting Amateur contests of the year. Past winners include David Loy, Chaz Ortiz & Timmy Knuth. This contest gives locals kids a chance to compete on a national stage and get their names out there. If you win a spot to compete in Salt Lake City, it's like having an instant live "sponsor me tape".

But watch out, this contest brings out the best skaters in the area, if you win your local contest, you are on your way! Last year I attended the Mesh Contest in Longwood Florida and it was some of the best local skating I've seen. These kids knew a trip to Salk Lake City and national recognition was on the line, competition was fierce and it came down to perfect runs. Free Flow judges are tough, its jam format, then if you make the cut it's semi final jams, then you get one final 60 second run. Last year they gave the final three skaters, one last, one try, final trick. Could it be more nerve wracking! In this competition, at this level they are looking for perfection and skill.

If you think you got what it takes to win at one of the stops, go for it. This tour is fun, competitive and you never know you can be the next Chaz Ortiz! From Flow to Pro!

The contests are all local, but skaters are welcome to come from anywhere to any competition. That means that, if you don't do well at one, you can hit up another one later! It also means that this is a great way to meet other local skaters, and to push yourself, and to have a good time!

Free Flow Tour schedule 2009:

• May 16 Burlington, VT Talent Skatepark Skate - Park
• May 23 Royal Oaks, MI Modern Skatepark Skate - Park
• May 23 Baltimore, MD Charm City Park - Park
• May 24 Lakewood, NJ Incline Club BMX - Park
• May 30 Perris, CA The Compound BMX - Park
• May 30 Newnan, GA Factory Skate - Park / Vert
• May 31 Newnan, GA Factory BMX - Park / Vert
• May 31 Encinitas, CA Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA Skate - Vert
• Jun 6 Fontana, CA Fontana Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jun 6-7 Burnsville, MN 3rd Lair Skate - Park
• Jun 7 Simi Valley, CA Skatelab Skate - Park
• Jun 7 Houston, TX Southside Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jun 13 Florence, KY Ollies Skatepark Skate - Park / Vert
• Jun 14 Florence, KY Ollies Skatepark BMX – Park / Vert
• Jun 20 N. Chicago, IL Warp Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jun 20 Milwaukee, WI 4 Seasons BMX – Park
• Jun 21 Milwaukee, WI 4 Seasons Skate - Park
• Jun 27 Grand Prairie, TX Alliance Skate - Park
• Jun 28 Grand Prairie, TX Alliance BMX - Street
• Jul 11 Nashville, TN 6th Ave. Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jul 11 Rye, NH Rye Airfield Skate & BMX – Park / Vert
• Jul 12 Taunton, MA Skaters' Edge Skate - Park
• Jul 18 Clairemont, CA Mission Valley YMCA Skate - Park / Vert
• Jul 19 Clairemont, CA Mission Valley YMCA BMX – Park / Vert
• Jul 19 Woodbridge, CT Academy Skate - Park / Vert
• Jul 25 Albuquerque, NM Los Altos Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jul 25 Des Moines, IA Saylor Skatepark Skate - Park
• Jul 26 Des Moines, IA Saylor Skatepark BMX - Park
• Aug 2 Petaluma, CA Ramp Rats BMX - Park
• Aug 2 Muncie, IN Solution BMX - Park
• Aug 8 Mt. Hood, OR Windell's Camp Skate - Park
• Aug 9 Mt. Hood, OR Windell's Camp BMX - Park
• Aug 15 Columbus, OH Flow Skatepark BMX - Park
• Aug 16 Columbus, OH Flow Skatepark Skate - Park
• Aug 16 Miami, FL M.I.A. Skatepark Skate - Park
• Aug 22 Moorestown, NJ Black Diamond Skate - Park
• Aug 22 Longwood, FL Mesh Skate - Park
• Aug 23 Longwood, FL Mesh BMX - Park
• Aug 29 Salt Lake City, UT Ogio Training Facility Skate - Park
• Aug 30 Greenville, NC Jaycee Extreme Park BMX - Park
• Sep 5 Joplin, MO Autumn Ramp Park Skate - Park
• Sep 6 Joplin, MO Autumn Ramp Park BMX - Park
• Sep 17-20 Salt Lake City, UT FINALS EnergySolutions Arena BMX & Skate

If you or your kid loves skateboarding, and wants a chance to get out there and be seen, to make new friends, and to be challenged - then the Free Flow Tour was made for you. Take a look at the Free Flow Tour website to find more stops near you, or plan to travel and hit even more! Come out to watch, come to skate, and come to have fun.