BMX
In the Bike Dirt field Ryan Nyquist, 25, will return to Cleveland to defend his gold medal against the likes of other top qualifiers Chris Doyle, Aussie Steve McCann, Reuel Erickson and Todd Walkowiak. Two-time Gravity Games Gold Medallist Stephen Murray will also be in the mix while Cory Nastazio is set to make his first appearance since suffering severe injuries in a car accident this winter.On the Vert Ramp Kevin Robinson, Simon Tabron, Chad Kagy, Jamie Bestwick and more will battle for gold medal honors, with BMX Sport Organizer and competitor Dennis McCoy rounding out the group of veteran Vert riders this year.
Action on the Street Course will be no less fierce when Nyquist, McCann and others take to the street course during the last competition of the Gravity Games. New to the scene is 2003 Gravity Games Amateur Skatepark Series winner Joe West in his rookie pro year.
Skateboarding
The youngest competitor at the Gravity Games happens to be returning Gold Medallist Ryan Sheckler. He’ll make his way around the Street Course along with Chris Senn, Kerry Getz, Pat Channita and 21 other worthy competitors. The Skate Street finals throw down on Saturday afternoon.Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist and Andy MacDonald are among the skateboarding icons who will take on the 4,480-square foot Vert Ramp in Voinovich Park during the Skateboard Vert competition. Lasek returns looking to take home his third consecutive Gravity Games Gold Medal.
FMX
It’s safe to bet the FMX competition will provide some high-flying tricks against the Cleveland skyline. Defending Gold Medallist Nate Adams, 20, returns to the Gravity Games to show off his tricks against Ronnie Renner, Drake McElroy, Kenny Bartram, Brian Deegan and others. Sunday, Sept 19 features the FMX finals in the afternoon and the Best Trick comp early in the evening.
Women’s Skateboarding
For the first time ever, women’s skateboarding will be a medal event at the Gravity Games. Ten female athletes will show off their skills on the Gravity Games Pro Street Course and vie for part of the record purse. Top qualifying athletes include Vanessa Torres, Lauren Perkins and Lyn-z Adams Hawkins.
The Ramp
The ramp, affectionately known as “Sweetie” because of its exceptional sweet spot, brags an 11-foot, 6-inch transition – the largest ever seen on a competition Vert ramp – and will host the BMX and Skateboard Vert Competitions. The walls are 80 feet long, with a height of 13-feet, 6-inches from the base of the pipe to the top of each wall. The ramp’s unique construction will allow athletes to catch bigger air and perform bigger tricks at this year’s Gravity Games.Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 216-241-5555 or by calling any Ticketmaster charge-by-phone number and online at Ticketmaster.com. All tickets are general admission and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Individual day tickets are $12. Fans can also take advantage of the discounted four-day general admission ticket package for $40. Admission to the Gravity Games on Wednesday, Sept 15 is free.
All the Gravity Games action can be seen on OLN®, beginning with the two-hour preview show on September 20th at 9:00 PM ET/8:30 PM PT. From September 21st – 25th, the Gravity Games Skateboarding, BMX and Freestyle Motocross competitions will air each night at 8:00 PM ET/8:30 PM PT. A highlight program on CBS will air on Sunday, September 26th (check local listing for tune-in information). Encore coverage will make for a total of more than 70 hours of the Gravity Games on OLN.
Entering its sixth year, Gravity Games features the world’s best professional action sports athletes. The event, which is expected to draw more than 200,000 spectators to Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor, also includes performances from some of today’s top recording artists. Updated news and information on the event can be found at OLNTV.
The 2004 Summer Gravity Games is presented by Saturn and sponsored by Dentyne, Kohls, Lego, Subway, Urban Pipeline and Yamaha.
