2011 Kia X Games all set to rock Shanghai
Kia X Games (KXG) is all set to make a return to the Jiangwan Sports Centre in Shanghai, China, this weekend. The 13th edition of the Asian version of X Games will feature some of the most exciting athletes in some of the most intense and adrenaline-pumping
showdowns from April 29 to May 2.
With a huge crowd expected at the Jiangwan Sports Centre to catch the action, the atmosphere is expected to be simply electrifying. The biggest event of action sports in Asia promises an action-packed weekend with the determined athletes battling for the
coveted gold medals and greater prize money on one of the greatest stage of extreme sports in Asia. Over 200 athletes from about 30 countries are travelling to Shanghai to become part of the competition.
This year’s event is once again organised by the ESPN STAR Sports’ Event Management and ESPN X Games. The event mega-event will be bringing back the top-names in action sports. The list includes the winner of the mini-Mega Ramp and Vert contests, Pierre-Luc
Gagnon, more commonly known as PLG. Other highlights of the upcoming KXG include the eight-time gold medallist Andy Macdonald, two-time X Games Big Air gold medallist Jake Brown and the defending Aggressive Inline (AIL) street champion, Takeshi Yasutoko. Another
highlight of the upcoming mega-event is the new street course.
The popular mini-Mega Ramp will be making its second appearance this year to the joy of the fans. Other sports disciplines to be featured during the upcoming games include Aggressive Inline (Vert and Street), Skateboard (Vert and Street), BMX Freestyle (Vert
and Street) and the demonstration session of the renowned Moto X Freestyle (Big Air).
Fans of the AIL will be ecstatic to learn that the defending champion from Japan, Yasutoko, will be returning this year and has set his is eye on nothing less than the gold medal in Shanghai. Talking about the upcoming contest, the 25-year-old said, “I have
a new trick for the X Games Asia, and fans can look forward to it. I want to make sure that my form is more stylish, and I am adding more difficult grind tricks.”
The athletes are feeling extremely excited about returning to China for the latest edition of the KXG. PLG, the star of last years’ mini-Mega Ramp and Vert contest, said that while growing up, he had never imagined that he would ever get a chance to compete
in front of a Chinese audience and so many people in China. He further added that it is always cool to compete overseas and the feeling is even more awesome when performing in front of a new audience to the sport such as Asia, where skateboarding is still
relatively new.
Tyler Hendley said, “The people are super nice, the skateboarding scene is progressing a lot, so I'm really happy to see that everyone is getting better and how things are happening for them.”
While last years’ KXG was a real success, evidenced by 58,400 spectators in attendance, this years’ event is expected to surpass that as more athletes have decided to fly to Asia to get their hands on the coveted medals and prize money. There is a possibility
for 2011 KXG to be the most spectacular X Games Asia in history.
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