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SAN DIEGO (AP) — One of many first issues Tony Hawk was wanting ahead to doing when he arrived in Shanghai for his debut as commentator for the Vans Park Sequence was to seize a skateboard and do some prep work.
“Skating the programs and connecting with the opponents immediately in an effort to have higher perception when the competitors really begins,” Hawk mentioned in an e-mail alternate.
He’ll be on the microphone when Vans Park Sequence begins its fourth yr of competitors this weekend, showcasing the world’s greatest park terrain skate boarders a yr earlier than the game makes its Olympic debut. Hawk will be part of co-host Chris Cote for the 5 competitions, which proceed in São Paulo, Brazil June 22-23; Montreal July 12-13; Paris Aug. 9-10 and the boys’s and girls’s championships in Salt Lake Metropolis Sept. 6-7.
“It’s enjoyable for me as a fan of skating to share my experience with a bigger viewers, and provides the informal viewer a greater understanding within the nuances of skating,” he mentioned.
Hawk mentioned Vans occasions are “genuine and uncooked. We’ve got seen a few of the most progressive and evolutionary tips and methods happen throughout all the thrill, particularly within the finals. And having pay equality for prize cash is vastly vital in validating girls skaters which were slighted for much too lengthy in different occasions.”
Park terrain, he added, is “a hybrid of pool, vert and mini-ramp skating, with occasional ‘road’ components added to the course. Specializing in solely a type of disciplines is not going to profit a competitor, so it’s extra probably that somebody who grew up driving numerous skateparks will excel.”
With a world roster of skateboarding’s high execs, Vans Park Sequence awards a complete collection purse of greater than $700,000 and has prize parity for women and men.
“Zion Wright has turn out to be an unimaginable skater in all terrain not too long ago so he will probably be one to look at,” Hawk mentioned. “I’m additionally excited to see the spontaneous, unpredictable crew like Jake Wooten, Greyson Fletcher, Chris Russell and Clay Kreiner. For ladies, Lizzie Armanto is an apparent favourite, together with Jordyn Barratt, Poppy Olsen, Nora Vasconcellos and Sakura Yosozumi.”
The competition will probably be carried through livestream on www.vansparkseries.com.
Hawk, 51, mentioned it’s too early to know if he’ll be broadcasting on the Olympics.
“I might entertain the thought of they ask me, however there have been no discussions as of but. I feel skateboarding will add a much-needed youthful vitality to the summer season video games, and can probably be one of many highlights from Tokyo 2020,” he mentioned.
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Comply with Bernie Wilson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/berniewilson
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