Queen of Sports

Burton Releases Limited-Edition Bob Marley Snowboards

Snowboard brand Burton got together with music lifestyle brand Marley & Co. to create a limited-edition snowboard with Bob Marley-inspired graphics. Part of Burton’s Restricted Collection, a collection only available at select retailers, the board is called the Whammy Bar Marley. With a wood-grain topsheet that is layered with photos from Bob Marley’s family archive, (Marley & Co. is owned by the Marley family) and a base featuring the iconic Lion of Judah, the whole board features colors from the Rasta flag. The board retails for $399.95 and will be available at most Burton flagship stores and on-line.

Photo: PR Newswire

Maloof Money Cup Skateboard Competition

Skate or die!  The Maloof Money Cup (MMC) skateboard competition has returned to Costa Mesa and resides in it’s familiar home of the Orange County Fairgrounds.  Founded in 2008 by Joe and Gavin Maloof, whose family owns the Palms in Las Vegas as well as the the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise, the Money Cup is a three day street and vert skateboard competition that boasts unique courses designed by the skaters themselves and a philosophy that skateboarders are professionals and should be compensated fairly.  Each street and vert contest winner wins $100,000 and $75,000 respectively, reaching a total of nearly $800,000 in cash and prizes.

The impromtu skatepark is a dream come true with giant ‘mega-ramps’ and half-pipes as well as an impressively put together concrete street course.  The schedule is over-flowing with exciting events that began on Wednesday with the Masters (the old school pros) and end Sunday with Volcom Street Pro Finals and Awards.  On Friday, famous skaters such as Rune Glifberg, Bucky Lasek, Andy Macdonald and Bob Burnquist were competing on the mini-mega ramp, catching air over the gap or grinding on the rail before being launched by the quarter pipe 50 feet from the ground.  The crowd couldn’t get enough of the high flying daredevil-like athletes but soon shifted bleachers to the street course once the competition had ended.  Nelly performed as the amateurs warmed up for the World Industries Am Street Prelims that went until 6:30.  At 7 pm the pros took the park for the Volcom Street Pro Prelims and skated until 9:30 in front of the biggest crowd of the day.  With official after-parties each night after the events, there is surely enough to do all day long.  If you missed it this year, make sure you grab your board and check it out next year!

BMX Pro Jamie Bestwick Set A New Guinness World Record At X Games

Jamie Bestwick set a new X Games record, landing him a spot in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the first athlete to earn four repeat gold medals. Guinness World Records Live! sponsored the BMX Park at X Fest, where the first event of the new event-based business from Guinness World Records was held. Bringing record-breaking to the public, Guinness World Records Live! challenged fans to compete against Jamie Bestwick for the most bunny hops in 20 seconds. Jamie Bestwick completed 43 bunny hops in 20 seconds, but no one was able to beat his challenge. The director of GWR Live!, Paul O’Neill said, “Jamie Bestwick is undoubtedly a pro, but today Guinness World Records Live! has shown that record-breaking is open to anyone and that many people came close to making it into one of the most famous books in the world. At Guinness World Records Live! events anyone could walk away a record holder, and there will loads more events like this happening throughout the US. So people better get practicing!”

Photo: PRNewsFoto/Guinness World Records

X Games 16 Under Way In LA

The X Games are under way in LA, from the Staples Center and Nokia Live, to the Coliseum and LA Live, events are taking place all over downtown.  Travis Pastrana won his seventh Moto X Freestyle gold today, Ryan Sheckler topped the skate street elimination round, and Shaun White hit the vert ramp. Tune in to ESPN to watch the X Games, the event ends on August 1st.

Extreme Skater Jumps From Eiffel Tower

Extreme in-line skater Taig Khris jumped off a platform from the Eiffel Tower and onto a ramp setting a new world record for the longest freefall on Saturday afternoon.

The Frenchman launched himself from a platform off the first floor of the landmark, which sits over 131 feet above the ground, and onto a quarterpipe. Khris fell 41 feet before hitting wood.

He said he decided to do it “to give people the desire to reach beyond their limits, to follow their passions, their dreams.”

Check out the video below, it’s amazing he lived!

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