Who wouldn't want to make a living riding a skateboard, inline skates or a BMX bike? ESPN's B3 event offers the world's best professional action sports athletes the chance to do just that. A trip to the 7th annual ESPN Summer X Games could mean international fortune, fame and a chance to walk away with a chunk of the industry's largest prize purse.

The Summer X Games, big brother to the B3 events, has historically been held in towns that are no strangers to action sports. San Diego, the 1997 and 1998 host of the games is the home to almost every professional action sports athlete in the biz. The remaining few live in either San Francisco (the 1999 and 2000 host) or in some far off country (Brazil, Japan, Spain, etc.). The mission of B3 is not only to showcase the hottest up-and-coming riders but also to spotlight some of the hottest scenes in the country. Lake Hazasu, AZ, Louisville, KY, Portland, OR and Oceanside, CA have all hosted an event over the past two years.

This year's tour kicks off in Anaheim, CA March 23-25 in the shadow of Edison Field. The Anaheim locals are deep in the heart of the skate and bike industry, ensuring a large following to check out all the action on the bikes, blades and boards. This marks the first visit to the Anaheim area and hopefully it will not be the last. Over 250 athletes will compete in eight events. There will be: Men's and Women's Aggressive In-line Skating, both Park and Vert, Skateboarding Park and Vert as well as Bicycle Stunt Park, Vert, and Flatland. Previous B3 stops right down the road in Oceanside, Ca, were a huge success, providing great competition and tons of fun.

After B3's stop in Southern California the tour takes a month off before resuming in Louisville, Ky. Louisville is a town that's no stranger to B3. Many in Louisville over the past two years have dubbed it their favorite stop on the tour. World-class competition, the Kentucky Derby Festival, and a totally surreal nightlife make Louisville a place that's hard to forget.

It's hard to not like, or at least appreciate the bizarreness of a town that has multiplex bars with techno and country line dance rooms right next to each other. The downtown area is also one of the most skateable you'll encounter on the East Coast. Louisville is filled with immense marble plazas and sick handrails on every corner. During the day you see skaters trying to stick all their tricks in under the watchful of the camera. If you can't make it to one of the events that's fine because ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to offer about 55 hours of B3 programming over the next few months, so check your local listings and EXPN for dates and times. The crack editorial team of EXPN will also be sacrificing their minds and bodies to bring you daily event coverage, photos, videos, and full blown exposes' on the line dancing scene of Louisville, KY. Plus the potential Goofy vs. Bam Margera steel cage match that we hope to orchestrate in Anaheim.

Until then keep an eye on EXPN.com for the updates to come from B3.

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