Premier European X Games Qualifier to be held July 19-22, 2001 at the Barcelona Pier, Barcelona, Spain

World famous skateboarding sensation, Bucky Lasek and bicycle stunt star Jamie Bestwick have confirmed their presence as guest pro athletes, at the inaugural European X Games Qualifier. At the 2000 X Games in San Francisco, British biker Jamie Bestwick left the crowd breathless as he surpassed five time vert Gold medallist Dave Mirra. Similarly, Bucky Lasek's Gold medal winning and final run during the skateboarding vert final is the highest recorded run in X Games history: 98.5!

Expect to see both of these phenomenal athletes wowing the crowds in Barcelona! GT rider, Jamie Bestwick, is known as the best biker to come out of Europe. Bestwick boasts ten years as a competitive bicycle stunt rider, broadly recognized in his homeland, Great Britain, as well as in the United States, where he now resides. Bucky Lasek burst into the limelight after the 1999 X Games after he outskated skateboarding legend, and Birdhouse teammate Tony Hawk, to take the Gold medal in the Skateboarding Vert competition.

Bucky Lasek's X Games Victory

Both of these renowned athletes will be heating up the vert ramp and park course during Pro demo sessions! Pro demos will be held daily from July 20-22, in Barcelona, at the Olympic harbor, during ESPN's inaugural European X Games Qualifier.

The European X Games Qualifier in Barcelona will feature over 250 of the top action sports athletes from such countries as Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom competing in various events within the four sport categories of Skateboarding, Bicycle Stunt, Aggressive in-line Skating, and Wakeboarding. In addition to qualifying for the 2001 X Games, in Philadelphia, August 17-23, top finishers will also qualify for a chance to represent their continent in the first-ever X Games Global Challenge scheduled for 2002.

The debut of the X Games Qualifier in Europe is a chief component of ESPN's plan for a major year-round global expansion of its X Games franchise. Over the next 12 months, more than a dozen X Games-related events will be staged on five different continents, including X Games Qualifiers, Junior X Games, the Asian Xtour, the X Games, and the Winter X Games. In 2002, ESPN will debut the X Games Global Challenge, a new event featuring regional teams of elite action sports athletes with both group and individual performances recognized with prize money and medals.

Jamie Bestwick flying at B3

World class bicycle stunt competitions will include the talented adidas European pro team. adidas, one of the world's leading sportswear manufacturers, is also the official footwear and apparel sponsor for the European X Games Qualifier.

ESPN International and Barcelona officials will announce specific competition venues at a later date.

For related press releases and digital images, log onto www.xgamesmedia.com. For information relating to the European X Games Qualifier, and all other international X events, log onto: www.europeanxgames.com

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