SINGAPORE: Expect the global temperature to rise by a couple of degrees this December, when the 2000 Asian X Games Qualifier and Disney Channel/ESPN Junior X Games II presented by TOYOTA get under way 3-10 December 2000.

The usually serene atmosphere of this beautiful tropical island will heat up with the arrival of more than 300 of the region's leading extreme athletes, their coaches and supporters, event organisers and sponsors, international media and - of course - extreme sports fans.

Athletes from the Asia-Pacific region will compete in aggressive in-line skating (park and vert), wakeboarding, and sport climbing (speed and bouldering) competitions, with exhibitions in skateboarding and bicycle stunt riding.

Up for grabs at the Qualifier will be US$80,000 in prize money, medals and the most coveted prize of all - spots to the US summer X Games, to be held in 2001. Created and owned by ESPN, the summer X Games are held annually in the US and are acknowledged as the pinnacle of extreme sports competition. Junior athletes will win family trips to Disneyland, USA.

With interactive booths, games, prizes and giveaways, the carnival-like atmosphere will draw an estimated 20,000 spectators throughout the 7-day extravaganza.

Patong Beach, Phuket Island is the site for ESPN's massive venue - a custom-made course comprising towering climbing walls (speed and bouldering) and a challenging park course and monster half pipe for the skateboarding, bicycle stunt and aggressive in-line skating events. Scenic Nai Harn Lake is the venue for the wakeboarding competition. And, for the second year, Asia's younger athletes get their chance to hone their skills on scaled-down versions of these courses at the Disney Channel/ESPN Junior X Games II presented by TOYOTA.

Returning to Phuket Island, flushed with their successes on the global stage are sport climber Etti Hendrawati (gold, women's speed climbing, summer X Games 2000) and in-liners Jeerasak Tassorn (5th, park course, summer X Games 2000) and gold-silver vert duo, brothers Eito and Takeshi Yasutoko (summer X Games 2000). Plus Stephane Tranne, winner at the European Wakeboarding Championships and Roger Koa, who recently placed 4th at the World Wakeboard Championships.

Crowd favourite CJ "Tomato" Wellsmore (Junior X in-line) is also set for a repeat performance; at last year's event the pocket-sized 11 year-old Australian achieved rock star status with the crowds who cheered his every move - including wipeouts! CJ was one of a handful of younger skaters who took part in both the junior and open competitions.

Senior athletes Jae Yong Lee (men's bouldering) and Mi Sun Go (women's speed) plus wakeboarders Josh Sanders, Suter Tan and defending champion, Daniel Watkins, are also confirmed to compete.

Adding spice to the mix, exhibitions by leading professional extreme athletes will wow athletes and spectators alike. Flying in to Phuket are skateboarders Richard Kirby, Chris Lambert, Sasha Steinhorst and the legendary Brian Patch.

Schwinn Toyota Bicycle Stunt Team members Koji Kraft and Sean Peters will be joined by fellow BMXers Kevin Robinson and Achim Kejeiwski. They will share the stage with in-line pros Raphael Sandoz and Jon Julio and sport climbers Jim Waugh, Joe Crewseski, Mike Vaughn and Kim Dong Hyun.

They will share the benefit of their experience and expertise through a series of clinics for Junior X athletes. For Asia's budding superstars, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from their idols.

All the action from Asia will be broadcast across the globe on the ESPN International networks.

History of the Asian X Games Qualifier & Disney Channel/ESPN Junior X Games

In 1998 ESPN staged the first AXQ, on Phuket Island, Thailand. It quickly established itself as the ultimate prize for Asia's extreme athletes. More than 200 athletes from Asia, Australia and Japan competed. Their goal? A spot at the 1999 US X Games.

The 1999 event saw an even greater attendance and marked the debut of the Disney Channel/ESPN Junior X Games presented by TOYOTA. And what a debut - more than 80 kids aged between 10 and 14 competed in scaled-down versions of the adult events.

This year, ESPN introduced an exciting new development - the Asian Xtour presented by TOYOTA. Modelled after the X Trials, it comprised prequalifiers to the Phuket Island events held in Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. Over the next few years, ESPN will expand the Tour to more countries around the region.

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The 2000 Asian X Games Qualifier and Disney Channel/ESPN Junior X Games II are presented by TOYOTA and supported by TOSHIBA, adidas, Salomon, the Disney Channel and Nivea. The assistance and co-operation of the Thai Tourism Authority and the Governor of Phuket are gratefully acknowledged.

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ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world's leading cable and satellite broadcasters, ESPN Inc. and STAR TV. We are Asia's leading sports broadcaster that reaches over 53 million households for ESPN and over 53 million households for STAR Sports (as at April 2000). Our networks bring the worlds premier live sports and leading regional events to viewer's 24 hours a day. The ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group, formerly Sports Corporation, stages, manages and promotes sporting events around Asia.

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Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN. ESPN, Inc. includes six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Extra, ESPN Now), ESPN International (19 international networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Regional Television, Sports Ticker and ESPN Enterprises, overseeing brand extensions such as ESPN Zone, pay subscription packages and consumer products.

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Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific) is responsible for the consolidated international free and pay television activities of the Walt Disney Company and ABC Inc. in the region. These activities include program sales (Buena Vista International Television), local productions and the development and management of Disney Channels and other international broadcasting investments in Asia Pacific.

To date, the Disney Channel airs in six Asia-Pacific markets: Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. More markets will launch in the latter half of 2000.

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