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X Games Thai Style
PHUKET, 7 DECEMBER 2000 -
Over 240 athletes took it to the Xtreme on Day One of ESPN's Asian X Games Qualifier, presented by TOYOTA. As the heats began, the skaters, riders, climbers and wakeboarders got to check out the competition and prepare for some intense rivalry, as each athlete sought to outdo one another, carving up the course with flips, grinds, spins and jumps.
SPORT CLIMBING
The morning's action was focused on the climbing walls, for the Quarter Finals of the Men's and Women's Bouldering. 75 athletes took the walls for climbs described by most competitors as "challenging", with 22 making it through to the semi-finals. Australian Ben Ryan, who placed fourth, said the course relied on power not body length. He says the Asian climbers have always been the best speed climbers and since he last competed, have improved dramatically in bouldering as well. Korean climbers claimed the first three spots - Song Sang Won scoring 100% on two attempts, followed by team mates Lee Jea Yong and Kim Dong Sik.
In the Female Bouldering Event, last year's winner Agung Etti Hendrawati of Indonesia shared first place honours with Kim Hyun Jung and Go Mi Sun both of Korea. Of the 31 climbers, 16 progressed through to the Semi-Finals.
AGGRESSIVE IN-LINE
In the Semi Finals of the Aggressive In-Line Park Event, 13-year-old C.J Wellsmore of Australia had a blistering run, earning him a place in the Finals and making up for his scratching from the Junior X Competition earlier in the week (due to injury). The Japanese dominated the competition, with Takeshi Yasutoko (who won the Junior X In-Line Sport Champion) and Soichiro Kanaskima wowing the crowd with their incredible moves - 540°s, flips, grinds and transfers. However it was the rails that separated the contenders from the try-hards?many athletes unable to master them when it really counted. Local heroes Panumas Vairojanakich and Surawat Bumrungkji had the tricks and the crowd on their side to help them win a place in the finals, along with Junior X star and fellow Thai - Worapoj Boonium and Jeerasak Tassorn.
Hundreds of spectators were also treated to some incredible action from leading professional athletes - Richard Kirby, Chris Lambert, Brian Patch and Sasha Steinhorst (Skateboard) and Sean Peters, Kevin Robinson, Koji Kraft and Achim Kujawski (Bike Stunt). The pros turned up the heat when the sun went down in a stunning exhibition on the vert ramp.
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