Insane
23rd January 2003, 01:39 AM
With a shower of pyrotechnics and rush of music and video, the Junior X Games IV and Asian X Games V presented by Toyota were officially opened yesterday. Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports and local athletes were on hand, along with event sponsors and ESPN management.
The international event, which runs from January 20 to 26, was officially opened today at the KLCC with a speech from Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dato Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. The Minister encouraged all to participate in sports development: “Sports development is a partnership between Malaysian companies and the Government in identifying, building and nurturing quality action sports athletes. It also requires the participation of the athletes themselves and the guidance of their parents. So parents and community leaders – it’s time to wake up to the new wave in sports and to help grow the Olympians of the future.”
The Asian X Games are the ultimate international competition in action sports in Asia, bringing together over 200 of the best athletes in five sport disciplines – skateboard, aggressive inline skate, bicycle stunt, wakeboard and sport climb – from 13 countries/territories across the region. This includes athletes from Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia who qualified through the only regional action sports tour competition, the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota.
Speaking also at the opening ceremony, Mr Rik Dovey, managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, highlighted what the athletes and fans alike have to look forward to in the days to come. “As the Asia Pacific’s number one sports broadcaster, ESPN STAR Sports is committed to making the Asian X Games a great success. Last year’s event attracted 350 athletes from all over the Asia Pacific and a crowd of 87,000 over the week-long event. This week’s event should continue the successful run and for the first time in the history of the Games in Asia, we see the inclusion of Moto X as a demonstration sport. Already well established as one of the main attractions at the X Games in the US, we expect it to do well here in Asia too.”
Mr Mark Reilly, vice president and general manager, ESPN Global X Games, added that the success of the Asian event was in large part due to local support. “Thanks to the support of Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and Asia, the X Games movement has experienced significant growth in action sports in Asia as well as increases in viewership, participation and attendance.”
Mr M Sugiyama, deputy chairman, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd noted that, “Toyota has been presenting sponsor of the Asian X Games since 1999 and we believe it is an important platform for athletes to compete not only at a regional level but also in the global arena. We are proud to be part of the X Games and to be able to provide such an opportunity to these young Asian athletes who are fast becoming challengers in action sports.”
About the Asian X Games V
The ESPN Junior X Games IV and the Asian X Games V presented by Toyota is hosted by the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports and enjoys high-level sponsorship support from Presenting Sponsor Toyota, host Rakan Muda, Official Partners adidas, Malaysia Airlines, Hotlink and official sponsor KFC Holdings. Astro is the Official Cable Partner, HitzFM is the Official Radio Station and NTV7 is the Official Terrestrial Broadcaster. The event is supported by Pepsi.
The Asian X Games V presented by Toyota is promoted and organised by ESPN International and ESPN STAR Sports. ESPN STAR Sports is the organizer of all X Games-related events in Asia, including the six-city Xtour presented by Toyota.
This is the only action sports competition in Asia sanctioned by the Aggressive Skaters Association, World Cup Skateboarding, Hoffman Sports Association, World Sports Marketing and World Wakeboarding Association.
The Asian X Games was first held in 1998 and is the most prestigious multi-event competition for action sports in Asia. Between 1998 and 2001 it took place on Phuket Island, Thailand. From 2002 to 2004, the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, is the home of X in Asia.
Showcasing 200 of Asia-Pacific’s best action sport athletes, the event serves as a qualifier to the X Games in the US, the pinnacle of global action sports competition. Athletes compete in Aggressive In-line Skate, Bicycle Stunt, Skateboard, Speed Climb and Wakeboard. The junior event, inaugurated in 1999, is modeled after the senior Games and brings together children aged eight to 14 years.
In 2000, ESPN expanded the competition through the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota, a series of pre-qualifiers to the regional event. Since then, Tour stops take place in Shanghai, Bangkok, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore every year. The Tour events are the only avenue for entry into the regional competition that takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Qualifying winners of the regional competition will secure a place at the Summer X Games IX in the US. ESPN televises original programming, re-airs and encore presentations of the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota and the Asian X Games V presented by Toyota to more than 140 countries and territories around the globe.
The international event, which runs from January 20 to 26, was officially opened today at the KLCC with a speech from Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dato Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. The Minister encouraged all to participate in sports development: “Sports development is a partnership between Malaysian companies and the Government in identifying, building and nurturing quality action sports athletes. It also requires the participation of the athletes themselves and the guidance of their parents. So parents and community leaders – it’s time to wake up to the new wave in sports and to help grow the Olympians of the future.”
The Asian X Games are the ultimate international competition in action sports in Asia, bringing together over 200 of the best athletes in five sport disciplines – skateboard, aggressive inline skate, bicycle stunt, wakeboard and sport climb – from 13 countries/territories across the region. This includes athletes from Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia who qualified through the only regional action sports tour competition, the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota.
Speaking also at the opening ceremony, Mr Rik Dovey, managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, highlighted what the athletes and fans alike have to look forward to in the days to come. “As the Asia Pacific’s number one sports broadcaster, ESPN STAR Sports is committed to making the Asian X Games a great success. Last year’s event attracted 350 athletes from all over the Asia Pacific and a crowd of 87,000 over the week-long event. This week’s event should continue the successful run and for the first time in the history of the Games in Asia, we see the inclusion of Moto X as a demonstration sport. Already well established as one of the main attractions at the X Games in the US, we expect it to do well here in Asia too.”
Mr Mark Reilly, vice president and general manager, ESPN Global X Games, added that the success of the Asian event was in large part due to local support. “Thanks to the support of Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and Asia, the X Games movement has experienced significant growth in action sports in Asia as well as increases in viewership, participation and attendance.”
Mr M Sugiyama, deputy chairman, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd noted that, “Toyota has been presenting sponsor of the Asian X Games since 1999 and we believe it is an important platform for athletes to compete not only at a regional level but also in the global arena. We are proud to be part of the X Games and to be able to provide such an opportunity to these young Asian athletes who are fast becoming challengers in action sports.”
About the Asian X Games V
The ESPN Junior X Games IV and the Asian X Games V presented by Toyota is hosted by the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports and enjoys high-level sponsorship support from Presenting Sponsor Toyota, host Rakan Muda, Official Partners adidas, Malaysia Airlines, Hotlink and official sponsor KFC Holdings. Astro is the Official Cable Partner, HitzFM is the Official Radio Station and NTV7 is the Official Terrestrial Broadcaster. The event is supported by Pepsi.
The Asian X Games V presented by Toyota is promoted and organised by ESPN International and ESPN STAR Sports. ESPN STAR Sports is the organizer of all X Games-related events in Asia, including the six-city Xtour presented by Toyota.
This is the only action sports competition in Asia sanctioned by the Aggressive Skaters Association, World Cup Skateboarding, Hoffman Sports Association, World Sports Marketing and World Wakeboarding Association.
The Asian X Games was first held in 1998 and is the most prestigious multi-event competition for action sports in Asia. Between 1998 and 2001 it took place on Phuket Island, Thailand. From 2002 to 2004, the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, is the home of X in Asia.
Showcasing 200 of Asia-Pacific’s best action sport athletes, the event serves as a qualifier to the X Games in the US, the pinnacle of global action sports competition. Athletes compete in Aggressive In-line Skate, Bicycle Stunt, Skateboard, Speed Climb and Wakeboard. The junior event, inaugurated in 1999, is modeled after the senior Games and brings together children aged eight to 14 years.
In 2000, ESPN expanded the competition through the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota, a series of pre-qualifiers to the regional event. Since then, Tour stops take place in Shanghai, Bangkok, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore every year. The Tour events are the only avenue for entry into the regional competition that takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Qualifying winners of the regional competition will secure a place at the Summer X Games IX in the US. ESPN televises original programming, re-airs and encore presentations of the Asian Xtour presented by Toyota and the Asian X Games V presented by Toyota to more than 140 countries and territories around the globe.