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Planet
X drops Inline Street from the 2002 Australian
Xtreme Games....
Its official - Planet X is 'scaling back' the
Xtreme Games format to just a one day event with
an Inline Vert competition but no competition
for Inline Street. James O'Connor spoke with Bruce
Robson - Planet X's Rider & Competition Manager
who basically had the following to say.
"Planet X does not have the time within the
one day event to run the Inline Street competition.
All of the sports have been affected at various
levels."
When asked why it had become necessary to scale
the event back Bruce would say only that a number
of changes had occurred within Planet X.
He added that the X Trials prize money offers
remain unchanged and that the X Trials should
be considered a "National Series of contests
with a final in each state".
So what the hell has been happening at Planet
X?
In the period from 2001-2002 Planet X has changed
offices, cut staff, failed to hold a much-hyped
London Xtreme Games, failed to gain a foothold
in China, failed to keep the X Mag going, been
late to announce a naming sponsor for the X Trials,
and one can't help thinking that they've bit off
more than they can chew by commiting to use Homebush
for the next two Xtreme Games. To their credit
the Street Active clinics have certainly been
a great success for the "grass roots"
of our sport which has been made possible due
to the generous funding provided by the Australian
Sports Commission and the involvement of the other
partners.
As for the latest setback - the way that the Inline
Street competition has been cancelled with such
short notice and the distinct lack of communication
to our media sources & competitors is downright
disappointing to rollerbladers across Australia.
Where to from here?
It will certainly take time to mend the situation
with Planet X and a number of people have said
on the various bulletin boards that they will
boycott the one day Xtreme Games entirely and
skate in skater organised competitions. The growth
of street competitions such as the IMYTA events
(IMYTA = I match your trick association) and MOR
(MOR = Monsters of Roll) in the USA are quickly
finding Australian equivalents. That is the unstoppable
momentum of Real Street competitions...
What are we doing about it?
Rollerblading.com.au is a sponsor for the
next and hopefully biggest Inline Anarchy
competiton to be held on one of those days of
that very same weekend as the one day Xtreme Games
and I strongly encourage you to support Inline
Anarchy! If you want to help out please contact
Michael Bell (Any Given Sunday, 18Zero). Rollerblading.com.au
is also letting people know all over Australia
that there are lots of Real Street competitions
coming up such as EWW2 in Wollongong, a rumoured
tour, and alot more to look out for - so remember
- support Inline Skater owned companies...
To get occasional updates from Rollerblading.com.au
like this one sign up here.
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