Twinkle, twinkle he's a star. Bucky Lasek will be one of the action sports stars at the Dew Tour in Denver. © 2005 Bo Bridges
The All-Stars of Action Sports
Jul 15 2006 / Los Angeles, CAAstronomers have yet to predict it, but fields of stars will be descending on Denver later this week for the Right Guard Open, the next stop on the Dew Action Sports Tour. While some of these remarkable athletes have enjoyed decades of visibility, others are quite new; and with BMX, FMX and Skate in the process of going super nova, the likelihood of catching a celestial firestorm at this event is excellent.
Each discipline has it’s constants in names like Bob Burnquist and Bucky Lasek in Vert, Kenny Bartram and Alio Gaup in FMX, and BMX’s Simon Tarbon and Jamie Bestwick. While many of these athletes have yet to become household names, make no mistake that each is as talented and popular in this realm, as superstars of the NFL, MLB, NBA or NASCAR are in their’s. Once you understand their personalities and motivations, it’s remarkable how similar these athletes are to those in higher-profile sports. Nonsense you say?
Well, you may not remember the name, but the face of skate and snowboarder Shaun White is known to many from his exposure in the last Winter Olympics. His broad grin, flaming-red hair, and easy demeanor made him an instant media darling. In those short few weeks, the guy everyone thought looked like Carrot Top won medals, blazed a fashion trail, and turned a whole new audience on to the world of snowboarding. Under the skin, though he’s much like Tom Brady of the New England Patriots; a quiet, unassuming, check-your-ego-at-the-door superstar who believes it’s better to show your talent than talk about it.
Then, there’s Bucky Lasek, an awesome Vert star who had the unfortunate luck of arriving on the scene about the same time as the untouchable Tony Hawk. Much like the legendary John Elway of Denver Broncos fame winning the Super Bowl, Lasek is pushing his talents to the limit to prove he’s still as good as he always was.
16 year-old Ryan Sheckler is a street-boarding standout who appears to have the world on a string at the moment. With last years’ Dew Action Sports Tour title for fuel, and a win last month at the Panasonic in Louisville, he brings the same kind of fire to the park that young phenom LeBron James brings to the basketball court. He’s cool under pressure and just sure enough of his game to show everyone that a second title is anything but a fluke.
Dave Mirra and Morgan Wade are both BMX’res, but that’s where the similarities end. Miracle Man Mirra has the kind of internal composure that only comes through experience. He’s seen the best of times and worst of times, but like the Yankee’s easygoing Alex Rodriguez, you just can’t keep this man down, and you should never count him out. At the other end of the spectrum is Morgan Wade who’s full-time, full throttle attitude likens to that of NASCAR's Tony Stewart. When he puts it together, magic happens. When he doesn’t, everyone suffers.
Throttle jockey Travis Pastrana pays a bit against type for a top gun in the rarefied air of FMX. Clean-cut with a Colgate smile, he generally appears unruffled by the turbulence of his discipline. But like Payton Manning of the Packers, beneath that deceptively-stoic visage lies the heart of a ferocious competitor who knows no fear. He’s not the only calm customer on tour. After surviving a horrendous crash, Nate Adams likes to stay inwardly focused, channeling his energy into winning the next FMX event. Like Lance Armstrong winning his battle with cancer, Nate knows that the comeback trail can be a long, hard haul.
If you’re just learning the names and faces of these talented athletes, you’ll know soon enough why Action Sport fans are so devoted. What respect these competitors have, they earned the hard way: through discipline, hard work, and a love for what they do, even when the rest of the world never knew they were there at all. If you can, get to Denver for the Dew Action Sports Tour. You might be surprised how similar we all are under the skin.
-Hubie
