World Skateboarding Grand Prix (WSGP) will expand in the US next summer, bringing at least three qualifying events to cities across the US, culminating in the first-ever US Skateboarding Championships.
The events will include an individual street style contest as well as the Rider Cup team contest. The individual winners and the winning Rider Cup team will earn trips to compete in the 2015 World Skateboarding Championships.
The official location and dates will be announced in the coming months as WSGP seeks qualified bids from cities in the US, split into four geographic areas.
An unprecedented 70 countries were invited to send their best skaters to this year's Skateboarding World Championships in Kimberley, South Africa Oct. 2-5 where an expected 250 skateboarders will compete for the $500,000 prize purse. The location for the 2015 World Championships will be named by the end of the year.
"We are excited about the expansion into the US market. It's been 20 years since a national skateboarding contest was held here, and with the growth of skateboarding globally, it only makes sense to bring a true national championship to the US. We'll be utilizing the same fast-paced format that we've become known for, so we anticipate a very competitive series," said Tim McFerran, president of World Skateboarding Grand Prix.
East Coast Skate Legend Steve Rodriguez, who recently produced the Rider Cup NYC series for WSGP, says the US championship will be a welcome addition to competitive skateboarding.
"A truly inclusive championship-level event here in the US is the logical evolution of contest skating," said Rodriguez. "To have both an individual and team championship is a really progressive concept. WSGP is known for exciting head-to-head contests that constantly push the skaters to elevate their skating, which in turn makes for a better contest atmosphere."
