mikerahal: September 2011

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Adaptive Action Sports is back at Winter X Games!

This winter, 2011, Adaptive Action Sports initiates A.S.X (Adaptive Snowboarder X-Cross), a championship stand-alone signature series of open competitions for permanently disabled snowboarders. The 4-event series provides adaptive riders, whose numbers have escalated in the past few years, their first opportunity to compete for cash and prize purses. A fifth invite only stop at the ESPN Winter X Games will challenge the top riders in the sport to their maximum!

This is an invite only event. Official invitations will go out individually via email. Cash and prize purse amounts yet to be determined. Additional information including lodging and ticket options will be made available on the adaptive action sports website shortly. For immediate assistance regarding this or other AAS events contact executive director and x games sport organizer Daniel gale at Daniel@adacs.org. For media or sponsorship opportunities please contact aas co-Founder and development director Amy Purdy at amy@adacs.org.

Monday, September 12, 2011

AAS Presents A.S.X. "Adaptive Snowboard X" Championship Series!

This December, 2011, Adaptive Action Sports initiates A.S.X (Adaptive Snowboarder X-Cross), a championship stand-alone signature series of open competitions for permanently disabled snowboarders. The 4-event series provides adaptive riders, whose numbers have escalated in the past few years, their first opportunity to compete for cash and prize purses.

Event spectators will enjoy, on a larger and more frequent scale, the same action, skill and inspirational courage that adaptive riders have recently displayed on AAS-hosted USASA (Undited States of America Snowboard Association) and X Games bordercross courses.

AAS will adopt a classification and standards system for A.S.X. In order to promote fair competition, the system will be designed to delineate the effect and impact of various disabilities and their level of impairment on, for instance, the athlete’s balance and mobility.

In 2011-2012, the A.S.X. competitions will be held separate from, but coinciding with the last day of, four AAS Pipeline learn-to-ride-and-race clinics. (See schedule.) To provide race experience for clinic participants, amateur-level competitions will be held on the last morning of each clinic. The championship competitions, registration for which will be limited to intermediate and advanced riders, will immediately follow.

After an incredibly successful Summer X Games 17 Skateboard Competition, The Shoe City Invitational, with a cash and prize purse of over $3000.00, AAS will strive to create a similar rewards package at each stop of the A.S.X. Championship Series with a finals to outweigh them all!

The A.S.X. Championship Competition Series is going to kick A.A.S.!!!

· A.S.X. will elevate the status of adaptive snowboarding to a professional level!

· A.S.X. will provide exciting, energetic and inspirational action sports events to an ever-growing spectator audience!

· A.S.X. will provide the increasing numbers of skilled adaptive snowboarders an opportunity to compete against their peers for cash and prizes!

· A.S.X. will provide industry sponsors highly-visible opportunities to link their brand to admirable athletes and inspirational athletic events with high international appeal. Interested in putting your brand name on the A.S.X. Series? Join the likes of Google, Vans and Volcom as we make history! Contact AAS Development Director Amy Purdy with sponsorship inquiries at amy@adacs.org.

Registration opens on Sept. 30th for A.S.X. Series Races 1 and 2. Plan on attending A.S.X. series stop 2 or 3 if you want to compete in the finals for the big bucks and the title!

Finals will be held at the USASA Nationals in Copper Mountain Colorado. A USASA membership is required to compete. USASA events are open to all adaptive riders competing in the A.S.X. series or not. For additional information on USASA visit http://www.usasa.org/. A.S.X. cash and prize packages are only given to those registered with Adaptive Action Sports. Cash and prize package amounts are yet to be determined. Cash and prize packages will be distributed throughout the entire competing field.

Dates are subject to change. X Games event is subject to cancellation and will be an invite only event.

For additional information, contact AAS Executive Director Daniel Gale at Daniel@adacs.org or visit the AAS website at http://www.adacs.org/.

NOTICE- THE FEB DATE AT SIERRA AT TAHOE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FEB 9-12th with the ASX RACE BEING HELD ON THE 12th

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Shoe City Invitational at ESPN X Games 17 presented by AAS

July 31, 2011, was a huge day at the ESPN Summer X Games for skateboarders with physical disabilities. The first annual Shoe City Invitational and AAS Adaptive Skate Clinic,” deputed for permanently disabled youth and veterans.

In the morning starting at 9 am, Adaptive Action Sports – with support from Shoe City -- hosted a learn-to-ride skateboard clinic. Among the individuals who showed up for the clinic was Jami Goldman, a Paralympic runner and double below knee amputee, and Cody Reid, a 3 year old single above knee amputee with a heart of gold. Cody reminded us all of why we do what we do! Thanks also to Danielle McLaughlin and George Garcia Jr. for attending the clinic.

Levi Brown, Robert Brink and Chad Tim-Tim; guest judges

In the afternoon, five of the best “Adaptive” Skateboarders in the world competed for a prize purse of over $3,000.00. Element team riders Levi Brown and Chad Tim Tim were on hand with renowned skateboard journalist, Robert Brink, to judge the afternoon event.

The competition was held in a best of 3 run format with a jam session at the end. A bonus $100 was thrown on top of the pot for best trick during the jam. Needless to say Levi, Chad and Robert had their work cut out for them while judging the likes of Oscar Loreto (single-below the knee amputee), Evan Strong (single-below the knee amputee) Greg Shaw (Greg’s adaptation is something called sacral agenesis, at birth, a cell “mis-divides” and causes a defect in leg development. Greg is also missing two vertebrae in his spine), Buddy Elias (a single-above the knee amputee recently from a single-below the knee amputee) and Justin Beauchesne (a quad-amputee).

The competition was unbelievably exciting and undeniably awe inspiring. Each skater pushed themselves physically and mentally searched for their most innovative tricks to manufacture on course. From Greg Shaw’s powerful 360’s to Justin Beauchesne’s pressure-flip variations there wasn’t a definitive moment to take your eyes off course.

Shoe City Invitational Adaptive Skate Contest at X Games 17 from Adaptive Action Sports on Vimeo Produced and Edited by Oscar Loreto

Greg Shaw had a 1^st place winning experience at this, his first, AAS event. “AAS gave me a chance to be out here and to be free. It’s a great organization where kids like me can get out and achieve their dreams” Greg said of Adaptive Action Sports.

Greg Shaw, 1st Place

Evan Strong put together a strong showing and walked home with a 2^nd place finish followed by Justin Beauchesne in 3^rd. Oscar Loreto finished in 4^th place just squeaking by the one and only Buddy Elias who placed 5^th.

Every skater won who attended the event. The cash purse was divided throughout the total field. “We believe that these amazing athletes deserve the same opportunities as able bodied pros; competition and financial support” says Daniel Gale, AAS Executive Director and Co-Founder. “We also believe that every athlete who attends our competitions deserves a portion of the purse” Gale added.

The AAS X 17 competition was the third event of the summer sponsored by Shoe City in 2011. The preceding competitions were held on June 25 by the organization Life Rolls On at the Venice Skate Park in Venice Beach, CA, and by Extremity Games on June 24-25 at Texas Ski Ranch, San Antonio, TX.

“It’s a great thrill to help such a deserving community” said Leedy Ying, Shoe City President, adding “It was an awesome event and I am looking forward to future adaptive skateboarding events with Adaptive Action Sports.”

3 year old Cody Reid and Evan Strong

“We are excited to expand our adaptive skateboard opportunities at the X Games and to have Shoe City support our mission,” says AAS Co-Founder and Development Director Amy Purdy. “The addition of a “learn to skateboard clinic” and a competition for a cash purse will open new doors for adaptive skateboarders everywhere,” she added. Amy had no reservations crediting the X Games for their generosity and support, making the statement that “X Games has been an amazing five-year supporter of AAS adaptive programming and continues to provide a great venue, bringing together able bodied and adaptive athletes.”

To check out firsthand what these awesome athletes can do and you are in the Los Angeles area make sure to attend the “Get on Board” AAS Skate Clinic, Demo and Fundraiser on Saturday September 17^th at the Shoe City Center in Whittier California. Contact the Los Angeles AAS L.A. Skate Sector Program Coordinator Oscar Loreto for more details, Oscar@adacs.org.

AAS would like to say a special thank you to all of our sponsors including; Shoe City, Freedom Innovations, Element, Vans, Dakine, Protec, VitaCoco and the ESPN X Games.

For more information on the Shoe City Invitational/AAS Adaptive Skate Clinic Experience, please contact AAS Co-Founder/Executive Director Daniel Gale at Daniel@adacs.org. For media or sponsorship inquiries please contact AAS Co-Founder/Development Director Amy Purdy at Amy@adacs.org.

Adaptive Action Sports, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to create and promote Action Sports camps, events and programs for youth, young adults and wounded veterans living with permanent physical disabilities. Since 2005, AAS has sponsored over two dozen action sports events and is widely credited with the development of adaptive Skateboarding, Moto X and Snowboarding.

About Shoe City;

Shoe City is located in the heart of Los Angeles, featuring 32 retail stores located in the Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. We have been in business for over 30 years, giving the people of Los Angeles a nice, comfortable place to shop for shoes.
Shoe City carries the latest and hottest brands of shoes. With brands such as Vans, Nike, and Converse, shoes for the whole family. Shoe City also carries Skechers Shape Ups and Reebok Easy Tones. You will find skate brands like DC, DVS, Lakai, Circa, Etnies in our stores, and athletic brands such as Reebok, Jordan, Adidas, KSwiss, Puma, and much more. We have all sizes from a baby size 1 to a men size 15.

Need sandals? Shoe City carries sandals from Roxy, Oneill, Quiksilver, Rainbow, Reef, and fashion sandals from companies like Classified and Soda. You can also find all the accessories you want from Jansport backpacks, Nike socks, purses, hats, and skateboards. For more information, visit http://www.shoecity.com.