MEDIA GUIDE JULY 13 15, LOUISE MCKINNEY RIVERFRONT PARK

MEDIA GUIDE JULY 13 15, LOUISE MCKINNEY RIVERFRONT PARK

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 3 5 FWS KEY NUMBERS 6 7 HOST CITY: EDMONTON 8 9 SPORTS AREAS & DISCIPLINES 10 13 FWS 2018 RANKING 14 21 SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN 22 23 HURRICANE GROUP 24 25 CONNECT & LIVE TV 26 PRACTICAL INFORMATION & PARTNERS 27

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide WORLD SERIES 2018 FISE WORLD SERIES IS AN ACTION SPORTS SERIES THAT BRINGS TOGETHER THE BEST ATHLETES ON THE PLANET TO COMPETE IN DIFFERENT CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE. It is the biggest and most prestigious multi-disciplinary action sports series in the world. The selection of sports is incredible and includes BMX Freestyle Park and Flatland, Skateboard, Mountain Bike Freestyle, Roller Freestyle, Wakeboard, Scooter Freestyle and Parkour. The series welcomes all skill levels. To date, more than 2,700 amateur and professional athletes from over 43 countries have taken part, resulting in dramatic displays of jaw-dropping stunts, jumps and tricks. Every year the parks and ramps get bigger and the riders level increase. FWS 2018 is set to be the biggest yet. FISE has teamed up with several International Federations, so each stop will host their own official World Cup! We have partnered with UCI (International Cycling Union) for a third year to bring spectators the UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup, alongside a brand-new event, the UCI BMX Freestyle Flatland World Cup. We continue to be home to the FIG Parkour World Cup and WS Roller Freestyle Cup, both of which always excite and surprise. The addition of these cups has further raised the stakes for athletes and helped cement the tour s position as the most anticipated competition for all action sports enthusiasts. At each stage of the tour, riders have the opportunity to win points, earn significant prize money, and gain media exposure. Overall rankings are calculated at the end of the tour to determine the 2018 winners from each discipline. 3

LAUNCH EVENT JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA 22 24 MARCH 5 COUNTRIES OVER 3 CONTINENTS HIROSHIMA, JAPAN 6 8 APRIL MONTPELLIER, FRANCE 9 13 MAY EDMONTON, CANADA 13 15 JULY BUDAPEST, HUNGARY 7 9 SEPTEMBER CHENGDU, CHINA 2 4 NOVEMBER 4

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide WORLDWIDE TOUR FISE continues to offer spectacular events in popular locations around the world. The festival-like vibes and action sports-filled days are what keeps people returning to FISE events. As well as competitions, fans can enjoy shows, demos and various activities. The 2018 FWS got off to a fantastic start with a launch event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This event was a great opportunity to bring action sports to a location where people are not familiar with these sports. The reaction from the locals was amazing and the crowds turned up in their masses with over 137,000 people attending the event over 3 days. We then moved to Hiroshima, Japan for the first official stop of the series. This was the first time FWS had visited Japan and the countries passion for action sports was evident as soon as we touched down. This passion was embodied by the local athletes who represented in almost every competition putting on a show for the home crowd. In all disciplines, international riders were seriously challenged by the impressive level of the host competitors. The Japanese athletes made it on to several podiums in both men s and women s categories. For the second stop we returned to our spiritual home of Montpellier, France. This stop is considered legendary. The city has been hosting FISE events for over 20 years and this year was the biggest event yet. The action took place on 8 different parks with 43 nations represented. Next, it s on to Edmonton, Canada. Three is the magic number for this event, it is the third stop of the FISE World Series 2018 and our third time landing in this awesome city. Every year the event and crowds get bigger and bigger and this year we have a number of fresh additions such as a new location, new summer date and a new line up of sports. For our fourth stop we return to Budapest, Hungary. Considered by many as one of the best capital cities in Europe we cannot wait to return to this amazing city. This year the event will take place in the beautiful Orczy Park (Orczy Kert) and competitions will include BMX, Roller and others to be added so stayed tuned. The final stop of the tour is in Chengdu, China. This city is becoming a permanent feature on the FWS thanks to its amazing atmosphere and its resident s passion for actions sports. This year we move to a new location in the Pidu district. Attendees can enjoy competitions in BMX, Roller, Skateboarding, Parkour and Mountain Bike. 5

TRUE TO THE SPIRIT OF FISE, ALL EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE FREE TO ATTEND AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME. 6

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide FISE WORLD SERIES KEY NUMBERS FWS 2018 5 COUNTRIES ACROSS 3 CONTINENTS 1 LAUNCH EVENT AND 5 TOUR STOPS 5 SPORTS PART OF OVERALL RANKING 4 WORLD CUPS FWS 2017 2,758 AMATEUR & PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES 292 DISTRIBUTED MEDALS 882,752 SPECTATORS 66 H LIVE BROADCAST 15M+ VIDEO VIEWS 300M+ SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS 7

HOST CITY : EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA AS THE ONLY CANADIAN CITY TO CRACK THE TOP 20 IN SPORTCAL S GLOBAL SPORTS CITIES INDEX, EDMONTON HAS PROVEN THAT WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS, ITS PHILOSOPHY IS GO BIG OR GO HOME. Since action sports have grown significantly on a global scale, with the BMX Freestyle and Skateboard making their entries at the next summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, Edmonton is proud to have played a part in this with their support of FISE Edmonton. Furthermore, Edmonton is the nation s new home of action sports, with FISE establishing their new North American headquarters here in the City of Champions. 8

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide From close encounters with free roaming bison at Elk Island National Park, to surfing indoors at West Edmonton Mall, Edmontonians like to do things a little differently. Bike, board, or even Segway through 48 km of urban parkland known as the North Saskatchewan River valley, then stop by one of the many festivals that occur year-round. Wear your stretchy pants and take your taste buds on a journey to some of the hottest craft beer taprooms, hyper-local bistros and indie bakeries in Canada, or kick back on one of the city s legendary patios and enjoy over 17 hours of sunlight. Edmonton is the largest Northernmost metropolis in North America, and as Canada s youngest and fastest growing capital city, it is a hotbed of cultural diversity that embraces new ideas and experimentation. 1/ The Population of Greater-Edmonton is 1.3 million. 2/ Edmonton is the home of two professional sports teams, including the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) 3/ Edmonton is one of Canada s sunniest cities with 325 days of sunshine each year or 2,345 hours. In June, Edmonton enjoys up to 17 hours of daylight per day. 4/ West Edmonton Mall welcomes more than 30 million visitors each year, making it Alberta s number one tourist attraction. It is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, and was the largest in the world from 1981 to 2004. 5/ West Edmonton Mall holds records for the world s largest indoor amusement park, the world s largest indoor triple loop rollercoaster, the world s largest indoor lake (complete with a replica of Christopher Columbus s ship, Santa Maria), the world s largest indoor wave pool, and the world s largest permanent indoor zipline feature. It also boasts the world s largest parking lot; it can accommodate a whopping 20,000 vehicles. 6/ Edmonton has the longest stretch of urban parkland in North America, which is 22 times larger than New York s Central Park and eight times larger than Vancouver s Stanley Park. 7/ Edmonton has a booming culinary scene. Take your taste buds on a journey to some of the hottest craft beer taprooms, hyper-local bistros and indie bakeries around. Our Restaurants, like the Duchess Bakeshop (Recognized as one of Buzzfeed s top bakeries in the world), are gaining international recognition. 8/ Edmonton is the largest Northernmost metropolis in North America. Edmonton is the ultimate gateway to Canada s wild, adventurous boreal landscapes. Take the 365 km journey to Jasper National Park, in the Rocky Mountains, to find grizzly bears, waterfalls, canyons and glacier-fed lakes. 9/ They call Edmonton Festival City for a reason. Shakespeare under an open sky? You got it. World champion skateboarders throwing down the baddest tricks known to man? Check. A winter festival with sculptures made of ice and fire? No problem. With over 50 festivals annually, there s no shortage of excitement - whether it s 30 degrees above, or below. Edmonton s International Fringe Theatre Festival is the largest in North America, attracting 700,000 visitors and 1,600 performances every summer. It is second only in size to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 10/ Edmonton brings the wildlife. Elk Island is home to free roaming plains bison, moose, deer, elk and over 250 species of birds. Also, both the largest and smallest terrestrial mammals in North America make their homes here, the wood bison and pygmy shrew. 9

EDMONTON IS THE THIRD STOP OF THE TOUR WITH AN ACTION PACKED SCHEDULE OF SPORTS. SPECTATORS CAN ENJOY WATCHING BMX FREESTYLE PARK AND FLATLAND, SKATEBOARDING AND SCOOTER. 10

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide SPORTS AREAS & DISCIPLINES FWS 2018 EDMONTON FREESTYLE PARK The Freestyle Park is huge, in general it covers an area of around 1500m2 and is made up of ramps and obstacles built from wood and iron. All the ramps are oversized which lets the pros create their very best tricks, while still maintaining various lines for amateurs to enjoy. STREET PARK The Street Park is made up of benches, ramps, stairs, quarter pipes, and boxes that generate a diverse space suited to all riding styles. The Park provides an authentic street experience for riders to create runs like those they thrive on in cites. FLATLAND Always located at the heart of every event, the FISE Flatland Area looks like a scene from the theatre with riders taking centre stage. Spectators can get up close and personal with the athletes whilst they perform their 11 amazing tricks.

UCI BMX FREESTYLE PARK WORLD CUP SKATEBOARD STREET This discipline is truly spectacular. The riders use as much of the park as possible to create astonishing aerial tricks and innovative runs. Riders are judged on the difficulty, quality and range of tricks performed. Thanks to the riders continually developing and pushing the boundaries of their sport, BMX Freestyle Park has recently been recognised as an Olympic sport. It will make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Skateboarding, boomed in the 1980s to become the force it is today. Its influence has spread into the very heart of popular culture. Riders are judged on the technicality, originality and versatility of their lines. The continual growth and popularity of the sport has led to it being recognised by the Olympics. Competitions held on Street Park and Bowl will be included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 12

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide SCOOTER FREESTYLE PARK UCI BMX FLATLAND WORLD CUP Scooter Freestyle is one of the newest action sports and is increasing in popularity across the world. Participants can be seen riding scooters in street spots and parks. Despite the sport being relatively new, riders have advanced quickly and keep pushing to new heights. For the most part, tricks are inspired by BMX as they have a similar set up of handlebars and two wheels, but occasionally riders take inspiration from skateboarding. Performed on a flat surface with no equipment other than a bike, Flatland is considered by many to be the most artistic and creative form of the sport. Athletes combine skill, balance and creativity to perform a kind of dance with the bike. Each rider has a unique approach, using their riding skills to express their own style and vision. More than just a contest, they create a real show. 13

AFTER AN ELECTRIFYING COMPETITION IN JAPAN AND A MAGNIFICENT MONTPELLIER EVENT, THIS IS HOW THE TABLES LOOK SO FAR. 14

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide FISE WORLD SERIES RANKING 2018 UCI BMX FREESTYLE PARK WORLD CUP MEN 1 NICK BRUCE - AGE 26 - USA 4 MARIN RANTES - AGE 23 - HRV 2 DANIEL DHERS - AGE 33 - VEN 5 ALEX COLEBORN - AGE 27 - GBR 3 BRANDON LOUPOS - AGE 25 - AUS 6 JUSTIN DOWELL - AGE 18 - USA NICK BRUCE Known as one of the nicest guys in BMX, Nick has come a long way since he started riding on a tiny dirt jump in his backyard and can now be seen on podiums across the globe. The Ohio native has an innovative riding style and a love of taking risks. He has many World Firsts to his name including the Flair Tailwhip to Tailwhip back and the 360 Double Tailwhip to Downside Tailwhip which hopefully we might get to see in Edmonton. DANIEL DHERS Daniel is legendary, one of the most decorated BMX riders of all time. He has hardly been off the podium since his entry on the world stage in 2006. He achieved 1st place in the FWS 2017. His intensive training programme provides him with optimum physical capacity. With his precise tricks and planned sequences, nothing is left to chance during his pristine runs that have propelled him to the top of his discipline. BRANDON LOUPOS This Australian rider describes himself as being In love with BMX and his passion for the sport is infectious. His riding is exciting and unpredictable and he s always dropping big tricks when they re least expected. Ever since his first competition this Australian rider has kept increasing his level and is now at the top of his game. This was demonstrated when he scored a massive 92.10 points to take the top prize in Hiroshima. 15

16

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide FISE WORLD SERIES RANKING 2018 UCI BMX FREESTYLE PARK WORLD CUP WOMEN 1 ROBERTS HANNAH - AGE 16 - USA 4 OIKE MINATO - AGE 21 - JPN 2 LARA LESSMANN - AGE 17 - DEU 5 ANGIE MARINO - AGE 28 - USA 3 NIKITA DUCARROZ - AGE 21 - CHE 6 TERESA FERNÁNDEZ - AGE 23 - ESP HANNAH ROBERTS At only 16 years old she was the overall winner of the FWS 2017. As modest as she is passionate, Hannah has devoted herself to BMX since a very young age, and this shows in the technicality of her tricks and the magnitude of her riding. She is known for pulling off massive flairs and many see her as the future of women s BMX. You can be sure to see her reppin team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. LARA LESSMANN Lara is a rising star on the BMX scene and considered to be one to watch out for in the future. Born in Flensburg, Germany, she started BMX at the age of 9. Initially influenced by her brother, she practiced regularly and her persistence and perfectionism paid off when she took 1st place in Budapest last year. She took 3rd place in Hiroshima and in Montpellier making her a favourite to land on the Podium in Edmonton. NIKITA DUCARROZ Growing up in California, at the heart of action sports culture, proved a great place for this 21-year-old to begin her BMX career 6 years ago. She is now a full-time rider, dividing her time between training, travelling to competition, college classes, and having as much fun as possible while riding. As a brand ambassador she is extremely active on social media, and is working hard to increase women s visibility on the international BMX Freestyle scene. 17

18

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide FISE WORLD SERIES RANKING 2018 UCI BMX FREESTYLE FLATLAND WORLD CUP MEN 1 MATTHIAS DANDOIS - AGE 29 - FRA 4 SASAKI MOTO - AGE 33 - JPN 2 ALEX JUMELIN - AGE 40 - FRA 5 JEAN WILLIAM PREVOST - AGE 31 - CAN 3 JORGE GOMEZ - AGE 37 - ESP 6 BENJAMIN HUDSON - AGE 22 - CHL MATTHIAS DANDOIS Seven-time World Champion, this Parisian BMX Flatland rider reaches the podium at nearly every competition he enters. He always makes time to enjoy events and to joke around with the press in interviews. He continues to develop his sport and the culture that goes with it. Taking first place in Hiroshima and in Montpellier he remains the man to beat, can anyone knock him off the top spot? ALEX JUMELIN Already quadruple world champion, Alex has been on the BMX Flatland world circuit for over 20 years. His creativity and determination have influenced his unique style which never fails to stand out. He is extremely involved in the expansion of his discipline. A year ago he opened his own school near Montpellier, the FISE Flat Academy, here he shares his passion to a whole new generation of riders. JORGE GOMEZ Originally from Madrid, Jorge «Viki» is a legend in BMX Flatland and has been practicing the sport since he was 14 years old. Twice European champion and once World Champion, he continues to break records. Famous for combos of sharp tricks, his years of experience are demonstrated through ultra-technical riding. 19

20

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide FISE WORLD SERIES RANKING 2018 SKATEBOARD STREET 1 IKEDA DAISUKE - AGE 17 - JPN 4 SORA NEGISHI - AGE 15 - JPN 2 RICHARD TURY - AGE 24 - SVK 5 GEORGE POOLE - AGE 21 - FRA 3 ADRIEN BULARD - AGE 26 - FRA 6 GABRIEL ZANDER - AGE 28 - USA IKEDA DAISUKE Born in Tokyo, Japan this high-school student was put on a snowboard at the age of 2. Passionate about it from a young age, he began to look around for a similar summer sport and took up skateboarding a few years later. Supported in particular by his father, he has already notched up many victories in his category. With an incredible career at the age of only 17, he has notably won the 2016 JSF Japan Open and the AJSA Advance Cup. RICHARD TURY This laid-back 23-year-old Slovakian skateboarder, aka Riso, started to ride with some friends when he was 6 years old on some homemade ramps scattered around a basketball court. His talent rapidly took him to pro level, and he is famous for his variety of tricks. Ambitious about his career, he spends most of his time travelling to major international competitions. ADRIEN BULARD Adrien appears fearless when he is on the park, he approaches everything with a go big or go home motto, he s always first to launch on the biggest possible spots. He rides with a combination of raw talent balanced with a kind of pathological perfectionism creating a riding style that is unique to him. His determination often sees him attempting the same trick numerous times even when the timer has long run out on his run. 21

22

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN Nowadays, women's categories are enjoying huge success in international competitions as they attract more attention from the public and judges. As women's sports become more popular and are publicised around the world, let s take a look at some of the top female athletes on the FWS tour. ANGIE MARINO, AGE 28 - USA BMX FREESTYLE PARK With her big smile and blond hair spilling out of her helmet, Angie is easily recognisable on the Parks. But it is her super fluid style and range that sets her apart, placing 2nd at FISE Hiroshima. She is a real driving force and inspiration among women for her discipline creating a site and a magazine dedicated to the female BMX scene, Yeah Zine BMX Girls MACARENA PEREZ, AGE 21 - CHL BMX FREESTYLE PARK This 20-year-old Chilean athlete loves riding wooden Parks as much as she loves shredding dirt tracks. She s passionate about BMX Freestyle in her home country and travels the world promoting her sport and engaging with fans. With all her travel, and by riding hard, she is proving to be a break-out athlete. Her powerful riding style rocked the FWS 2017 tour and she s sure to bring the heat for the 2018 tour. ANALIA ZACARIAS, AGE 28 - ARG BMX FREESTYLE PARK With a guitar, a bass, drum sticks or a BMX in her hands, this Argentinian rider has too much energy to focus on just one passion. Between her riding sessions, she is also a student, and it seems that sending positive vibes to the world is her life mission. She trains and rides hard to pave the way and provide inspiration to the next generation of female BMX riders. MAEVA LANIER, AGE 22 - FRA SKATEBOARD Maeva was born in Cannes and proudly represents French women s Skateboard. At 22, she has already won major national contests, such as the French championships in Marseille in 2012 and Briançon in 2013. Maeva continues to progress year on year. In 2015 she ranked 2nd in Skatepark Street Girl at FISE Montpellier and we re sure she will have some surprises up her sleeve this year. 23

24

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide HURRICANE GROUP HURRICANE & FISE FISE IS THE LEADING EVENT BRAND OF HURRICANE GROUP, A LEADING URBAN SPORTS COMPANY WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. Hurricane s flagship event is FISE Montpellier, which attracts 600,000 spectators over 5 days and has featured sports and events including Skateboard, BMX Freestyle, Roller Freestyle, MTB Slopestyle, Wakeboard, and Parkour among many others. In partnership with International Sport Federations, Hurricane and FISE are proud to have contributed to the creation and development of new youth-focused action sports events now part of the Olympic Programme. EXPERTISE With 360 expertise across 5 key areas creative, events, parks, talent, and media we work with our partners to create highly effective communication and engagement strategies targeted specifically at 15-25-year-olds. We have a single focus: to bring unforgettable action sports content and experience to a global audience. EVENTS : unique events CREATIVE : digital tailored to urban sports PARKS : street-inspired Parks THE GROUP Hurricane is a group which specialises in urban sports, offering global expertise in all aspects of event management, communication, and infrastructure provision. 10 million consolidated turnover 50 employees worldwide 350 events organised by the group since 1997 100 million fans reached via social networks 1 million cumulative number of visitors per year TALENTS : developing young talent MEDIA : strong, customised multi-media content 25

LIVE TV & WEBCAST A selection of the professional semi-finals and finals can be viewed globally live on the official FISE Facebook Page and on www.fise.tv They can also be streamed via the Olympic Channel www.olympicchannel.com A highlights programme from the event will available in Canada via TSN. Live broadcast footage will also be distributed around the world by our partner IMG. ABOUT IMG IMG has been distributor of FISE World Series since 2014, contributing to the global growth of the brand by offering highlights and live performances on an extensive network of global broadcasters. Content coming directly from FISE World Series is broadcast on EDGEsport, the 24/7 channel which specialises in action sports. EDGEsport is now available in 25 areas across 6 continents and has a reach to more than 330 million homes. 26

FISE WORLD SERIES 2018 EDMONTON Media Guide CONNECT WITH FISE PRACTICAL INFORMATION VIDEO Available every day on YOUTUBE: FISE FACEBOOK LIKE the official FISE Facebook page: @fise.officiel TWITTER @fiseworld #FISEWorld #FISEEdmonton FISE MOBILE APP Get immediate results, videos, pictures, news, agenda PRESS PASSES Please fill out applications in the Press Area of the FISE website. Press passes are non-transferrable. PRESS AREA fise.fr/en/press-area NEWSCUTS Royalty-free TV images are available here for event promotion: newscut.fise.fr INSTAGRAM @fiseworld #FISEWorld #FISEEdmonton SNAPCHAT @fiseworldseries LIVE WEBCAST Tune in every day to fise.tv to follow FISE. Stay tuned! WEBSITE www.fiseedmonton.com OUR PARTNERS 27

CONTACTS MARIE ROLLAND Press Officer +33 (0)6 48 34 97 06 marie.r@hurcn.com NATALIE CHARLTON Communication Manager +33 (0)6 01 14 24 87 natalie.c@hurcn.com JOSEPH VILLEFLAYOUX Communication & Marketing Director joseph@hurcn.com AMY MCBAIN Media Liaison amcbain@brln.ca 780-288-9504