Skateboarding and BMX freestyle have a shot at becoming Olympic sports at the 2016 Summer Games …

Cycling’s world governing body, the Switzerland-based Union Cycliste Internationale, and others are lobbying for the sports to be added to the 2016 Games in Rio …

UCI attempted to include skateboarding in London’s 2012 Olympics, but it fell through …

… The IOC has set a limit of 28 sports for the 2016 Games, meaning several sports will compete over the last two available slots. For example, baseball and softball are making bids for a return, as both were dropped from the 2012 program because not enough top players were able to compete. Other events looking for a spot in Rio include golf, rugby, squash and karate.

ESPN (April 2011)

Click PLAY or watch PLG on YouTube.

Pierre-Luc Gagnon.

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The 425-acre camp in Haines Township, and its offshoots in Wisconsin and California, along with its brand name and licensing rights, was sold last week to Powdr Corp., an investment group that owns nine ski resorts across the country.

Powdr CFO Jennifer Botter said her company is looking to build more camps both inside the U.S. and in as many as 30 foreign countries. …

Powdr’s interest in the camp was sparked by its purchase of Colorado’s Copper Mountain ski resort, where a Camp Woodward-licensed facility, dedicated to winter sports instruction for youth, opened in 2009.

“We became quite enamored of the people — Gary Ream in particular — and really became aware of what the camp was doing for the action sports industry,” Botter said.

Ream is the co-owner of Camp Woodward and the man behind its transition from a gymnastics-centered camp into an action sports mecca. …

Botter said Powdr agreed last month to purchase a majority stake in Camp Woodward from Ream and a few other co-owners, including Ream’s family members. Care was taken during the acquisition not to disrupt Camp Woodward’s summer season, she said.

Botter did not disclose the purchase price, but said Ream will remain president and his executive team will be retained. …

Firm buys Camp Woodward, vows to expand name

What does this mean for Gymnastics and Cheer?

Leave a comment if you’ve heard anything.

(via College Gymnastics Board)

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This year’s inductees are:

Gerald George – Lifetime Achievement
Lori Aamodt – Trampoline/Tumbling
Larry Banner – Contributor
Dominique Dawes – Artistic Gymnastics
Chad Fox – Trampoline/Tumbling
Bruce Frederick – Contributor (Posthumous)
Ken Kovach – Professional Acrobatics
Dana Kunze – Diving
Realis Duo – Acrobatic Gymnastics (Shenea Booth and Arthur Davis)
Karl Schier – Lifetime Achievement
Sean Tucker – Extreme Sports

read more

The World Acrobatics Society (WAS) is a non-profit organization …

… a world-wide organization for the advancement of education, communication and cooperation among all individuals and organizations interested in fostering the growth development and safety of the various acrobatics sports and preserving their histories.

Acrobatics as defined by WAS are those activities which feature aerial rotation (somersaulting and twisting) and balancing of the body (handstands and other balances with and without partners or groups).

Major acrobatic disciplines recognized by the Society include Acrobatic Gymnastics & Cheerleading; Diving (Olympic events & professional divers); Extreme Sports (freestyle skiers & skateboarders); Gymnastics (Olympic artistic gymnastics for men and women); Professional Performers (Hollywood stunt people and circus entertainers); Trampoline & Tumbling; Contributors (teachers, writers, publishers, manufacturers, coaches, judges and innovators). …

read more …

(via Full Twist)

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Click PLAY or watch Rokardy on YouTube.

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… Woodward U will offer a boarding program at the Woodward West campus in Tehachapi, California.

The Woodward U programs will ultimately include a winter tutorial program at Woodward Copper in Colorado; a semester-abroad program will provide students an opportunity to study at Woodward Beijing; and Woodward Everywhere will allow students to take Woodward U courses remotely with periodic visits to Woodward facilities to ensure a tie-in to The Woodward Family and Woodward U community.

Woodward U is now accepting applications. Whether you are an aspiring BMX rider, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Photographer, Film-maker, Musician, Artist or someone interested in all of these things, Woodward U is the place to refine your skills while getting a high quality college-prep education. …

For more information about Woodward U, please visit woodwardu.com or call 661-750-2126.

Woodward

No mention of Gymnastics or other acrobatic sports. But there’s no reason why those athletes could not apply. I’m assuming it will be made up of mostly High School age kids.

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Longboarding is variety of skateboarding, a relatively modern sport—which originated as “sidewalk surfing” in the United States, particularly California—in the 1950s. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Where I live longboarding is the BIG THING for teenage boys. (We spent the weekend browsing Landyachtz.com and making our own Slide Gloves.)

Longboarding actually predates skateboarding, so we don’t know who invented the first.

It’s a far more interesting sport than skateboarding, I feel. And much easier for the average Joe, like me.

Dangerous? … YES.

Especially trying to stop if you go highspeed downhill.

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China is making a big move towards improving their Action Sports.

Woodward Beijing is a Woodward partner facility located in Beijing, China. Scheduled to open in the spring of 2010, Woodward Beijing is Woodward’s first international facility. This camp will offer Skateboarding, BMX, Inline, dry land Snowboarding and Free Ski, Urban Dance, Digital Arts (Digital Photography / Video Production and Graphic Design), Music, Chinese and English language programs. …

official press release

I’ve seen reports online that Artistic gymnastics would be part of the program. Not true. But there will be Cheer.

official website

Camp costs aren’t posted yet. But they likely will be far lower than rates in the USA. A bargain, perhaps, for athletes who may be traveling to Beijing for other reasons.

This camp is intended to operate full-time, year round, different than the North American Woodward camps which are mostly seasonal.

The Chinese government paid the $4 million or so construction costs.

Watch a VIDEO of facility construction.

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But if anyone can make it interesting and entertaining, it’s William Spencer.

Click PLAY or watch a highlight reel on YouTube. (half million views)

More gnarly shredding on thedenvershop YouTube channel.

(via FlipCatch)

related post – new Olympic sports – BMX 2008, skateboarding in 2012

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larger version

… “Woodward is the most progressive training environment on the planet for skateboard, BMX and in-line,” Woodward at Copper director Ben Brown said. “And we’re just going to continue that with the first-ever ski and snowboard version.” …

Woodward at Copper will offer a vast array of programs for all ability levels. It currently plans to open before the end of January with about a half-dozen trampolines, three pool- sized foam pits, a 35-foot big air ramp and a “jib park” with interchangeable features covered in a lubricated synthetic snow material. In addition to the resi mats, there is a large springboard gymnastics floor alongside the foam pits. A massive wooden bowl designed for skaters and freestyle bikers fills a corner of the building. …

Denver Post – Opening The Barn door

Woodward truly leads the Action Sport industry. Congratulations.

official website – Woodward at Copper

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