OLN Takes Summer Gravity Games To The Streets
Stamford, CT - May 23, 2005 - Fans will witness something different this year when OLN(r) presents the 2005 Summer Gravity Games. In an effort to capture the essence of action sports, the Games are going to where it all began - the fertile action-sports breeding ground of Woodward, PA and the legendary streets of downtown Philadelphia. OLN chose both locations because of their history and reputation within the industry. Featuring the world's best athletes competing in seven medal events, the Games will include: Freestyle Motocross, Skateboard Vert, Park and True Street, along with Bike Vert, Park, and Dirt. OLN will present six hours of its signature actionmentary coverage, beginning July 23 at 5 p.m. ET. "We saw a real desire among the athletes to get back to the core of what these sports are all about," said Gavin Harvey, President of OLN. "This is going to be authentic, old-school competition among the legends of these sports and their challengers. It's not going to be canned. It's going to be real. It's going to be great television. And it's what makes the Gravity Games uniquely positioned as action sports events proliferate."
From June 25-29, OLN will bring the top contenders in action sports to Camp Woodward. The Camp is the hotbed for tomorrow's action sports elite and a spot where many of today's top stars got their start - including 2004 Gravity Games Bike Vert gold, silver and bronze medalists, Jamie Bestwick, Chad Kagy and Kevin Robinson. The placid training grounds are going to explode with the onslaught of high-flying athletes performing gravity-defying tricks of Freestyle Motocross. Bike and Skate Vert competitions will also take place at Woodward.
The event then moves to FDR Skatepark in South Philadelphia from July 11-13. Located beneath Interstate 95, FDR has a reputation as one of the toughest skate parks in the country. Built by skaters, for skaters back in 1994, the park's permanent bowls, hips, ramps and attitude provide an ideal fit and backdrop for the Skate and Bike competitions. The event crew will repair and build additional features for the competition.
Continuing with its signature coverage first introduced at the Winter Gravity Games, OLN will again produce an "actionmentary" to document the event. The stylized, documentary format will feature OLN cameras shooting from non-traditional camera angles in an aspect ratio that will give the coverage much more of a film feel than conventional sporting events. OLN will be shooting in high definition with Panasonic VariCams throughout the event.
"The non-linear, documentary-style of the actionmentary resonated with the viewers and the athletes competing in the Gravity Games at Copper Mountain," said John Carter, Vice President of Events and Production. "It is different than coverage offered by any other network and by staging this event in the streets and parks where it all began, we have a richer story to tell."
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