China’s best hope lies in speed climbing
Print Edition
SOME of the biggest names in extreme sports will be in Shanghai for the four-day Kia World Extreme Games starting April 30.
With competitions in five categories and 11 disciplines to be held, fans will have a wide choice of star names to watch. As usual, skateboarding will be Games’ biggest draw with athletes like Pierre-Luc Gagnon, Andy MacDonald, Vince Byron and the Yasutoko brothers competing for glory. China’s hopes at the Games rest on the shoulders of Zhong Qixin, a silver medalist last year in speed climbing.
The 25-year-old Jiangxi Province native said he wants to finish one place higher this year.
“I expect a better performance out of myself. Second place is a must, but my goal is the gold medal,” Zhong told Shanghai Daily.
Zhong said interest is rising in extreme sports in China because they are so different and spectacular from mainstream sports.
“Extreme sports are developing rapidly in China with a rising number of participants,” he said. “Climbing is a good choice, as it’s an innate ability and it activates every joint of your body. It also requires tremendous willpower and concentration.”
Zhong started professional training 10 years ago and the captain of China’s climbing team has won several golds on the international stage.
Asked about giving advice to youngsters interested in taking up the sport, Zhong suggested they come watch the event and learn more about it first.
“Any training should be under the guidance of a professional coach,” he said. “Personally, I do lots of pull-ups and running in routine training to build strength and stamina. Improving my speed is my next target.”
Meanwhile, skateboarders try to create the feeling of “riding a wave on land.”
Known as PLG, Gagnon is a 15-time medal winner (seven golds) in the vert, vert double, big air and vert best trick categories. Born in 1980, the Canadian began skateboarding at the age of eight, and entered his first competition at 12.
Gagnon will face the challenge from his senior counterpart, American Andy MacDonald, an eight-time gold medalist in vert skateboarding at the X Games. The 40-year-old is also an eight-time World Cup Skateboarding competition winner.
In other events, the Japanese brothers Takeshi Yasutoko and Eito Yasutoko will be no strangers to vert skate followers. Takeshi became the youngest professional vert skater to turn professional at the age of nine in 1995. His older brother Eito is famous for his repertoire of tricks including the twister, 1080 California roll and double back-flip 180.
Byron is another serious threat in the vert competition.
The dual champion of both the mini-mega ramp and vert in last year’s X Games will be looking to defend his titles in Shanghai.
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