Skate park's big curves may intimidate beginners

The international extreme sports fraternity recently inaugurated the world's biggest skate park in Shanghai, but thanks to its difficulty grading and low numbers of local skaters, it seems after a grand opening it may stand forlornly empty until the pros return. Earlier this month dozens of professional roller bladers, skaters and BMX riders descended upon the park - designed by the Australian firm Convic - to take part in the SMP Gravity Games. Over 22 international competitors kick-flipped, ollied and sailed their way across the virgin concrete whilst spectators and wannabes marvelled.

Since the announcement of the park's arrival, China's newest generation of skateboarders have been impatiently waiting to ride its undulating curves. However, novices will quickly learn that this is not territory for shaky rookies: "It's not for beginners, hell no － that park is ridiculous. It is really intimidating for kids," says professional skater Johnny Tang. In order to turn China's youth from gawping spectators to pro-skateboarders, he believes there needs to be more medium sized skate parks that cater to less competent skaters.

The skate park in Jiangwan district, which was built to the tune of 100 million yuan, occupies 13,700 square metres of a giant sports complex and contains a tricky terrain of bowls, banks, hips and rails. "The park will be great for professional riders and for international contests. It will be a great opportunity for Chinese skaters to learn about the sport," says Quiksilver Marketing Director Brian Hollis.

With a modest total of around 300 amateur boarders in Shanghai and a mere handful of professional skaters in China, the sport will look to the new park to increase its popularity in China's vast market. World Champions like Danny Way, who was invited by Quiksilver to jump over the Great Wall earlier this year, are helping to raise the profile of skating in Asia. The televised jump and its media circus brought boarding to the forefront of China's consciousness. Extreme sportswear companies like Quiksilver have invested a lot of money here, backing professional talent and opening new stores throughout the country. They have just opened their fifth in Shanghai and are due to open their first one in Beijing at the end of this year.

Tang, who hails from Canada, is one of three boarders that Quiksilver sponsors along with China's number one skater Che Lin and Thrasher aka Fu Lingchao. Each month the trio are paraded in shopping malls and university grounds showing off their skills in demonstration performances. Indeed, in order to help secure their market and foster the sport, Quiksilver are planning a skateboard school in East China University, to open in the next six months, where they'll teach punters the basics of handling a board.

"We're starting from grass roots really － we want to do everything from supporting athletes to building local contests for the kids." says Hollis. The company has already made significant inroads into the snowboarding market, which is, presently, China's fastest growing sport. Last month they opened a snowboard park in Shanghai, where they will be hosting one of China's only snowboard competitions in October. They plan to open four new snowboard parks in China this coming winter. By fostering the young guns, laying down the infrastructure and providing novices with plenty of inspirational figures, these lucrative and popular alternative sports may well find a place in the big-business mainstream.

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