The Nutrilite Extreme Sports Challenge, a skateboard, BMX and inline skating competition originally to be held this weekend outside Taipei's New York New York shopping mall, has been postponed on account of the destruction caused by Typhoon Nari.
Organizers said that the competition, which is still planned to include seven professional inline skaters from the US, Japan and Europe, will be moved back to late October or early November. A revised date for the contest will be released as soon as clean-up at the venue is completed and rescheduling can be assessed, they said.
Rains from Nari flooded the three basement levels of the mall and of yesterday afternoon the shopping complex was still without power as workers pumped water out of the underground parking. The sidewalks and plazas outside the mall, where the street course and vert ramps were to be set up, were full of salvaged furniture and soggy office supplies.
Though storm damage will change the date, it will effect no other major changes in the competition, organizers said.
The event's major focus will be on aggressive inline skating, which has recently experienced a significant drop in popularity in the US, though it has managed to hang on in Europe and Asia. Within the last year, several inline pros in the US have moved over to more popular sports, especially skateboarding.
Nevertheless, seven international pro inline skaters, including former world No. 1 Matt Lindenmuth of the US, will compete in Taipei with top local inline skaters for a prize of US$10,000. Competitions for local talent will also be held in skateboarding and BMX.
The Nutrilite Challenge is sanctioned by the Aggressive Skaters Association, the main international body behind most inline skating competitions.
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