With a brilliant sun overhead and the ocean within yards, the Pantech Beach Championships landed in Ocean City Thursday.
Enthusiastic Dew Tour fans packed the beach to watch competition in skateboarding, BMX bike riding and surfing. Even the practice runs were popular as onlookers lined up along the fence as early as 10 a.m. to watch athletes like 15-year-old Mitchie Brusco take on the BMX Mega 2.0.
Some of the star Dew Tour athletes were out for the early morning practice, including skateboarders Pierre-Luc Gagnon, Andy Macdonald and Bob Burnquist.
Dew Cup Champion and Nottingham, England, native Jamie Bestwick shared his enthusiasm for the Ocean City stop of the Dew Tour.
I mean who doesnt enjoy ramps on the beach, said Bestwick, who recently returned from watching the Summer Olympics in his home country. The East Coast knows whats up when it comes to action sports. Theyre great fans.
Skateboarders Burnquist and Baltimore native Bucky Lasek - sporting orange and black shoes for his hometown Orioles - were also on hand to promote the launch of the event. Lasek competes this afternoon in the skate bowl, taking on Pedro Barros.
The action sports tour returns to Ocean City for the second year in a row as part of the new "Beach, City, Mountain" format for the event. Each tour stop will include expanded and new sports and disciplines, and an enhanced on-site experience featuring more live music and a new "Dew Tour Experience." After the Ocean City event, the tour will move to San Francisco for the "City" event, Oct. 18-21, and then conclude in Breckenridge, Colo., with the "Mountain" stop Dec. 13-16.
This evening's competition includes Chris Miller, Steve Caballero and Lance Mountain taking on each other in the Skate Legends skatebowl.
Surfers will also be the center of attention as Eric and Evan Geiselman compete against some of O.C.s best in the GoDaddy.com Surf
Expression Session. The surf session will feature the sounds of RAC, who will be spinning tracks on the beach as the contest takes over the Inlet under the lights.
All of the action takes place near Dorchester Street and the beach and admission to the events is free.
And don't forget to visit the fan-centered Dew Tour Experience, which opens at noon today.
