Salt Lake X'd Out

Some riders in the field, like Brian Deegan (former WFA WorldChampion), Tommy Clowers (current WFA World Champion), Clifford Adoptante,Chris Rourke and "Mad" Mike Jones...

already have X Games slots based on winningprevious X Games medals, so they'll be competing for a share of the $30,000purse, ESPN coverage and points for the overall 2001 WFA World ChampionshipTitle.

But on the bubble for the career-making X Games are riding legends like Carey"Vegas" Hart, who will be making his return to competition for the first timesince performing a back flip at the Gravity Games over a year ago, along withthe likes of Ronnie Faisst, Mike Metzger and Jeremy Stenberg, monstrous namesin search of precious qualifying points. Adding more fuel to the competitivefire will be a host of fearless up-and-coming young riders, like Dustin Miller,Doug Parsons and Nate Adams, who have been riding smaller feeder tours and nodoubt will bust big with something to prove - along with seeking X Gamespoints.

"This promises to be perhaps the fiercest fought event in freestyle history,"commented Paul Taublieb, president of LXD, the event producer. "They'll becompeting in freestyle, step-up and a one-hit big air competition, and the XGames are on the line in every case. These guys are heroes on bikes, and expectthem to be pushing the boundaries of sanity and gravity like never before. Thiswill be an unforgettable, history-making event. Nothing less, I promise you."

Tickets are available at the E Center Box Office, a smithtix.com, or by calling801-467-TIXX (or 800-888-TIXX). Doors open at 7 PM, event starts at 8 PM, bothnights.