New York— April 19, 2005 — The Dew Action Sports Tour today announced the kickoff of the Free Flow Tour, the official amateur series of the Dew Action Sports Tour.  A grassroots amateur skateboard and BMX park contest series, the Free Flow Tour will bring jam-style contests to 15 communities across the country.  The Free Flow Tour begins May 15 at the Vans Skatepark in Moorestown, NJ. 

The Free Flow Tour will include skate competitions at 15 sites and BMX competitions at seven sites.  The top skate and BMX finishers at each stop will be flown to the Dew Action Sports Tour’s Vans® Invitational in Portland, OR, for the Free Flow Tour Finals, where one champion will be crowned in each sport.  Each overall champion will win a wild card spot to compete against the pros at the Dew Action Sports Tour’s last stop, the PlayStation® Pro in Orlando, FL.

“It is important that we provide amateur skateboarders and BMX riders the chance to develop and showcase their skills,” said Wade Martin, General Manager, Dew Action Sports Tour.  “The Free Flow Tour is a great environment for amateur development and offers participants the chance to get noticed in their sports on a national level.”

The Free Flow Tour Road Crew, all accomplished skaters and BMX riders, will drive a Toyota Tundra and Free Flow Tour Trailer to retail shops and skate and BMX spots throughout the country to hang, skate and ride with local kids.  The Road Crew will distribute giveaways and spread the word about the Free Flow Tour and the Dew Action Sports Tour.                             

The 2005 Free Flow Tour schedule includes the following dates and locations:

Schedule subject to change.  All sites, with exception of Petaluma, CA, will hold skateboarding contests.  Bolded sites indicate locations that will host BMX contests.

The Free Flow Tour expects to draw thousands of enthusiastic participants and spectators to each of its scheduled stops.  All competitors will take home Free Flow Tour giveaways with event registration.  Following each contest, there will be a post-event party where event attendees can receive autographs from visiting professional action sports athletes, free gear and much more.

Judged by road crew staff and guest judges, the Free Flow Tour is open to all competitors, male and female, under the age of 18.  Registration is open to 120 entrants at each site.  Contest registration forms are available at participating skateparks, area skate shops, sporting goods stores and at www.dewactionsportstour.com/freeflow. There is a $10 entry fee, and participants who are not members of the host skatepark must bring a parent or guardian to the event to sign a liability waver. 

Adding to the excitement this year are confirmed appearances by the following Mongoose/Schwinn riders and Dew Action Sports Tour competitors:

May 22, Louisville:         TJ Lavin and Steve McCann

June 18, Madison:          TJ Lavin and Fuzzy Hall

July 2, Salt Lake City:    TJ Lavin and Fuzzy Hall

August 6, Portland:        Fuzzy Hall

The Dew Action Sports Tour’s website, www.dewactionsportstour.com, is the source for all information related to the Free Flow Tour, including park details, skate and BMX dates, event start times, special events and pro athlete appearances.  The site will also feature a travel diary written by members of the Free Flow Tour Road Crew, photos and recaps of competitions in each Free Flow Tour city.

ABOUT THE DEW ACTION SPORTS TOUR

Owned by NBC Universal and Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports, the Dew Action Sports Tour debuts in June 2005, and consists of five major, multi-sport events with a cumulative points system, a competitive purse of $2.5 million – the biggest in action sports – and a $1 Million Bonus Pool based upon year-/files/storyimages/standings.  NBC and USA Network will combine for 32 original hours of exclusive Dew Action Sports Tour coverage – the largest combined network and cable commitment in action sports. In addition to the primary sports of skateboarding (park and vert), BMX (park, vert, and dirt) and freestyle motocross, each tour stop will feature a unique “specialty comp.” At season’s end, the Tour will award champions in the six combined disciplines of skateboarding, BMX and freestyle motocross with the Dew Cup.  Key lifestyle elements at each Tour event’s festival village will include live cutting-edge music, video gaming, and interactive events.

The Dew Action Sports Tour’s founding partners include Mountain Dew (tour title sponsor); and Panasonic, Right Guard Xtreme, Vans®, Toyota and PlayStation® (event title sponsors).  Also joining the Tour as associate sponsors are OXY® Acne Solutions, Peanut Chews® and Pacific Cycle™ - the owner and supplier of Mongoose®, Schwinn®, and GT® bicycle brands.