Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) has consistently been an unrivaled destination for skateboarding since its opening in 1993, as both a breeding ground of innovative and up-and-coming talent and the host of the two most defining skateboard contests for both amateur and professional skateboarders embraced by the broader skateboarding community. Many of today’s skateboarding greats have claimed the podium at SPoT events, including a list of SLS Pros such as Paul Rodriguez, Luan Oliveira, Torey Pudwill, Trevor Colden, Bastien Salabanzi, and the reigning SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Champion, Nyjah Huston. As a result of the SLS / SPoT partnership, the opportunity now exists for the two highest finishing non-SLS Pros of the Tampa Pro contest to join the League to compete in the 2015 SLS Nike SB World Tour.
Similarly to Tampa Pro, Tampa Am and the newly renovated Damn Am Series will also now become feeders into the SLS system, giving the best Am skateboarders an opportunity to catapult their careers. For the first time in Street League history, Tampa Am will serve as the first opportunity for an amateur skateboarder to move on to the SLS Pro Open to compete against a pool of hopeful Pro skateboarders vying for a spot in the SLS Nike SB World Tour. The amateur that is awarded the title ‘Damn Am of the Year’ at the end of the Series will also earn a place in the SLS Pro Open the following year.
P-Rod
So what all of this means in simple terms? “SLS and SPoT are elite in their own way, so the alignment will allow both of us to excel, but with the help of each other's strengths,” says founder and owner of SPoT, Brian Schaefer. “Specifically it will allow us to elevate our existing events, just as they are, to another platform and larger audience. It's not only going to be great for our events, but for the entire skateboarding world.”
Paul Rodriguez
“There are no other events in skateboarding with as much history and legacy as Skatepark of Tampa events,” says Brian Atlas, President of SLS. “Not only are these prized events going to be hosted on Streetleague.com, but Tampa Pro will also be the perfect event to determine the next two pros that qualify into SLS for 2015 and which skateboarders qualify into the SLS Pro Open via Tampa Am,” Atlas continued. “More than ever, young skateboarders need a defined group of events that are both connected and elevated due to how fragmented and undefined this category of skateboarding is, and this partnership achieves that.”
Chris Cole
“It’s sick that any kid now has a chance to come up through Tampa Am and possibly make his way into Street League,” says Nike SB athlete and newest SLS Pro, Trevor Colden. “With there being a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, it will push kids to try harder and we'll be able to see some amazing skateboarding.”
Trevor Colden - nollieflip crook
“I’ve been skating in Skatepark of Tampa owned contests since I was young and I can say first hand that I understand how winning Tampa Am in 2005 helped move my professional career forward," says the 2014 SLS Super Crown World Champion, Nyjah Huston. “And Tampa Pro has always been one of those historic contests I wanted to win and was able to pull thru in 2014. Having new ways to qualify into SLS changes the game in a good way for skateboarding and creates a way for kids to truly aim high."
reigning SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Champion, Nyjah Huston
With such announcement, the SPoT legacy will be stronger than ever with their reach now extended to a larger global audience through a true partnership with SLS, who will be hosting the Tampa Pro international webcast on StreetLeague.com. This year’s Tampa Pro is set to initiate the 2015 SLS Nike SB World Tour on March 20-22 with the live international webcast exclusively on www.streetleague.com. Check it out.
Photos: ©SLS
Source: http://www.streetleague.com
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