FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marcus Rietema
Phone: (951) 532-6378
rietema_m@yahoo.com
www.gravity-sports.com
WorldÕs Top Ranked Downhill Skateboarders To Race
For IGSA 2005 Title In South Africa
December 8, 2005, Cape Town, South Africa— International downhill skateboard speedster Sebastian ÒBassiÓ Haller of Stuttgart, Germany, will be racing against a world class field this weekend for the title in the 2005 International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) World Cup Series Championship at the ÒHot Heels AfricaÓ race.
2004 World Cup Series Champion Haller is currently in second place behind Thomas Edstrand. But Edstrand wonÕt be competing this weekend due to other commitments. So it is up to Haller to finish fourth or better to win the 2005 IGSA Championship. Earning a fourth place finish wonÕt be an easy task for Haller. 2003 IGSA World Champion Martin Siegrist from Switzerland, newly crowned 2005 South African Champion Mike Zietsman, 2005 Brazilian Champion Luis Lins and many more of the worlds best downhill skateboarders have come to South Africa to make a run for the title. The starting grid should be one of the strongest seen all year.
ÒDownhill skateboarding is becoming fiercely competitive. This is the most impressive international field ever to skate for the IGSA World Cup title,Ó stated IGSA President Marcus Rietema.
The event is being organized by the South African Gravity Racing Association (SAGRA) and will be run in the Kogelberg Biosphere Nature Reserve, about 80 km (50mi) outside of Cape Town. Competitors will race on a 1.9 km (1.2mi) road that cuts right through the nature reserve. Top speeds for downhill skateboarding will be in the 70km/h (44mph) plus range.
The International Gravity sports Association (IGSA) is an international sanctioning body for gravity racing sports, athletes and events, featuring a 5-race World Cup Championship Series for 2005. IGSA events involve head to head downhill racing competitions where participants routinely reach speeds in excess of 110km/h (65mph) as they hurtle themselves down mountain roads negotiating ninety degree bends and hairpin corners.
Qualifying is set to begin on Saturday at 7:00am EST / 2:00pm UTC. Finals are slated for Sunday and set to begin at 7:00am EST / 2:00pm UTC. For additional information on this event and SAGRA go to www.sagra.co.za. For information on gravity racing sports, event stats and IGSA info, go to www.gravity-sports.com.