STAMFORD, Connecticut *-- The SoBe Gravity Games * Amateur Skatepark * Series, a nationwide network of 35 amateur skateboard and bike competitions, is scheduled to launch on Saturday, May 17 at 12:00 Noon at the Rye Airfield * in Rye, New Hampshire *, it was announced today. The winner of Saturday's competition wins an all-expense-paid trip to the 2003 * Gravity Games in Cleveland, September 10-14, to participate in the Amateur Skate and Bike Finals.

Open since April 2002 *, Rye Airfield bills itself as "New England *'s premier skateboard park and BMX track".

"I can't think of a better place to start this amateur series than in Rye, an area known to draw some of the fiercest local talent around", said Don Meek, President of Gravity Games, LLC.

Added Mike Joyce, Director of Integrated Marketing at SoBe: "We're psyched to give kids who skate a chance to get involved … and the opportunity to skate at the Gravity Games in front of a packed house and on national television".

Entering its fifth year, Gravity Games features more than 200 of the world's best professional action sports athletes competing in Freestyle * Motocross, Skateboarding, Wakeboarding, BMX and Aggressive In-Line Skating. The event takes place at Cleveland's North Coast Harbor, behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Promoters expect the 2003 event and to include performances from "some of today's top recording artists" and draw more than 200,000 spectators.

NBC Sports reportedly will broadcast the event live from Cleveland on the final day of competition, and then for rebroadcast the event five consecutive Sundays following the event, from September 21 - October 19. Check local listings for dates and times.

SoBe products are made by the South Beach Beverage Company in Norwalk, Connecticut. Their product line focuses on herbally enhanced sports and refreshment beverages. SoBe is an "operating unit of Pepsi-Cola North America *".

The Gravity Games is a jointly owned strategic partnership between PRIMEDIA (NYSE:PRM), the leading targeted media company, and Octagon, the global sports and entertainment event marketing arm of The Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) and NBC Sports. Reportedly NBC Sports reaches more than 12 million households per year and has garnered a total of seven Emmy Nominations.

For questions regarding the Gravity Games, Contact Scot Cru, (323) 782-2443. For questions about SoBe or the their involvement with the 2003 Gravity Games, contact Kristine Hinck at (203) 899.7163.

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