Why, you might ask, doesn't skateboarding have an equivalent of a major league series, in which athletes compete over a long period of time to determine who is the world champion?

Mini-series like the Vans *' Triple Crown * and the LG Action Sports Championships choose an event champion at the outset, but only last a few days.

Some athletes apparently consider the upcoming Dew Action Sports tour as a kind of extreme sports world series.

"The whole concept in years past is a one-shot deal and some people aren't lucky enough to be in at that time to catch it or just don't fit it into what they're viewing,' BMX rider Jamie Bestwick said. "With this five-stop tour, it gives people a chance to get into what we're doing and get behind some of the riders...'

Bestwick reportedly disliked the "one-shot' concept at last summer's X Games at Staples Center. When motocross' Step Up competition went nearly an hour long, and with all the competition on live television, the start of the BMX halfpipe * competition was delayed. This caused him to lose rhythm because of the delay and finish sixth. Thus one of the event's favorites missed a podium finish and valuable television and sponsor exposure.

"I think the Dew Action Sports Tour is going to be pretty cool because it's the first time this has ever happened a legitimate tour for action sport riders,' he said. "I think it's going to bring a lot of fans to action sports that have not necessarily been there before.'

The tour is scheduled to make five stops in as many months with competitors garnering points at each event. The first event is scheduled for June 8-12 in Louiville, Kentucky *, and other events are to take place in Denver, Colorado *; Portland, Oregon *, San Jose, California *, and Orlando, Florida *.

Event organizers reportedly will pay a total of $2.5M to the "season-ending points leaders in skateboard, BMX and freestyle * motocross." Vert and street skateboarding will be included, as will vert, street and dirt BMX.

"The Dew Action Sports Tour is an awesome idea,' said famous BMX rider Dave Mirra *. "(It's great) to have a five-stop tour that gives you something to shoot for like a year- end title, and just knowing where you're going to be every month, instead of just one big-bang event at the end of August. It's something that you will work hard for all year and at the end of the year look back and say, 'It's well worth it.'"

"What's good about five events is you're not out if you don't do great at the first one or second or any of them,' Mirra said. "You think about longevity and you want to stay consistent. So you're definitely going to train differently and have to be consistent and try to tame your runs just a little bit to try to stay focused on five events instead of just one.'

Mirra, and Bestwick, along with skateboarders Bucky Lasek *, Ryan Sheckler *, Paul Rodriguez * and motocross rider Nate Adams met recently in Malibu to shoot commercials for the games.

Rodriguez said it reminds him of his amateur days of competition.

"It reminds me of when I used to skate CASL (California Amateur Skateboard League) back in the day,' he recalled. "It just brings me back to the good old days. It's pretty cool and I'm psyched to be in it with all the guys who are in it. It's an honor and just an awesome idea. It's good for skating and all action sports.'

This article was based on "Athletes ready to do the Dew" by Keith Lair, San Gabriel Valley Tribune Staff Writer found at http://www.sgvtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,205~29579~2749960,00.html

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