Santa Fe Springs, CA – Vans * has announced the complete schedule for the Vans Triple Crown * Series, which Vans calls the leading series of world-class competitions and lifestyle events in Core Sports. Encompassing 18 events across the United States *, the 2003 * Triple Crown Series will present a selection of skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, wakeboarding, BMX and freestyle * motocross athletes as they vie for the title of Vans Triple Crown Champion in each sport. Highlights in this year’s schedule are to include first time stops in the New York City * metro area, New Orleans and Minneapolis. It's also planned that all 18 events will be telecast on either NBC Sports or Fox Sports Net as part of the networks’ coverage of the Vans Triple Crown Series.

"Last year more than 275,000 fans attended Vans Triple Crown events and nearly 40 million viewers watched Vans Triple Crown action on NBC Sports and Fox Sports Net," said Jay Wilson, Vans vice president of entertainment. "We’re excited to offer fans around the country the opportunity to see the best Core Sports athletes and events in the world."

According to Vans, the Triple Crown Series now carries the largest prize purse in Core Sports history -- more than $2,000,000 annually. Names billed to compete this year include skateboarders Geoff Rowley *, Bob Burnquist *, and Eric Koston *; snowboarders Ross Powers, Danny Kass, Daniel Franck, and Tara Dakides; surfers Kelly Slater and Megan Abubo; BMX riders Dave Mirra *, Cory Nastazio, and Stephen Murray; wakeboarders Darin Shapiro and Tara Hamilton; and freestyle motocrossers Kenny Bartram, Dustin Miller, and Tommy Clowers.

2003 Vans Triple Crown Schedule: Event and Broadcast Dates

Built Ford Tough Champs of Snowboarding January 23-26 NBC – April 5/ 2 PM EST (Mammoth Mountain, California *)
Vans North American Champs of Snowboarding March 6-9 FSN – April 10 / 4 PM Local (Big Bear, California)
XBox Pro of Freestyle Motocross April 4-5 NBC – Aug. 9/3:30 PM EST (Minneapolis, Minnesota *)
Vans Wakeboard Pro April 24-27 FSN – June 12 / 4 PM Local (Fort Worth, Texas *)
Vans Slam City Jam * May 1-4 NBC – May 10 / 5:00 PM EDT (Vancouver, British Columbia *)
Mountain Dew National Champs of Skate May 29 – June 1 NBC – June 22 / 2:00 PM EDT (Liberty State Park, New Jersey *)
Mountain Dew National Champs of BMX June 27-29 NBC – July 12 / 5:00 PM EDT (Denver, Colorado *)
Right Guard BMX Champs July 11-14 NBC – August 2 / 5:00 PM EDT (Cleveland, Ohio *)
Built Ford Tough WWA Wakeboard Nationals August 21-24 NBC – September 27 / 5:00 PM EDT (Indianapolis, Indiana *)
XBox World Champs of Skate September 25-28 NBC – December 20 / 3:00 PM EST (Oceanside, California)
Vans Champs of BMX September 25-28 FSN – October 30 / 4 PM Local (Oceanside, California)
Mountain Dew WWA Wakeboard Worlds October 3-5 FSN – November 20 / 4 PM Local (Orlando, Florida *)
Mountain Dew National Champs of FMX October 10-11 FSN – November 13 / 4 PM Local (New Orleans, Louisianna)
Vans Freestyle Motocross Champs November 7-8 FSN – December 4 / 4 PM Local (Richmond, Virginia *)
Vans Hawaiian Pro November FSN – TBA (North Shore, Hawaii *)
Rip Curl * Cup November FSN – TBA (North Shore, Hawaii)
Mountain Dew Pro Nationals of Snowboarding December 11-14 NBC – TBA (Breckenridge, Colorado)
XBox Pipeline Masters December NBC - TBA (North Shore, Hawaii)

Ten of 18 Vans Triple Crown Series events are to air nationally on NBC Sports, with the remaining eight to air during the Vans "Off the Wall" programming block Tuesday and Thursday afternoons on Fox Sports Net. The Vans "Off the Wall" hour airs during the popular 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. after-school time slot, with an overnight repeat airing.

NBC Sports produces a variety of Skateboarding, Snowboarding, BMX and Freestyle Motocross events for the Vans Triple Crown Series. Reportedly, Emmy Award-winning Producer Billy Matthews, considered one of the leading production voices for action sports, will work with Vans’ "Off the Wall Productions" Coordinating Producer Brian Murphy to oversee the Vans Triple Crown Series broadcasts.

According to Vans, The Triple Crown Series is sponsored in part by companies including: Ford Trucks *, Mountain Dew, Microsoft *, Right Guard Xtreme, Transworld * Media, Fox Sports Net, and NBC Sports.

Vans (Nasdaq: VANS) bills themselves as a leading worldwide brand for Core Sports specializing in performance and lifestyle footwear, apparel, snowboard boots and bindings. Vans' contributions to Core Sports include the Vans Triple Crown™ Series, the operation of 11 Vans Skateparks *, the High Cascade Snowboard Camp *, majority ownership of the Vans Warped Tour *“ and the continued sponsorship Vans World Amateur Skateboarding Championships. According to the company, Vans products are sold in the United States through 169 company owned stores and factory outlets, as well as through a network of independent retailers, and Vans also distributes to approximately 50 countries internationally through distributors, sales agents and foreign subsidiaries.

For more information, visit the Vans website, or call Chris Overholser at (562) 565-8372, or Shelley Neumyer at (562) 565-8300.

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