The Dew Action Sports Tour has kicked off the Free Flow Tour, a "grassroots amateur skateboard and BMX park contest series" that is the official amateur series of the Dew Action Sports Tour. The Free Flow Tour began May 15 at the Vans Skatepark * in Moorestown, New Jersey *, and brings jam-style contests to 15 communities across the country.

Judged by the tour's road crew staff and their guest judges, the tour is open to all competitors, male and female, under the age of 18. Registration is limited to 120 entrants at each site.

The tour will include skate competitions at 15 sites and BMX competitions at seven site, and the top skate and BMX finishers at each stop will be flown to the Dew Action Sports Tour’s Vans Invitational in Portland, Oregon *, for the Free Flow Tour Finals, where "one champion will be crowned in each sport. Each overall amateur champion will win a wild card spot to compete against the pros at the tour's last stop at PlayStation * Pro skatepark in Orlando, Florida *.

The tour hopes to draw thousands of participants and spectators to each of its scheduled stops. All registered competitors will take home Free Flow Tour products. A post-event party following each contest is planned where event attendees can hang out, and receive autographs and gear.

“It is important that we provide amateur skateboarders and BMX riders the chance to develop and showcase their skills,” said Wade Martin, General Manager, Dew Action Sports Tour. “The Free Flow Tour is a great environment for amateur development and offers participants the chance to get noticed in their sports on a national level.”

The tour's rado crew is composed of "accomplished skaters and BMX riders", who will accompany the tour to retail shops and skate and BMX spots throughout the country in order to "hang, skate and ride with local kids". The Road Crew also distributes giveaway items..

The 2005 * tour schedule includes the following dates and locations

5/15 Moorestown, New Jersey Vans Skatepark

5/21-22 Louisville, Kentucky * Louisville ExtremePark (includes BMX contest; TJ Lavin and Steve McCann to attend)

5/28 Cincinnati, Ohio * The Rock

6/4 Chicago, Illinois * Krush Skatepark

6/12-13 Orlando, Florida Vans Skatepark (includes BMX contest)

6/18-19 Madison, Wisconsis 4 Season Skatepark (includes BMX contest; TJ Lavin and Fuzzy Hall to attend)

6/25 Denver, Colorado * Denver Skatepark

7/2-3 Salt Lake City, Utah * Binary Skatepark (TJ Lavin and Fuzzy Hall to attend)

7/9 Phoenix, Arizona * Phoenix Skatepark

7/16 Encinitas, California * Encinitas YMCA

7/19-20 Orange, California Vans Skatepark (includes BMX contest)

7/23 Sacramento, California Folsom Skatepark

7/30 Sunnyvale, California Sunnyvale Skatepark

7/31 Petaluma, California Ramp Rats Park (includes BMX contest)

8/6-7 Portland, Oregon Dept. of Skateboarding (includes BMX contest; Fuzzy Hall to attend)

8/13 Seattle *, Washington * Skatebarn - West

8/17-18 Portland, Oregon Rose Quarter (includes BMX contest and Freeflow Tour Finals)

10/13 Orlando, Florida TD Waterhouse Centre (includes Dew Action Sports Tour Finals at PlayStation® Pro)

Contest registration forms are available at participating skateparks *, skate shops, sporting goods stores and at www.dewactionsportstour.com/freeflow. There is a $10 entry fee, and participants who are not members of the host skatepark must bring a parent or guardian to the event to sign a liability waver.

More information about the tour can be found at www.dewactionsportstour.com including park details, event dates and times, special events and pro athlete appearances. The site reportedly will also feature a travel diary written by members of the road crew, with photos and recaps of competitions at each location.

The Dew Actions Sports Tour is owned by NBC Universal and Clear Channel Entertainment, and NBC and USA * Network reportedly plan to produce for 32 original hours of exclusive Dew Action Sports Tour coverage – which they claim will be "the largest combined network and cable commitment in action sports". Founding partners of the tour include Mountain Dew, Panasonic *, Right Guard Xtreme, Vans, Toyota and PlayStation. Also joining the Tour as associate sponsors are OXY Acne Solutions, Peanut Chews and Pacific Cycle - the owner and supplier of Mongoose, Schwinn, and GT bicycle brands.

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