It’s officially the hottest weekend we’ve had all summer and there’s no better way to spend your time than working on your tan while checking out the bad-A, hot, BMX boys biking around in Grant Park. Sure, some of them may have just graduated from high school and are yet to turn the big 2-1, but you can still swoon over their talent. To officially jumpstart the Dew Tour weekend festivities, tonight at the Chicago Theatre, Lupe Fiasco and Lady Sovereign will be performing. Did you get your tickets?
The Dew Tour Nike 6.0 BMX Open is one of five action sport events that takes place from June through October. And ladies, this is not your average bicycle race. The Tour awards champions in the six disciplines (see BMX for dummies below) with the Dew Cup at season’s end based on a cumulative points system. What’s more, there’s prize money. A lot of it. There’s $2.5 million – the largest in action sports – and an additional $1 million bonus pool based upon year-end standings.
Earlier this week, I had a chance to sit down and chat with BMX prodigy Dennis Enarson (hold back ladies, he’s only 18), one of the top riders in the country and emerging super star in the international BMX circuit. MTV2 is currently filming a documentary on his ascent to fame in the action sports world and cameras are capturing his journey of how he’s managed to balance high school, family, friends, and oh yeah, that little side job he has as a professional BMX-er. It’s interesting because BMX athletes are a rare breed – they need to have the explosive legs of a racer, the strength and flexibility of an acrobat and some major guts. Impressive. Dennis, who just graduated from high school in La Mesa, California, is forgoing the standard college route and will be competing in U.S.-based competitions in addition to traveling around the world filming BMX videos in fab destinations such as Barcelona and Australia with his friends – I think he’s onto something.
And, of course, action sports and sponsorships come hand in hand, so after I chatted with Dennis over coffee, I ended up taking home a huge carton of Matador Beef Links and I couldn’t help but notice his shaggy hair was peeking out from underneath a Rockstar Energy Drink hat. For anyone interested in popping by to meet the man in person, he’ll be signing autographs at the “MATADORium” from 2:30 – 3:30 pm on Saturday, June 26th.
BMX for Dummies:
BMX = Bicycle Motorcross
There are four types of BMX competition:
- Street (riders compete in teams of three)
- Park (think jumps and tricks like a skate park)
- Dirt (think big mounds of hard dirt)
- Vert (think half pipe)
