The 2008 ESPY's are just weeks away and some of the top athletes in action sports have been nominated. Among them are Olympic and X Games medalists and WorldChampions.
This is the sixteenth year for the annual awards ceremony that recognizes the major achievements and most unforgettable moments in sports during the past year. In addition to bringing together the top athletes from a diverse group of sports, the ESPY’s also draw a large number of celebrities and fans. In addition to many sport-specific categories, the ESPY’s also draw from BMX, motocross and other “action sports” to nominate athletes for the best male and female in action sports. In 2007 the winners were Travis Pastrana (motocross) and Sarah Burke (skiing).
The 2008 Nominees for Best Action Sport Athlete are as follows:
Nominees for Best Male Action Sport Athlete:
- Shaun White (Snowboarding and Skateboarding) White was on the US Olympic snowboarding team in 2006 and won the gold medal in Halfpipe. He is also a fourteen-time X Games and Winter X medalist and the first athlete ever to win gold in both the summer and winter events in the X Games. Last year he won his first gold in the Vert competition. In the 2008 Winter X Games, White won gold in Superpipe and a bronze in slopestyle. He also competed in the Burton European Open in 2008, placing 1st in Slopestyle, 2nd in Superpipe and claiming Overall Champ. He has also been named rider of the year several times and in a number of venues in both Skateboarding and Snowboarding.
- Chad Reed (Motocross) This Florida resident and Australian native has made quite an impression during his seven years on the Motocross and Supermoto scenes. He quickly rose in ranks and made a name for himself on the World Motocross scene and then, just as quickly won over US audiences. Reed dominated the 2008 ANA SuperCross circuit, winning nine races and earning the overall AMA World Championship. Reed will be making his fifth X Games appearance this summer. He won the bronze medal for Supermoto during the 2005 X Games.
- Kevin Robinson (BMX) One of the best vert riders in the world. He recently broke a world big air record by soaring 27 feet above the quarterpipe in Central Park. Robinson is a seven-time X Games medalist and was selected as the X Games 13 Most Outstanding Athlete. He will also be riding in the X Games this summer. This is Robinson’s first ESPY nomination.
- Kevin Pearce (Snowboarding) Pearce is a two-time Winter X Games medalist. He is also an accomplished snowboarder who won the Arctic Challenge in 2007 and Burton European Open in 2008.
Nominees for the Best Female Action Sport Athlete:
- Gretchen Bleiler (Snowboarding) Four-time Winter X Games medalist and 2006 Olympic silver medalist.
- Jessica Patterson (Motocross) Patterson will be making her first X Games appearance this year in the debut of women’s Moto X Racing. Patterson won the 2007 Women’s Motocross Association title and over her career has won 27 National Championships.
- Lindsey Jacobellis (Snowboarding) Six-time Winter X Games medalist and 2006 silver medalist.
- Stephanie Gilmore (Surfing) X Games Silver medalist, Gilmore made her first X Games appearance last year. The 19 year-old from Australia became the first surfer ever to win an ASP world title in rookie season as well as recorded four Elite Tour victories in 2007.
The16th annual ESPYs will be televised Sunday, July 20, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and available in high definition on ESPN HD.
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