Friday, August 02, 2002
Dishing clean dirt on X-Games
By SEAN McCANN
The (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier-Post
PHILADELPHIA — The X-Games, returning to the area in less than two weeks, have built a reputation on bringing the impossible to life.
The action sport athletes showcased annually by the games seemingly defy the limits of physics and sanity.
But clean dirt?
“The dirt really isn't special in any way other than that it's clean,” said Maria Elles, a marketing and communications manager for ESPN, the organizer of the X-Games.
She was standing outside the First Union Center Thursday. The parking lot behind her was covered with 400 truckloads of dirt.
“It doesn't have any glass or stones or trash in it,” Elles said. “When the Moto X and Bicycle Stunt Dirt events start here and also inside the First Union Center, you'll see. There won't be any hard chunks or anything.
“This will be immaculate dirt.”
The X-Games officially begin Aug. 10 at Philadelphia's City Hall with the skateboarding street competition. Action begins at the First Union Center Aug. 15, when the dirt will finally get a workout.
Under the direction of Moto X course designer Dave Herron, three large bulldozers shifted and sculpted the dirt into piles Thursday. Other crew members wet it down with a hose.
“That's to get the right consistency, so it'll pack correctly,” Elles said. “We always try to get the dirt from someplace local so we don't have to haul it that far. Last year we got it from Delaware, and I think it's someplace similar this year, New Jersey or Delaware.”
Elles said the most remarkable thing about the dirt is what the course designers can do with it, especially inside the arena.
“We have the best in everything in action sports here,” she said. “That includes the best athletes, the best organizers, the best designers and the best crews. After the Bicycle Stunt Dirt is over on Aug. 17, they'll have to break the entire course down and rebuild another one for the Moto X Step Up on the 18th.”
Construction also was under way on the courses for other events, both inside and outside the First Union Center. The half-pipe for the bicycle events was nearly finished on the floor of the Center, with the skateboarding half-pipe close behind.
Outside in the parking lot, most of the noise came from the North side of the building, where course designer John Taylor and his crew were assembling two park courses.
“For the first time ever in X-Games history, we'll have two separate courses, one for skateboarders and another separate one for bikes and inline,” Taylor said. “It allows us to use a lot more sport-specific pieces and make the course a lot more exciting.
“For example, on the bike course, we have a piece that goes 18 feet high. A skateboarder wouldn't even look at that piece.”
One crew also was busy erecting the scaffolding that will serve as the skeleton for the Speedclimbing events. When the events at the First Union Center start, the X-Games logo will hail fans from the top of the 72-foot tower.
Sports Stories
Reds 6, Dodgers 4
Reds box, runs
Reds GM sorry for remarks
DAUGHERTY: The day Bowden lost all perspective
Despite lack of big-name deal, Bowden confident
Clearing waivers complicates post-deadline trades
Labor dispute down to dollars, sense
Cardinals turn majors' fourth triple play this season
Clemens throws seven innings in rehabilitation start
NL Roundup
AL roundup
Dillon dishing out determination
Kitna will start scrimmage
Bulked-up White impresses early in Browns camp
Hall steps back, ceremonies move to stadium
Japanese LB a keeper for 49ers
Kirkland adjusts to new team, role with Eagles
Steelers president recounts hard landing
Dishing clean dirt on X-Games
