Locals meet action sports heroes
Winter Dew Tour comes to Salt Lake City
David Patterson
Issue date: 1/26/10 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Maybe there was more to team sports than just that, but for a lot of kids, if you wanted them to run faster and jump higher, you better have some incentive on the sideline, and something with sugar!
That was back in the early 90s though. The Michael Jordans, Brett Favres and Barry Bonds are no longer the only athletic icons. A new age is upon us with the Dew Tour in Salt Lake City from Jan. 14 to 17.
Today's kids face a whole new world in terms of athleticism. A world that many from Generation Y have carved out of the woodwork and one that is facilitating the independent dreams and passions of the uprising generation.
This winter's Dew Tour stop at Snow Basin, was pure evidence of this evolving culture. There, at the most credible action sports tour in the world, 13 year-old Gabe Geary and a record turnout of nearly 30,000 people gathered to watch the finest in extreme sports.
At skiing slope style practice, Geary and his friends were completely star-struck. For this crew and thousands of other fans, it's not about the Jazz game or NFL playoffs this weekend. Instead, it's about seeing Simon Dumont and their other snow heroes.
"Skiing is our life!" said Geary. The North Ogden local has been skiing since he was two years old and had Dumont signatures on his goggles, helmet, jacket and cell phone.
Dumont, who stopped his routine for a quick autograph, ended up staying a moment to talk with the group of kids and snap photos with them all. Something that isn't typical to see, especially when there are only a few moments to practice before the actual event. "Now I'm going to remember this forever," said Geary.
Geary's mother was in the crowd with a smile from ear to ear. "To see that your kid's hero is nice…means so much," she said. "There are so many freaks."
And freaks many of them are. Only a decade ago these heroes were the black sheep rebels of the town. Fighting mainstream sports and fashion, they set out to do what they loved with no guarantee of a future. It was self-expression and passion, nothing more. Say what you want, but they probably didn't see the six-figure contracts that would eventually evolve from companies like Nike, Monster and Red Bull.
It was a road less traveled.
Take Colby West of Canterbury, N.H. for example. For West the road was, well, the road. West spent much of his time living out of his car and following the snow. "It just was too much fun," said West in a Canadian accent (West is not Canadian) when asked about why he kept skiing.
West said he and his car lived right here in Utah for a few seasons. A not-so-ideal situation, but West pursued his passion at the right time. His dedication and personality were eventually recognized by several emerging sponsors that now pay his way.
Other evidence of the evolution of action sports, is the Dew Tour coming to Utah. Given Salt Lake City's infamous "conservative" reputation, many were shocked at the record-breaking attendance at the Dew Tour's first attempt in Utah during the summer of 2007.
"We were nervous," said BJ Carretta, Marketing Director of the Dew Tour. Despite proven participation statistics in action sports in Utah, Carretta said they weren't sure if the city would accept the culture of action sport events.
But Utah accepted it. Not only were the first year's numbers surprising, but of all other places the tour goes, (Baltimore, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, Portland) Salt Lake continues to be one of the best attended events.
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