How is the X Air up there

FMX


History: Motorbike enthusiasts have been racing their off-road bikes around dirty fields since the word hooning was coined. Freestyle Motocross (or FMX) came about when behind-the-scenes footage was shot of riders doing huge jumps and then performing tricks while in the air. During the mid-to-late 90s FMX became a specialist sport in its own right, making its first official appearance at the X*Games in San Francisco in 1999. Since then it has become a huge crowd-pleaser, mainly because riders have a tendency to launch themselves off jumps up to 22m in the air and to do increasingly outrageous tricks.

The prizewinning trick: Backflips. Only about 20 riders in the world can do them.

You might not know this: But having seen the freestyle motocross riders in action, crazed and jealous snowmobile riders have launched their own version of FMX. Called Freestyle SnoCross (or FSX), the riders perform aerial and other tricks using their bigger, heavier - and therefore more frightening - snowmobiles.

Local hero to watch: Nick Franklin is probably this country's highest profile FMX rider. He has won the past two X-Airs and is also the only New Zealander to land a backflip.

International to watch: American FMX riders tend to dominate international competitions. However, the only riders competing against a strong New Zealand contingent this year are Australians.

Sprechen sie vert? (essential information you should know): It's usually easy for the crowd to see which tricks are hard, says Franklin. "Then again, some combos where you link one trick to another in the air can look quite easy when they're actually very hard."

FMX looks the most dangerous of them all. Is it? "Obviously motor sport does have its risks, but it's probably not as bad as people think," Franklin explains. "I mean, we all put practice into it and we've done those tricks you see before. And we have protective clothing on." But, he adds, "I guess the consequences of a crash can be pretty bad when you're coming off a 100kg motorbike from maybe eight to 10 metres in the air." Having said all that, the worst the 22-year-old from Tokoroa has done is break his big toe after filming jumps on a windy day. "And it didn't even hurt that much," he laughs.

How to make friends with an FMX rider: "Everyone's always worried about whether they are riding well, so maybe if you just tell them, "Hey, that was a good run. Your tricks were sick," Franklin advises.

Street cred rating: * * *

SKATEBOARDING

History: Just as humans evolved from amoeba, skateboards came from the humble scooter in the 1900s - that is, small wooden platforms with four wheels on the sides and some sort of handlebar nailed to the top. Eventually the handlebars were removed, and since the 1950s, when skateboards began to look more as we know them today, that basic piece of wood with rollerskate wheels has changed beyond recognition. It also started to become associated with surfing culture. Skateboarding has had periods of both popularity and downturn. Over the decades the emphasis has moved from sidewalk surfers cruising in California to international athletes executing technically difficult tricks in purpose-built terrain parks.

The prizewinning trick: It's hard to say exactly what that might be, says Chey Ataria, last year's X*Air skateboarding winner. "Probably the sort of trick where you almost break your leg," he laughs "For instance, there's a set of stairs with a handle running down one side. If you do something off that rail or the stairs, that's usually a bit of a crowd-pleaser. People want to see you almost kill yourself," he comments, wryly.

You might not know this but: Probably the most expensive skateboard in the world is made by BMW. It's the fancy-schmancy Street Carver and, with a price tag of around $1000, is the sort of toy a young bride might buy her ageing millionaire husband. You're unlikely to see any at the X*Air games.

Local hero: Chey Ataria, holder of three national titles. Tommy Flynn and Nick Lister should provide stiff competition for the 29-year-old father.

International to watch: Sandro Dias, the Brazilian skateboarder who blew audiences away last year; is ranked No 1 in the world.

How to become one of the above? To become professional you would probably have to leave the country, Ataria says. That's because most of the magazines and videos are produced in the States. A New Zealander living in San Diego, Gareth Stehr, "is doing well and he'll probably make a decent living out of skateboarding."

Sprechen sie vert? (essential phrases you should know): Vert refers to skateboarders doing tricks on a ramp. Street refers to skateboarding on, and doing tricks around, objects you might find in the street, such as benches, stairs, concrete mounds and handrails.

Street cred rating: * * * * *

BMX

History: In 1971 an American motocross film called On Any Sunday featured a bunch of southern Californian children, too young to ride motor bikes, emulating their favourite dirt bike riders on a dusty trail, except that the kids were on pedal-propelled bicycles they had modified themselves. That movie is credited with introducing BMX, short for bicycle motocross, to Americans. BMX became a huge trend and soon bicycles were being made especially by companies like Yamaha to withstand the havoc wreaked upon them on dirt tracks and street corners.

The prizewinning trick: There is a difference between tricks that look good and those that are technical. For instance, someone doing a backflip would be visually impressive, explains local rider Haimona Ngata, who had the best qualifying time to get into the X*Air competition and who has just returned from a BMX safari to the US. But a tail whip to nose pick, where you do a tail whip but you land on the front wheel, is more technically impressive to other riders.

You might not know this but: BMX was originally called pedal-cross.

Local hero to watch: Dave Manconi, who has unfortunately dislocated his knee, is a New Zealander who has placed well in overseas competitions. Watch out for Ngata, who will also be commentating at the event.

International to watch: Ryan Nyquist and Josh Harrington, who will both be appearing at the X*Air.

Good advice for beginners:"I think most riders want to do street," comments Ngata, "because that's the big drawcard, the crowd gets really into it and things get out of hand. It is also the easiest thing for beginners to start on because they don't need any special equipment. Bikes cost anything from between $500 and $5000, and once you have your vehicle you can just start trying tricks on the street."

Sprechen sie vert? Dirt BMX involves riders going over a course that incorporates dirt jumps and trying to do tricks while airborne over those jumps. Street BMX is the same as street skateboarding - you perform tricks on and around obstacles you might encounter on the street.

How to make friends with a BMX rider: "Tell them they did a nice turndown. They'll be psyched," Ngata says knowingly.

How to spot a BMX rider: They have scars on their shins or calves and their right trouser legs have sprocket marks.

How dangerous is it? Broken limbs are the most common injury because the rider often gets tangled up in the bike. "We're also usually falling from a higher point," says Ngata, whose worst injury was a life-threatening lacerated spleen.

Street cred rating: * * * *

WAKEBOARDING

History: As with so many of the X*Air style sports, wakeboarding too evolved out of the never-ending pursuit of surfable waves. Probably the first place that wakeboards, or anything like them, were seen would have been when surfers were towed out into the surf by boats. Then, in the mid-80s, a San Diego surfer made the first wakeboard. The Skurfer, as it was so cleverly named, basically was an adapted surfboard with straps for the riders' feet. It was designed so surfers could ride on the waves behind boats when the ocean was flat. Since then wakeboards have changed, becoming thinner, more durable and more manoeuvrable, allowing riders to become airborne behind their tow-boats and do crazy tricks.

The prizewinning trick: This year the wakeboarding course on Lake Karapiro will include a giant ramp, and insiders say a slide right along its 24m, then a 540-degree spin off the end, would put you into contention. Then again, a more straightforward 900-degree spin is also hard to beat.

You might not know this but: Wakeboarding is the fastest-growing watersport in the world.

Local hero to watch: Jeff Weatherall. Less than a week ago the 22-year-old New Zealander, now living on Australia's Gold Coast, became the first international competitor to win a round of the Australian Pro Tour of Wakeboarding. He's now coming second overall, and his future as an international athlete looks bright.

International to watch: American Andrew Adkison, who won the X*Air wake- boarding last year.

Sprechen sie vert? By travelling at a lower speed than in waterskiing and by carrying extra weight, the wakeboarders tow-boat kicks up a big wake. The rider uses this wake as a launch ramp, getting airborne and performing a variety of tricks. These range from skate or snowboard- inspired grabs and spins to impressive flips and jumps.

How to impress a wakeboarder: Instead of saying, "Gosh, the water looks smooth", you could sound cool and sophisticated by saying, "Hey man, the water is butter".

Street cred rating: * *

INLINE SKATING

History: In 1980 two ice-hockey-playing brothers in Minneapolis saw a pair of second-hand rollerskates that had been made with their wheels in a line. The resemblance to ice skates was obvious and the brothers decided these skates would be great for practising ice hockey techniques in summer. They cunningly went on to make their own, sold these to friends and eventually formed a small company to produce the so-called Rollerblades. The rest is history. By 1984 they had sold their company to a larger firm which marketed these new skates internationally. Five years later there were more than three million in-line skaters in America alone.

The prizewinning trick: Backflips are the latest thing, say those in the know.

You might not know this: There's another discipline of in-line skating that sees competitors racing a downhill event similar to snow skiers.

Local hero to watch: Pat McIvor, who was the world amateur champion in 2000.

International to watch: ShaneYost. The Australian is one of the only in-line skaters round who can pull off a 1260 - that's a spin three and a half times around. "But it's one of those tricks I have never been able to guarantee success every time. Because you take off and land forwards, if it all goes badly wrong you land on your face," he says. "I like to think that when the planets are aligned correctly I'll land it," he laughs and concludes, "Basically if I feel like it [at the X*Air], I'll do it."

How to become one of the above: "If there's something you want to know, don't be afraid to come and say hello to the pros," Yost says. "We're lucky in our sport because there are a lot of really cool dudes. They all love talking about what they do and they always want to get people involved."

How to impress an in-line skater: "Well, if you really wanted to, I guess you could just roll off a whole lot of names of tricks," Yost admits reluctantly. He says he'd rather people were just themselves. Tricks like true spin to alley oop to topside sole, or maybe a flat spin 900, should dazzle most of 'em.

Why does in-line skating have such a low street cred rating? "I know what you mean," Yost sighs, "but I think in-line skating has its own credibility these days. I think maybe it comes down to the fact that in-line skating is a relative newcomer. And when you've got a whole bunch of guys - skateboarders, skaters and BMX guys - competing for space in a terrain park, you can just imagine the new kid is the one who is going to get yelled at for being in the way. I don't think you can say one is harder than the other, either. It would be like comparing soccer with rugby. I think the main thing everyone has in common is a passion for their sport."

Street cred rating: *