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MegaRamp ASA Triples invades Times Square with Air in the Square
Check out the Broadcast of Air in the Square on Fox Sports Net (FSN) and Fuel TV throughout July and August beginning on July 22 at 5p and 11p on FSN. Check your local listings for times and dates in your area!
NEW YORK, NY - In front of massive crowds in the heart of Times Square, Colton Satterfield made personal history by winning his first pro contest at the MegaRamp ASA Triples event entitled "Air in the Square". Satterfield came out on top amongst a star-studded field of BMX pros that included Ryan Nyquist, Daniel Dhers, Mike Spinner, Brett Banasiewicz, Steve McCann and 6 other world-class riders in the MegaRamp ASA Triples' unique head-to-head format.
Satterfield was not only the most consistent rider of the day, but he also threw a few banger tricks along the way, including a 360 triple whip and a backflip bar-spin to late tail whip. He didn't make life easy for himself as he became only the second person in history to win the event while coming through the Battle Back Round. The Battle Back Round gives all of the riders who are defeated in Round 1 and the quarterfinals one more chance to make it to the event's semi-finals as the "Lucky Loser".
Satterfield, a 21-year old from Salt Lake City, topped young phenom, Pat Casey (Yorba Linda, CA), in the finals despite a beautiful nose-dip 360 triple tail-whip from Casey in his second run. Casey finished second while Vince Byron (Brisbane, Aus.) and Banasiewicz (South Bend, IN) tied for third.
Along the way, Satterfield single-handedly took out a who's who of BMX: Dhers, Nyquist, Spinner, Banasiewicz, Casey and 2010 Champion, Zack Warden, to win the title. After winning two stops on the MegaRamp ASA Triples Tour in 2010, Banasiewicz was the heavy pre-event favorite for the title and beat Colton in the quarter-finals with what was arguably the best run of the day (no handed front flip back-clap to cash roll to double downside whip on the quarter-pipe) sending Colton into the Battle Back Round. Despite the long road and longer odds, Satterfield emerged victorious.
"This is my first win in a major pro contest, so I'm really stoked," said Satterfield. "I've always said that the ASA events are my favorite, but this was the gnarliest, sickest contest ever. Every single rider I rode against made me do things that I did not necessarily want to do, but I knew I that I had to go for it each time against such an crazy list of riders."
Despite losing to Casey in the quarterfinals, James Foster (Redlands, CA) earned the "Chase Best Trick of the Day" with a super-clean double front flip that he landed an amazing 5 times in a row.
With the huge crowds and electric environment of ramps set-up right on Broadway, the athletes had an amazing experience. "The atmosphere was just the best", said 3rd place finisher Vince Byron. "I loved it. It was so good to be in New York City riding a contest in front of all those people. You couldn't ask for much more."
Added Ryan Nyquist, "I was excited about it, but when I finally rolled up and saw the setting where the ramps were, I was thinking 'wow this is gonna be nuts. This is gonna be awesome.' And it was!"
After the BMX competition, the MegaRamp ASA Triples course was adjusted slightly for skateboarders who took to the 195-foot long course, with a 25-foot high roll-in, two 25-foot jumps and a 14-foot quarter-pipe. Superstars Bob Burnquist (Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil), Andy Macdonald (Boston, Mass.) and Pierre-Luc Gagnon (Montreal, Canada) joined a filed of nine top pros skating in a unique session style contest where the fans selected the winner.
In the end, 14 year old wonder-kid Mitchie Brusco and his arsenal of huge, stylish tricks captured the hearts of New York as the crowd voted him the champion over the heavily the favored Burnquist, PLG and Macdonald.
It was just the second time skateboarders had ever ridden the MegaRamp ASA Triples ramps, but the skaters put on an incredible show. Macdonald thrilled fans with old school and new school tricks, including a double kickflip on the quarter-pipe, while Burnquist stole the show with a massive Christ Air back-flip and a frontside rodeo 540 on the quarter.
But, after all the amazing tricks, the crowd was on Brusco's side. "I was having so much fun then I started talking to the crowd, and I guess they liked me. I still can't believe that for some reason they decided to choose me," said Brusco. "It was amazing to be in the middle of Times Square with all those people at arguably the busiest intersection in America."
The skaters enjoyed the unparalleled atmosphere of a contest in Times Square as much as the BMXers. "I would have never imagined if you had told me 20 years ago that 'one day you're gonna skate a contest in the middle of Times Square and they're gonna close down Broadway so that bikes and skateboards can ride ramps'. That's crazy, that'll never happen. Yet, here we are," said Macdonald. "The crowd was super-hyped. To do an event in the heart of New York City, that's it. It doesn't get any better."
Air in the Square is the first event produced by the recently announced partnership between ASA Entertainment and Madison Square Garden to bring major new action sports events to the New York market. This amazing contest in the heart of Times Square is just the start of big things to come from MSG Action Sports and ASA.
The event will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net and Fuel TV as part of eight hours of national television coverage in July and August with the initial broadcasts being held on July 22 at 5:00p and 11:00p.
For more information on the MegaRamp ASA Triples, please contact Rick Bratman at 321-722-9300 x201 or via email at rick@asaent.com.
About ASA Entertainment
Founded in 1994, ASA Entertainment Group, LLC is an action sports event, television and content production agency focused on creating and executing customized, turn-key marketing programs that range in scale from grassroots to global. ASA's events, featuring skateboarding, BMX, inline skating, freestyle motocross, snowboarding, surfing and music, are broadcast domestically on eight networks (including CBS and Fox Sports Net), and distributed to more than 700 million HH globally via 30 international broadcast partners. ASA's productions span the spectrum from large, international competitions such as the Action Sports World Championships, ASA Action Sports World Tour, the World Championships of Freestyle Motocross, The Supergirl Jam Series and the MegaRamp ASA Triples to amateur contests, lifestyle and branded entertainment events, demonstrations, exhibitions, school programs and mobile tours. After 17 years as a leader in action sports, ASA Entertainment regularly connects brands to consumers through its platform of premium action sports and lifestyle content. For more information, visit ASAentertainment.com or ActionSportsTour.com.
About The Madison Square Garden Company
The Madison Square Garden Company is a fully-integrated sports, media and entertainment business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive the company's overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that the company creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of owning and operating sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Connecticut Whale (AHL). MSG Sports also features the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, track and field and tennis, as well as MSG Action Sports, an action sports and lifestyle division. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from MSG's venues. MSG Media consists of the MSG Networks (MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD) regional sports networks and the Fuse Networks (Fuse and Fuse HD), a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Entertainment is one of the country's leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG's diverse collection of venues. These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the Chicago Theatre and the Wang Theatre. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.
About MegaRamp Events
The MegaRamp was the brainchild of skateboarder Danny Way. Since its debut in 2004 MegaRamp has transformed both skateboarding and BMX live events. MegaRamp brings the world's best athletes together where excitement, innovation and excellence are a guarantee. MegaRamp Events controls rights in the MegaRamp name, trademarks and related rights. MegaRamp Productions produces MegaRamp live events. For more information check out www.megaramp.com, join MegaRamp on Facebook and follow MegaRamp on Twitter for all the latest Mega news.