Skateboard icon Tony Hawk just finished co-hosting the debut of skateboarding at the Tokyo Olympics—now he’s coming to Salt Lake City to host a competition and introduce his new skatepark. In partnership with Vans and the Utah Sports Commission, Hawk will be hosting the Salt Lake City Vert Event from August 27 to 28 at the Utah Fairgrounds.
The two-day skateboarding festival is free to the public and is part of the 2021 Street League Skateboarding (SLS) Championship Tour, ABC News reports. Hawk’s brand new street-style skate park will also premiere at the competition, where Hawk will be onsite for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Hawk and skate footwear and apparel company Vans first partnered together in September 2019 to donate a permanent skating facility to Salt Lake City at the Utah Fairgrounds. The new course features bowls, ramps, rails, corners, and half-pipes, according to California Skateparks, the course’s builder. It will have a more street-style feel to it with additional boxes, stairs, quarter ramps, and more.
Some of skateboarding’s top stars like Nyjah Huston, Rayssa Leal, Fabiana Delfino, Aori Nishimura, Ishod Wair, Aurelien Giraud, Matt Berger, Kelvin Hoefler, and more will be participating in the SLS Championship Tour and competing in Salt Lake City at the end of August.
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Other events like “Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert” featuring a “Legends Demo,” which will allow fans to witness tricks and big air on the vert stage, will also be included on the tour, according to Deseret News.
“Creating this two-day celebration of skateboarding in collaboration with Street League Skateboarding, Tony Hawk, and Vans after the sport’s Olympic debut will be terrific for the Utah skateboarding community as well as skateboarding globally,” Jeff Robbins said, the President & CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “I look forward to seeing some of the world’s top skateboarding athletes and Olympians compete in Salt Lake City as we continue to execute on our sport, Olympic and Paralympic legacy and showcase Utah as the State of Sport.”
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