Canada’s Hottest Beach Festival – Center of Gravity
Over 150 Pro Athletes Competing in Seven Different Sports
Kelowna, BC (June 21, 2012) – Canada’s Hottest Beach Festival, Center of Gravity, returns to the sandy beaches of Kelowna’s City Park this August long weekend (Aug 3-5, 2012). The festival combines some of the hottest names in electronic dance music, dance, and hip-hop with over 150 pro athletes competing in 7 different sports: beach volleyball, freestyle mountain biking, FMX, wakeboarding, skateboarding, BMX, and basketball. With expected attendance of over 28,000 fans Center of Gravity continues to provide unprecedented exposure to the athletes and their extreme sports.
The athlete lineup will include past World and Canadian champions competing in the:
• Dirt Zone: an intense mix of adrenaline and technique – Kelowna native Steve Romaniuk and 10 world class riders will tear up the Freestyle Mountain Biking course: a 30’ start ramp, big drops, jumps and dirt landings. Reagan Sieg and his crew, Jeff Fehr and Kris Foster, will host the high flying FMX shows.
• Water Zone: features a wakeboard winch jam where world-class wakeboarders and wakeskaters compete on Center of Gravity’s most technical course yet. Riders will perform on a winch park built on Hot Sands Beach with massive rails, jumps and pools. Feature riders Kevin Henshaw, Tanner Champion, and Dustin O’Ferrall will lead the grinds, tricks and flips.
• Hot Sands Beach: home to men’s and women’s Bud Light Lime Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments, where spectators will enjoy intense matches as athletes compete for the $11,500 prize pool. Fresh from their 9th place finish at the FIVB Korea Challenger, partners Kristina Valjas and Jamie Broder are ready to get in on the action at Center of Gravity. On the men’s side defending champs Maverick Hatch and Sam Schachter are back looking for a repeat win.
• Hoop Zone: home of the 4 on 4, full court competition! Coquitlam’s Drew Slaught will break from his summer AIA USA Pro Tour to challenge the likes of Vancouver’s Scott Morrison who powers the basketball court for Poland Czarni Slupsk (TBL). Clayton Crellin (Grayson County College Texas), will also be one to watch throwing down massive dunks in the Slam Dunk competition.
• Urban Zone: brings street cred to Center of Gravity. Skateboarders and BMX riders such as JABCR3W members Matt Jensen and Paul Jensen compete in the Jubilee Bowl of City Park, DJs spin hip-hop and urban beats, with shows from B-Boys and other dancer crews.
“Many of the sports we feature do not normally get these kinds of crowds, but the combination of music and sports feed off each other. Wet Ape has made Center of Gravity a must-attend for music or sports fan in Western Canada,” explains Scott Emslie, Wet Ape Productions founder. “This year is going to be our biggest yet; from a 30’ ramp for freestyle mountain bikers to the massive rails on the winch jam, we’ve built our courses so that fans can be right in the action as they watch top athletes compete.”
Center of Gravity 3-day sport and music passes are SOLD OUT; Friday and Sunday single day sport and music passes are available for $79.50; and Sport Passes are available for $19.50 – $29.50 / day. Kids 12 and under are FREE with paying adult. To view complete line-up times, accommodations and to purchase tickets, visit www.centerofgravity.ca
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About Center of Gravity:
Center of Gravity takes place on the beautiful sandy beaches of Kelowna’s City Park along Okanagan Lake Aug 3 – 5, 2012. It features concerts each evening, DJs shows, 3 stages, beverage gardens, bikini contests, after parties each night, and over 150 pro athletes competing in 7 different sports: beach volleyball, freestyle mountain biking, FMX, wakeboarding, skateboarding, BMX, and basketball. The Center of Gravity is Canada’s hottest beach festival. www.centerofgravity.ca
About Wet Ape Productions:
Scott Emslie founded Wet Ape in 2007. With a background as a professional volleyball player, Scott decided to produce a large beach volleyball event called “VolleyFest” (2007). The event was a success and Scott and his team were hooked on the thrill of creating cool new events. Since 2007 the team hasn’t looked back and Wet Ape is the proud owner of Canada’s hottest beach festival, Center of Gravity, which draws 25,000 – 28,000 guests a year; as well as, the inaugural KELOHA Music and Arts Festival which is expected to draw 15,000 – 20,000 in it’s first year. Wet Ape is also now producing large-scale arena shows and outdoor concerts with some of the biggest names in electronic dance music including Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Afrojack, and Tiesto.
Center of Gravity’s Adrenaline-Filled Sports Lineup: Times subject to change.
Friday, August 3, 2012
10:00AM – 5:00PM Beach Volleyball – Hot Stands Beach
10:00AM – 7:00PM Basketball – Hoop Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM Winch Jam Session– Water Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM BMX/Skate Jam Session – Urban Zone
1:00PM – 1:30PM FMX Jam Session – Moto Zone
1:30PM – 2:00PM FMB Jam Session – Dirt Zone
1:30PM – 2:15PM Skate Comp Round 1 – Urban Zone
2:15PM – 3:15PM Winch Jam Round 1 – Water Zone
2:45PM – 3:45PM FMX/FMB Mayhem Session – Dirt Zone
3:00PM – 4:00PM TBD – Dirt Stage
3:15PM – 4:00PM BMX Round 1 – Urban Zone
4:30PM – 5:00PM Winch Jam Session – Water Zone
5:00PM – 6:00PM BMX/Skate Session – Urban Zone
Saturday, August 4, 2012
9:00AM – 8:00PM Basketball – Hoop Zone
9:00AM – 8:00PM Beach Volleyball – Hot Stands Beach
11:00AM – 12:00PM Winch Jam Session– Water Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM BMX/Skate Jam Session – Urban Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM FMX Round 3 – Moto Zone
12:30PM – 1:00PM FMB Jam Session – Dirt Zone
1:30PM – 2:15PM Skate Comp Round 2 – Urban Zone
2:15PM – 3:15PM Winch Jam Round 2 – Water Zone
2:30PM – 3:00PM FMX Round 4 – Moto Zone
3:00PM – 4:00PM FMB Best Line Competition – Dirt Zone
3:15PM – 4:00PM BMX Comp Round 2 – Urban Zone
4:00PM – 4:30PM Slam Dunk Competition – Hoop Zone
4:30PM – 5:00PM Winch Jam Session – Water Zone
5:00PM – 5:30PM FMX/FMB Mayhem Session – Dirt Zone
5:00PM – 6:00PM BMX/Skate Jam Session – Urban Zone
Sunday, August 5, 2012
9:00AM – 7:00PM Basketball – Hoop Zone
9:00AM – 6:00PM Beach Volleyball – Hot Stands Beach
11:00AM – 12:00PM Winch Jam Session– Water Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM BMX/Skate Jam Session – Urban Zone
12:00PM – 12:30PM FMX Round 5 – Moto Zone
12:30PM – 1:00PM FMB Jam Session – Dirt Zone
1:30PM – 2:15PM Skate Comp Final Round – Urban Zone
2:15PM – 3:15PM Winch Jam Round 3 – Water Zone
2:30PM – 3:00PM FMX Round 6 – Moto Zone
3:00PM – 4:00PM FMB Best Trick Competition – Dirt Zone
3:15PM – 4:00PM BMX Comp Final Round – Urban Zone
4:30PM – 5:00PM Winch Jam Session– Water Zone
4:30PM – 6:00PM Beach Volleyball Mens Final– Hot Sands
5:00PM – 5:30PM FMX/FMB Mayhem Session – Dirt Zone
5:00PM – 6:00PM BMX/Skate Jam Session – Urban Zone
6:00PM – 7:00PM Basketball Finals – Hoop Zone
