Extreme athletes display skills at ‘XRebels Show’

Young children interested in skateboarding and riding BMX bikes can learn from professional extreme sports athletes, especially during ‘demo sessions’ held every Friday evening in Entertainment City at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).Entertainment City, which runs until September 5, houses the XRebels Park by Qatar-based extreme sports magazine Xtork. The park is a crowd favourite, especially for kids who love skateboarding, rollerblading, BMX and parkour.The park is also open to extreme sports athletes and enthusiasts, who now have an indoor venue to practise, hang out or showcase their skills during the summer.Olan Santos, operations and online co-ordinator at  Xtork, said the objective of the demo session or ‘XRebels Show’ is to inspire children as well as X-sports enthusiasts to get into extreme sports. The show starts at 7.30pm and runs for 30 minutes.According to Santos, the park has athletes who represent different types of extreme sports. Children playing at the park are usually assisted by professional staff from Xtork, he adds.Santos, who specialises in longboarding, said the show involves skilled to pro riders such as Patrick Villacorta, Moe Abdallah (skateboard); Bruce Azarraga (longboard); Lambert Correa, Gustav Brandt (BMX), Andrey Lutsevich (parkour); and Dave Legazpi (rollerblades).Santos said, “The XRebels Show is like a YouTube video except that it is raw, live and without cuts. The audience can also see the athletes bail out or fall during difficult manoeuvres. “I believe this is important because the show teaches children the value of discipline, perseverance and dedication to one’s craft. Even the pros make mistakes and I hope that these kids would realise that it’s okay to make mistakes and that there’s no better way than to just pick yourself up and start all over.”Santos said skateboarding, BMX and rollerblading can also help teach a child valuable life lessons, build self-confidence and overcome fear, especially when he or she is attempting to execute certain tricks. “These hobbies can also help a child create and cultivate lasting friendships, which could grow as their skills progress. Having new friends also means that there will be people who will support you and help you stay committed and focused to perfecting your craft,” he stressed.Asked about the extreme sports scene in Qatar, Santos said there is a growing community of professionals and enthusiasts.“There is increased interest even among young children; these sports are gaining ground. And with the right guidance and proper facilities, more children can train properly and could pursue the sport as they grow older. It would be better if an indoor facility would be built so that more people could play all year round,” he said.