World Skateboarding Championships for the Northern Cape
09 June 2010
Kimberley, in the Northen Cape, is set to hold the Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championships between September 30th and October 2nd, 2011. |
Hosted by the Northern Cape Tourism Authority, the formal announcement made during South Africa’s largest tourism trade show, Indaba, featured a speech by the Premier of the Northern Cape, H. Hazel Jenkins and a live video chat with Joe Maloof.
“For the first time in the history of the event, the Maloof Money Cup will go beyond the shores of America to the African continent and more specifically right here in Kimberley, South Africa,” said Jenkins. She added that the skatepark and vert ramp, being built for the contest and then donated to the community, will be a significant contribution that will encourage the development of its youth, by providing them with a healthy, affordable recreational activity. Having a world class street course and vert ramp in Kimberley will also put South Africa on the map as a premier destination for skateboarders from around the world.
Joe Maloof said that South African officials, from the Northern Cape, attended last summer’s Maloof Money Cup and expressed interest in holding a similar competition in their country. "They want South Africa to be known as a place for action sports, and for sports like that, skateboarding fits the mold,'' said Maloof, adding that South African officials are passionate about developing skateboarding, because they view it as an inexpensive sport for young people.
Previous Maloof Money Cups have been based in the USA, attracting the world’s best skateboarders, with this year’s winner of the MMC in New York, Chris Cole, walking away with $100,000 in prize money on Sunday, June 6th.
