(Sacramento, Calif. – Sept. 4, 2013) – The pro vert lineup for the 2013 Kimberley Diamond Cup presented by Kumba Iron Ore was announced today. The world championship contest, taking place in Kimberley, South Africa from 27 – 29 September, will feature the best professional street and vert skateboarders from around the world competing for a shot at a world championship title and their share of the $500,000 US prize purse, the largest single-event prize purse in skateboarding.
PLG, Elliot Sloan and Mitchie Brusco among Pros Competing for World Championship Title and Vert Skateboarding’s Largest Prize Purse.
Kimberley Diamond Cup replaces the Maloof Money Cup world championships, which ended its run in South Africa last year. The new event, a partnership between the Northern Cape Provincial Government, World Skateboarding Grand Prix, and Kumba Iron Ore, was named in homage to the host city’s history as the location of South Africa’s first diamond mine and its distinction as “The Diamond City.”
The Kimberley Diamond Cup Vert Championships will take place on a custom vert ramp and a big air ramp located in the state-of-the-art Kumba Skate Plaza designed by California Skate Parks, the global leader in skate park design. The top cash prize for vert is $60,000, the largest in the industry, with an additional $10,000 up for grabs in the Best Trick contest.
The guys are battling it out in Cape Town this weekend at the 2nd KDC Grand Slam event. Shit is gonna go down!
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the Kimberley Diamond Cup, this will be my third trip to South Africa,” said Pro Skater and 17-time X Games medalist Pierre Luc Gagnon. “The management group always hosts the best quality events that really stand out from the rest; not to mention the biggest prize purse in Vert! See you guys out there. Heeeweeego!”
Leading the list of pro vert skaters competing this year includes Pierre Luc Gagnon (PLG), Elliot Sloan, Mitchie Brusco, Andy MacDonald, Ronaldo Gomes, Jimmy Wilkins, Marcelo Bastos, Jono Schwan and Adam Taylor.
“I’m looking forward to the Kimberley Diamond Cup. It’s going to be bigger and better than ever. We’ve got more skaters than ever before and they truly represent the best of the skateboarding world,” said Mark Waters, operations manager for World Skateboarding Grand Prix. “This truly is one of the best contest management teams I’ve ever been associated with and I’m looking forward to seeing some mind blowing skating. I can’t wait to watch the vert and big air contests. These guys bring everything they’ve got and watching that event with every skater crowded around always makes for a high intensity contest.”
“This year’s competition promises to be better than ever. Skate enthusiasts from around the world and across the country are gearing up for an adrenaline-packed contest,” said Patrick Seboko, Head of the Northern Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “We have partnered with US-based World Skateboarding Grand Prix, which leads a team of international skate experts who have been responsible for many of the innovations in skateboarding contests over the last six years, including the Maloof Money Cup. The Kimberley Diamond Cup will cement the reputation of Kimberley and the Northern Cape as a world-class skateboarding destination.”
For the latest news and information, visit www.kimberleydiamondcup.com or follow KDC on Twitter and Facebook. Also check back to my blog on Monday [here] or follow me on Twitter @MrCPT. I am giving away a KDC Hamper worth a few thousand bucks!
