This weekend the imaginExtreme Barcelona celebrates 10 years of history with an edition that has great news and record participation.
The Parc del Fórum is already getting ready with the 5 competition facilities and the more than 3,500m2 of activities open to all attendees.
imaginBank, the mobile-only bank of CaixaBank, continues to be the partner for this reference event among young people who combine sport, music and urban culture in the city of Barcelona.
Barcelona June 13, 2018
The 10 years of the imaginExtreme Barcelona is celebrated this weekend (June 16 and 17) in the Parc del Fòrum. It is one of the most popular urban sports festivals in Europe and this year it is presented with important news and more participants than ever.
The presentation of the event took place at the imaginCafé, an innovative space inspired by the values of the brand imaginBank, the mobile-only bank of CaixaBank.
10 years of imaginExtreme Barcelona
In 2008 the city of Barcelona offered the first edition of this festival and gave the opportunity to a large local collective to be able to enjoy first hand sports like skate, BMX or inline among others. Today, 10 years later, the city has been located as the venue for one of the most internationally recognized events for riders and followers. Jordi Roquer, imaginExtreme Barcelona Director added that “thanks to the project we have been able to weave synergies between the different groups that collaborate. The imaginExtreme Barcelona is from the city, not just from its organizers.”
This year, the imaginExtreme Barcelona will have record participation: more than 600 riders are registered in the 26 competitions of 8 sports (Scooter, BMX, inline, longboard, Streetboard, wakeboard, MTB and skate) to be held over the weekend the Parc del Fòrum. In addition, the event continues to grow in the female category, since in 2018 there are 75 girls registered and they will participate in 5 different modalities. In general terms, the event will feature riders from 45 countries and 5 different continents. Quim García, sports director of imaginExtreme Barcelona explained to us this morning: “We have expanded the number of participants both internationally and locally.”
Top level competitions
The imaginExtreme Barcelona continues to grow internationally, both for the riders who participate and for the tests held. This weekend you can enjoy two world scooter finals: the ISA (International Scooter Association) in Park mode in which participate the 60 best riders in the world and the World Street Final, which as indicated is in street mode.
The sports director, Quim García, recalled that: “In the same scenario, Central Park, all attendees can see the top 3 inline world, also in the female category, which shows that women’s sport continues to grow, and this is very important.” In this sense, Mery Muñoz, bronze medallist at World Roller Games 2017, explained that: “for me the most important thing is to make a good show. Also, that all the girls do it very well to be able to offer a great show. I will be happy if I do good tricks.” In addition, the BMX and Streetboard tests will be carried out.
The space of the cross that this year presents changes in the design and also a new competition format. The cross will once again offer the inline skate cross test, which will be within the World Skate Cross Series World Circuit and they will participate the best riders of the specialty. Cross tests will also be done on scooter, longboard and streetboard.
Dirt, more street and wakeboard, 2018 news
This 2018 is presented with important news, as the event grows both in space and sports level.A dirt jump is created where the BMX and MTB competitions will be held. Quim Garcia explained that it will be “a final show for every day, at 8pm Saturday and Sunday, with music and a lot of spectacle from the riders. We have searched for a location that will give a great visual impact. It will be a step forward for the event.”
On Saturday, in the second auditorium, the Street Park, it will be help the second edition of the BEO skate. “Barcelona is a benchmark in this sport and we will also have leading riders in the sector such as Danny León“, explains García. Who also has left us some words is the skater himself: “The level is getting higher and higher. People come from many countries and pressing hard.”
Sunday will be the moment for the competitions of BMX, scooter and inline street, three tests that are incorporated this 2018. Actually, in the presentation we could see Courage Adams, one of the best world riders of this specialty: “It is the first year that I come and in I am really looking forward to it. I want to see how the enclosure is, the ramps, the environment and especially, I want to have a great time”.
Finally, the third great sport novelty is the opening of the waters area with the wakeboard, which will host The Battle of Cables of male, female and junior categories.
Activities for all ages
As every year, the imaginExtreme Barcelona offers a wide variety of complementary activities to all attendees. It will be 3,500m2 with Open Parks to practice scooter, BMX, skate and a small space for the little ones. A wakeboard cable will also be available.
The imaginExtreme Barcelona will also be available to many young people in the city, thanks to the actions and activities carried out jointly with the Barcelona City Council. Marta Carranza, commissioner of sports of the Barcelona City Council, sees with great eyes all the work done: “When we all walk in BarcelonaBarcelona we see how they practice these sports, they are alive, they are growing and they are changing. That’s why it’s good that there are experiences. Therefore, from the City Council we have decided to go a little further and the city will celebrate next year the World Roller Games.” In this context, the executive director of the WRG Barcelona 2019, Marc Caballé, has invited everyone to come to the contest: “WRG is the union of the 11 small wheel world championships. We will have 3 styles that this weekend will be in the Parc del Fórum: Freestyle Roller, Scooter or Skate. In addition, the skateboarding competition will be a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games.”
Music, “beach” & shopping
The atmosphere is always one of the most prominent elements of the imaginExtreme Barcelona. This year the reopened water zone will offer a music scene all day, the opportunity to cool off in the sea as much as one wants and also to walk through the shops with famous brands of the sector. They will also be located on Market Street, which combines stands with foodtrucks and a picnic area.
The eSports, come into play
For the first time an eSports competition, the RiftAnalyst Cup, will be held. It is the first test of the League of Legends Storm Circuit. Mercè Delgado, CEO of Fluendo, the creator of RiftAnalyst, explains this addition: “Barcelona is a sports city. Technology and the digital world are taking a lot of force in our day to day and we consider that the imaginExtreme Barcelona was the ideal place to put the first stone of online sports, since the digital world is compatible with urban and traditional sports in Barcelona.”
imaginBank is still next to the imaginExtreme Barcelona
imaginBank, the mobile-only bank of CaixaBank, continues to be the partner of the reference event among young people who combine sport, music and urban culture in the city of Barcelona.
imaginBank and the imaginExtreme Barcelona go hand to hand in the 10th anniversary of the emblematic urban sports festival. CaixaBank accompanied the event since its inception, offering activities and promotions to the youngest.
imaginBank is the first mobile only bank in which the operation is carried out exclusively through mobile apps and social networks. It represents a step forward in CaixaBank’s innovation strategy, recognized internationally as one of the leading entities in the application of new technologies to financial services.
imaginBank gathers the experience of CaixaBank as a leading entity in technological innovation and in service to the young target. For this reason, he offers his support and gives name to the imaginExtreme Barcelona event.
