from Powdermag.com ESPN, the action sports leader, has selected San Antonio's Alamodome and Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia, Canada) as host sites for X Games Global Championship I, a new team event scheduled for May 15-18, 2003. The annual first-of-its-kind competition, which will feature these two distinct venues hosting events in summer (San Antonio) and winter (Whistler) action sports simultaneously, will group six teams of the world's top athletes by their region. The announcement was made today as X Games VIII continued in Philadelphia by Ron Semiao, ESPN Vice President, Programming and Managing Director, Global X Games; in conjunction with Michael Abington, Alamodome Director; and Stuart Rempel, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Whistler Blackcomb. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports will combine to televise 12 original hours of coverage from X Games Global Championship I, May 17-24, 2003, while ESPN International will distribute coverage of the event worldwide. The X Games Global Championship will include 11 events from six sports categories at the two venues: San Antonio (seven events from four sports) and Whistler (four events from two sports). "We are thrilled that these world-class venues support our commitment to create a new global action sports competition," Semiao said. "Their combined event staging expertise and promotional savvy will lead to a memorable X Games Global Championship I." Abington added, "San Antonio has had a number of huge events over the years, but it's a first for us to have an event like this. I am confident that the people of our city will embrace this new event and be terrifically excited about it. We, in the city of San Antonio, are really, really proud and can't wait to start the games." Rempel said, "As North America's largest resort, we are anxious to host the X Games Global Championship. Whistler has become an epicenter for action sports culture and recreation, making this partnership a natural fit. Bringing together the world's greatest media company with the world's greatest mountain resort is the perfect marriage." The X Games Global Championship centers on the formation of six teams representing different regions of the world: U.S., Europe, Canada, South America, Asia and Australia. Each of the teams will consist of two athletes per region for each sport. Results from both venues will be combined for an overall team score. The primary outcome of the entire event will be to crown one of the six teams the X Games Global Champion. In addition to the overall team scores, individual performances will be recognized with prize money and medals. Skiing events will include men's and women's Superpipe.