IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Extreme sports

Action Sports Tour comes to Beijing next April

Beijing will enjoy all the thrills and spills of the Action Sports Tour next April thanks to broadcasting giant NBC.

The American network and the China New Media Development Zone in Beijing's Daxing District signed the cooperation contract on Wednesday to bring the world's famous extreme sports to the Chinese capital, much to the delight of Chinese X-sports fans.

X-Sports competition includes Skateboard and BMX Vert and Skateboard and BMX Park, BMX Dirt and freestyle motorcross.

But the China Leg will only feature skateboard Vert, Skateboard Park and inline skate.

Organizers will hold a series of national qualifications in February and March to select the best Chinese extreme sports athletes.

The Action Sports Tour is one of the world's leading extreme sports tours held in five cities in the United States.

MISCELLANEOUS

"Good Luck Beijing" events get boost

Thanks to the increasing urgency of Olympic preparations, "Good Luck Beijing" sports events have attracted the financial support of global giants OMRON.

The Japanese manufacturer of industrial auto products and services has already agreed to sponsor the 2007 International Badminton Invitational, 2008 Wheelchair Basketball Invitational and 2008 National Track and Field Championships.

"With the co-operation with OMRON, we've got great support from about 10 companies," said the event's organizing committee official Han Jianguo. "I am sure the events will have big success."

OMRON has also been involved in the Dalian International Marathon in the past 11 years and supports a walking campaign for the elderly in Shanghai.

Beijing to hosts world mind sports games

The recently established International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) will host the first World Mind Games after the 2008 Summer Olympics at the Beijing National Convention Center.

All IMSA games - bridge, chess, draughts and go chess - as well as Chinese chess will be represented at the inaugural World Mind Games.

It is hoped it will help pave the way to eventual Olympic inclusion.

Around 2500 athletes from 100 countries and regions are expected to take part in the event.

It has been sanctioned by the General Association of International Sports Federations and co-organized by the International Mind Sports Association, the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the State General Administration of Sports, the Beijing Municipal Bureau, the Beijing North Star Stock Co and the China Sports Media (Beijing) Co.

(China Daily 09/28/2007 page18)