Date: 08/22/01
Author: SGMA Press Release

NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - August 21, 2001: The popularity of extreme sports continues to soar like an eagle. Thanks to ESPN's coverage of the X Games; the emergence of wakeboarding; paintball's ever-expanding legion of participants; snowboarding's Olympic status; and the growing interest in outdoor activities - like mountain biking, trail running and rock climbing - extreme sports are a significant part of the sports landscape.

According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's (SGMA) analysis of the current Superstudy on Sports Participation, the dominant characteristic of the most popular extreme sports is forward movement - and sometimes at quite a rapid pace!

Following are the most popular sports in the USA by those 6 years or older, who have participated in the sport at least once in 2000.

1. In-line Skating - 29,024,000
2. Mountain Biking - 16,988,000
3. Skateboarding - 11,649,000
4. Snowboarding - 7,151,000
5. Paintball - 7,121,000
6. Artificial Wall Climbing - 6,117,000
7. Trail Running - 5,232,000
8. BMX Bicycling - 3,977,000
9. Wakeboarding - 3,581,000
10. Roller Hockey - 3,287,000
11. Street Hockey - 2,448,000
12. Mountain/Rock Climbing - 1,947,000
13. Boardsailing/Windsurfing - 655,000

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This information has been abstracted from the Superstudy conducted by American Sports Data, Inc., which monitors more than 100 sports and fitness activities.

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), owner of The Super Show®, is the trade association of North American manufacturers, producers and distributors of sports apparel, athletic footwear, fitness and sporting goods equipment. SGMA represents and supports its members through programs and strategies for sports participation, market intelligence and public policy.

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