Downhill skate World Cup postponed

MANILA, Philippines–Downhill skateboarding’s Seaside World Cup, which was set to be held in Maragondon, Cavite, on April 14 has been postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It’s unfortunate. But considering everything that’s happening, we’re now eyeing to move it to around September,” Carl Sambrano, International Downhill Federation’s (IDF) president, told the Inquirer on Friday.

The Seaside World Cup, which was supposed to run until April 18, is projected to help the Philippines determine a national pool for the 2021 World Roller Games in Argentina.

The meet was also expected to draw downhill skaters from Asia-Pacific hoping to rake points for their global ranking.

“It was supposed to be our welcome to the [international] downhill skating community, as it’s our first time staging it,” said Sambrano, also the president of the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association, the Philippine NSA.

Sambrano said the Philippines’ staging of a World Cup was also a testament to the successful debut of the sport during the Southeast Asian Games here.

The international body has also withdrawn its sanctioning of Tame the Taipan in Australia, a qualification event for the Seaside WC.

“With this unprecedented situation developing rapidly and transmission rates increasing, we cannot in good faith promote upcoming races where our riders may be exposed to situations that lead to infection with, and later spread of, COVID-19,” the IDF said in a statement.

The next World Cup, the Kozakov Challenge, will be staged in the Czech Republic this July.