The 2007 ESPY awards are set to go down this Sunday, July 15th, and we are prouder than a mother hen. This year, five of the top girls in actions sports have been recognized for their outstanding performances last season in the Best Female Action Sports Athlete category, and we could honestly care less about who wins. For us, it’s not who wins, but the fact that they are being recognized at all. The ESPY Awards Show is a prestigious sports award show that celebrates the year’s standout athletes throughout the sports world. Just to be recognized by the ESPYs is an honour.
Not only does the category help to represent the growing interest in women’s action sports – but it also helps to recognize those standout individuals that have helped to progress the movement. The five women below, have had record years in their particular area of expertise, and have helped to raise the bar in competitive action sports. We honestly don’t care who takes home the ESPY, the fact that they’re nominated is testament enough to their influence, not only in the action sports world, but the sports world as a whole.
Here’s a look at the nominees:
TORAH BRIGHT – Snowboarder (pictured)
Roxy snowboarder Torah Bright had an amazing performance this past winter. Bright lit up the snowboard scene winning the TTR Snowboarding Championship, the World Superpipe Championship, the Burton Global Open Series Championship, and to top it all off, she snagged the gold at this past winter’s X Games.
JAMIE ANDERSON – Snowboarder
16-year-old snowboarder Jamie Anderson got her shred on this past winter, snagging the gold in slopestyle at this winter’s X-Games in addition to 2nd place at the Vans Cup and Vail Session. Anderson made her debut on the snowboarding scene in 2006 when she pocketed the bronze medal and earned the title as the youngest athlete to earn a medal in X-Games history
LAYNE BEACHLEY – Surfer
Australian surfer, Layne Beachley is unstoppable – this past winter she bagged her 7th World Title, making her the most decorated woman in the history of surfing. She is currently sitting in 4th place on the ASP World Tour, as she attempts to snatch number 8.
Beachley had the recent honour of coaching the World Team at the 1st ever women’s X-Games surf competition, which unfortunately her team lost a slim 55-52.
SARAH BURKE – Skier
After years of golden X-Games dreams, free skier Sarah Burke threw a massive 900 this past winter, to bag her first ever X-Games Gold in the skiing superpipe. Burke has also grabbed gold in the US Open halfpipe competition in 2005 and 2006 and silver in the US Open slopestyle in 2005 and 2006.
ELISSA STEAMER – Skater
Elissa Steamer’s skating career has been punctuated by a handful of firsts: she was the first girl in the game to be outfitted with her own signature skate deck and shoes, and even more importantly she was the first and only girl featured in Tony Hawk’s infamous video game, which we all know can be the defining moment in a skater’s career. However, the most important first in Elissa Steamer’s distinguished career was when she became the first and only girl to win the gold in the 2004 summer X-Games skateboarding competition. Even better, a stubborn Steamer has refused to share the wealth, and has rocked it the last three consecutive years, making her the ONLY girl to have ever accessorized with the skateboarding gold. Steamer is set to defend her title this summer at the X-Games XIII in Los Angeles, California.
Make sure to check out the ESPYs this Sunday, July 15th at 9pm ET on ESPN and root for the girls!
Words: Nina Kiersted
