“COOL: SAN FRANCISCO & SHAKESPEARE”

This year, Icer Air will move “outside,” taking its Big Air (as well as pro skate, BMX, and motocross) event to McCovey Cove. It’ll also return to its one-day format, packing in all highlights into just nine hours. Once the gates open, the first competition will be only 30 minutes away.

Attendees will have access to all events, with the pro-skate and BMX park competition kicking things off (12:30 p.m.). Riders will be put into heats of 10, with each rider given two 60-second runs. The top two riders will advance to the Finals, where they’ll be given another two 60-second runs to show off their best tricks.

As for the freestyle motocross (1 p.m. start), this exhibition of backflips, supermans, and lazyboys will be performed throughout the day by top X-Gamers and Dew Tour athletes.

The Big Air preliminary competition begins at 1:30 p.m., with 14 pro skiers and snowboarders competing for the Final seven spots (each). The open jam session will allow athletes to jump as many times as they want within the two hours. The top scorers will advance to the second and Final round (5 p.m. start), where each will be given three jumps. The best score will take home the top prize.

A bit of history. The first Icer Air took place on September 29, 2005, when a total of 15,000 people watched skiers and snowboarders take to Fillmore Street. The urban Big Air competition was the first of its kind in the United States and was a major success. The following year, it moved to AT&T Park and saw its attendance nearly double. This year, it moves to outside the stadium, to the water, at McCovey Cove. Let’s hope the weather cooperates and makes for another perfect Saturday.

• What: Icer Air 2008 (presented by Esurance)

• Where: McCovey Cove, Lot A
• Tickets: General admission $28, VIP tickets $48, family-four pack is $88
• Website: www.icerair.com
• Contact: 1.415.227.4656
• Remember: Gates open at 12 p.m., with the Big Air finals scheduled to take place 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

^{* Icer Air, 2007. Photo (c) PsychaSec. Some rights reserved under the Creative Commons License.}