Extreme Sports Athletes

BMX star Ryan Guettler will lead a record contingent of 14 Australians when the world’s richest extreme sports tour begins in the US on Friday.

Up for grabs is $US3.5 million in prizemoney.

The 2007 five-city Dew Tour begins with the Panasonic Open in Baltimore and features the world’s best BMX, motocross and skateboard athletes.

Queensland’s Guettler is one of the favourites to claim the BMX Dirt and BMX Park titles, with Melbourne’s Steve McCann and America’s Scotty Cranmer among his greatest threats.

Another Queenslander, Chad Bartie, is Australia’s hope in the skateboard competition and will have his hands full against the American trio of Bucky Lasek, Ryan Sheckler and Jereme Rogers.

Blake Williams, from Baxter in Victoria, and Robbie Maddison, from Kiama in NSW, are Australia’s entrants in the freestyle motocross events.

The Dew Tour will also stop in Cleveland, Portland, Salt Lake City and Orlando over the next five months.