Extreme sports: PXP joins the FISE!

Nearly a year before the Olympic Games, from May 17 to 21, 2023, the 26th edition of FISE (International Festival of Extreme Sports) took place, one of the biggest events showcasing urban sports.

A major event for urban sports, the FISE in Montpellier is the must-attend gathering for all extreme sports lovers. Top pro and amateur athletes met on the banks of the Lez River to ignite the Montpellier crowd as well as fans from all over France. In total, nearly 500,000 spectators flocked to witness an impressive show delivered by 2,000 athletes performing tricks! The event was even more anticipated as it hosted two Olympic qualifying events this year and included six World Cup stages, including Breaking and BMX Freestyle Park, now part of the Olympic sports. Other popular sports represented include street skateboarding, freestyle scooter, and freestyle rollerblading.

French sensations On the results side, we can be proud of our French athletes. During the BMX Freestyle World Cup final, local hero Anthony Jeanjean thrilled the crowds. Highly anticipated, he took second place just behind Australian Olympic champion Logan Martin. On the women's side, Laury Perez made a big splash by finishing third! The French also performed well in other disciplines, notably Julien Cudot, winner of the Roller Freestyle Park event, and Estéban Clot, who impressed in the freestyle scooter park competition.

Project X Paris at the heart of the show Away from the stands, the FISE experience is also intense. Parties, activities, and an exhibitor village to find your favorite brands. Project X Paris couldn’t miss the chance to show up there. We were present at the event thanks notably to Thomas, one of our Montpellier retailers (big shout out to them) who proudly represented PXP! Our teams were obviously on site to bring you the event live through our Instagram stories. To mark the occasion, we didn’t hesitate to offer exclusive products such as stickers to stick on your board, scooter, or BMX, as well as skateboards! A first for our brand! Inspired by our latest SS23 collection, the 5 skateboard models feature different decks. Some very sleek like the black one with the PXP logo or the pale pink with the signature logo, and more graphic models featuring skate culture codes like smileys or the red and black with broken hearts, a nod to the heartbreaker collection.

Streetwear and urban sports closely linked Project X Paris, France’s number 1 streetwear brand, has established itself at the core of skateboarding and bike life culture. Our collections have attracted an audience seeking stylish and comfortable clothing. Among the most popular outfits from our collections are the full logo caps available in 10 different colors to always match your outfit, the signature tank tops to wear fitted or oversized, the hoodies, a streetwear symbol on their own, and regular jeans accessorized with sneakers with a strong vintage look.

BMX, skate: Increasingly popular disciplines in France Once stigmatized, these street sports are now widely democratized. The rise of social networks massively promotes these sports. “I’ve been living off my sport for about twenty years, I’m lucky to be sponsored but I must admit social media changed everything,” said Alex Jumelin, four-time BMX Flat Land world champion, speaking on France Info. Once niche disciplines have now managed to carve out a place and a name, bringing notoriety and a fresh perspective. While urban sports are not new, they long suffered from a bad image. Born from counter-culture, they first appeared in the late 1950s. Due to lack of financial means or infrastructures, kids and teens took to the streets of big cities to gather and play together. The rules were more flexible than in stadiums and gyms, and this wave of freedom, increasingly appreciated in the late 60s and early 70s, gave rise to new practices in formerly strictly regulated sports. This is when street skate and roller became full-fledged sports.

Bike life: A way of life In the following years, these sports, lived as a lifestyle by their community, became the emblem of those who want to challenge the system. Once associated with a marginalized style, these extreme athletes were often seen as undesirable. Thanks to the power of social media and companies like Red Bull, their reputation took a 180-degree turn to come back strong in the 2000s. New looks, new targets, the skateboarding world rebuilt a smoother image and attracted new recruits. Highly Instagrammable, a new trend and new stars emerged, attracting more and more people to grind in skateparks. The attendance is so high that urban facilities struggle to meet demand. Young and old alike seem passionate about these new sports that can be practiced anywhere and even become a new mode of transportation. One thing is certain: urban sports will continue to inspire many generations!