Over 260 skaters from 20 country for the Hero Battle Cup. From June 13 to 16, thrilling tricks and emotions from the stars of inline freestyle skating.
Milan will host the first of two Italian stages of the Inline Freestyle World Cup: from June 13 to 16, the stars of inline freestyle will gather in the capital of Lombardia region for the Hero Battle Cup, the spectacular tour that has brought the most important international inline freestyle circuit to Italy for 13 years.
Promoted by FISR and World Skate, the Hero Battle Cup, the largest international inline freestyle event in Italy, leaves the Marche region for the first time. Born and grown in the Marche thanks to the efforts of the Conero Roller of Castelfidardo (Ancona), a skating sports association and a breeding ground for great champions, it now arrives in Milan. Here, a three-star competition, the most coveted by skaters from all corners of the globe, will take place. They will have the chance to earn the maximum points awarded in a World Cup stage, crucial for climbing the world ranking.
The chosen location is Piazza Duca D’Aosta, in front of Milan's central station, a spot that perfectly matches the urban concept of inline freestyle and its ability to regenerate spaces by showcasing new ways of experiencing places through sport and the lifestyle of its practitioners. The Hero Battle Cup is one of the events of Senstation Summer, the summer event calendar proposed by GSR, in response to the public notice launched by the Municipality of Milan to positively animate this square.
Registrations for the Milan stage sold out within just 48 hours of opening. More than 260 skaters from 20 country, including Spain, France, Poland, Ukraine, India, China, Iran, Korea, Japan, and of course Italy, have confirmed their presence. They are ready to compete in the junior and senior categories, dazzling the audience and judges with their breathtaking stunts and trick.
All specialties of this electrifying sport will be showcased, a perfect combination of technique and spectacle: from classic, pairs, and battle, featuring adrenaline-pumping tricks and complex step combinations set to music, to speed, a spectacular test of velocity, to jump, which involves high jumping on skates, and slide, an exciting challenge of braking skills.
After Milan, the Hero Battle Cup will move to Senigallia, on the Marche coast, for a second three-star stage, within the major action sports event Xmasters, scheduled from July 18 to 21, 2024.
"With the arrival of the Inline Freestyle World Cup in the city, Milan confirms itself as a reference point for international sports events, adding another piece to the journey towards the 2026 Games," commented Martina Riva, Sports Councilor of the Municipality of Milan. "The Hero Battle Cup is also part of the initiatives aimed at reclaiming the Central Station area for Milanese residents and visitors. Piazza Duca d'Aosta must once again become a wonderful calling card for our city, and we are confident that the performances of the competing champions will captivate many young people with this discipline, offering the Milanese public an exciting show."
"Over the years," says Alessandro Cola, president of Conero Roller, "the format has grown to the point where we have managed to involve other cities outside the Marche region. Coming to Milan, the beating heart of international events and sports manifestations, is a privilege for us. The city, with its many outdoor spaces, perfectly aligns with the urban style of the Hero Battle Cup, representing the ideal location to further strengthen the identity of a sport much loved by young people, giving inline skating talents the opportunity to express themselves at their best."
2024 promises to be a strategic year for inline freestyle skating and the entire World Skate Federation, celebrating its 100th anniversary. Italy has been chosen to host the World Skate Games, the World Championships of the 12 skate sports, scheduled from September 6 to 22 in various cities across Italy. The inline freestyle competitions will be held at the Pincio in Rome, where an urban village will be set up for the occasion.