skateboarding fans saddened

[tropicana]

Thu Mar 8 2007
Melbourne Australia

AUSTRALIA LOSES ITS MOST TALENTED SKATEBOARDER

Australia's skateboarding community has been devastated by the death of top young talent Shane Cross, who was killed in a motorbike accident in inner-Melbourne early Wednesday.
Mr Cross, 20, a professional skateboarder from the Gold Coast, was in Melbourne to film a sponsor's video when the motorbike he was a passenger on crashed into a North Fitzroy pub about 1am on Wednesday.
Swedish skateboarder, Ali Boulala, 28, who was riding the motorbike, is in a critical but stable condition in the Alfred hospital. It is believed he suffered a fractured skull in the accident at the Tramway Hotel at the intersection of Rae Street and St Georges Road South.

Mr Cross' death had left a gaping hole in the sport in Australia.
Shane would be the most naturally talented skateboarder ever to come out of Australia. He was always so light on his feet and he could do pretty much anything he wanted to on his skateboard. He just made a huge impact on skateboarding in Australia.
Mr Fahey said Mr Cross had won Slam's "Skateboarder of the Year" title three years ago and had travelled the world courtesy of his sponsors, which included Flip Skateboards, Volcom and Globe International.
"He had travelled all over the world, through Europe and had lived in the United States.

Mr Cross was in Melbourne filming for an upcoming Globe International skate video.
A spokesman from Globe's Melbourne headquarters said Mr Cross had been riding for the company for about one year and described him as extremely talented. He will be deeply, deeply missed by the skateboarding community and his friends at Globe.


Members of the Cross family are believed to have arrived in Melbourne Wednesday from their home on the Gold Coast.
Tributes to Shane Cross have flooded international skateboarding websites, including Thrashermagazine.com, and have also been posted on YouTube.
Police are still investigating the cause of the fatal accident.


-justin-

[Miss Mary]

Such a tragic loss. My daughter follows the skateboarding and snowboarding sports at times. What a sad loss to the game. I'm sure he'll be profoundly missed.



Mary

[TexasStooge]

I'm sure he'll be profoundly missed.

Yes he will.