He may have jumped out of an airplane without a parachute, completed other death defying stunts and held a host of world records but living legend Travis Pastrana is adamant the Principality Stadium is the best on Earth.
“This venue was built for action sports and is the best stadium we have ever been to,” he proclaimed.
The American is the flag-bearer for the Nitro World Games, which will be held outside the United States for the first time when it’s staged in Cardiff on May 23-24 next year.
More than 100 of the best athletes in sport’s most extreme disciplines will battle it out for world titles as they perform gravity-defying tricks while flying through the air at a height of up to 90ft.
They will compete in freestyle motocross (FMX), BMX, skate and freestyle scooter events.
“Our mission was to allow athletes to push their sports to the next level,” said Pastrana.
“We wanted to give athletes bigger ramps, along with innovative landing technology which allows them to push the envelope and attempt tricks previously thought impossible, and the Principality Stadium gives us that opportunity,” said Pastrana.
“Extreme sports are among the fastest growing in the world and we’re hoping for a bumper crowd with people coming from around the globe to watch the most spectacular sporting event ever held in Cardiff.”
Martyn Phillips, the chief executive of Principality Stadium owners the Welsh Rugby Union, said: “From hosting world championship boxing, Olympic football, the Rugby World Cup and the UEFA Champions League finals, to sell-out concerts from some of the biggest acts on the international music scene, the stadium has cemented its global reputation as a ‘must play’, multi-event venue.
“Nitro World Games is the latest, but will also be one of the greatest examples of both our global appeal and our adaptability as a multi-event facility.
“It is with a great deal of excitement that we look forward to transforming the world’s most chameleon-like, iconic, stadium, with its retractable roof and changeable playing surface, into the perfect host venue for this amazing celebration of action sports.”
If you were wondering how Pastrana lived to tell the tale after baling out of an aeroplane without a parachute, he linked up in midair with another jumper, then latched himself into a harness to make a safe tandem landing.
Tickets for the Nitro World Games go on sale at 10am on Friday at nitroworldgames.com.
