Today, the Olympic Channel unveiled Speed Boarders a feature showcasing the unique and adrenaline-filled world of downhill skateboarding available worldwide exclusively on the Olympic Channel mobile app and at olympicchannel.com.

With nothing but a board between them and the pavement, downhill skateboarders hurl themselves down mountain roads at breakneck speeds with one goal – to cross the finish line first.

Speed Boarders takes you behind the scenes of downhill skateboarding to experience the world’s fastest board sport at its premier event, the Kozakov Challenge in the Czech Republic, part of the International Downhill Federation (IDF) World Cup tour.

In downhill skateboarding, also known as “speedboarding”, skaters rideon longboards often in tucked positions at speeds of more than 100 km/h on winding roads and use their hands, which are covered with protective gear,on the pavement helpingto provide balance and stability whilst turning.

Told through the eyes some of the world’s top-ranked downhill skaters, Speed Boarders features Rachel Bruskoff (Los Angeles, CA, USA), Taylor Cook (Auckland, NZL), Daniel Engel (Bakersfield, CA, USA), Jasmijn Hanegraef (Gent, BEL), Lisa Peters (Haarlem, NED), Emily Pross (Vernon, NJ, USA), and the sport’s power couple Tamara Prader (Luzein, SUI) and Patrick Switzer (Hanover, ONT, CAN) both on and off the race course.

“Downhill to me is super fun because I like the whole outlaw kindalook on it. And you know the rush of the road, the rumbling under you and the feeling of the wind is just amazing. The feeling is just indescribable.” said Cook, 17, IDF2017top-ranked junior. “

“Always having some limit to be able to push and something new to learn. That’s for me what downhill skateboarding is about. Downhill skateboarding is more of a lifestyle for me, it’s something I train for and want to become better and better at,but also something that I like to teach others to be able to get better at and help them overcome their barriers,and that’s somewhere between sport and lifestyle.” said Switzer, 30, the 2011 IDF World Champion and three-time Canadian Champion. “

“I think it’s rad that skating [skate boarding] is becoming a part of the Olympics. It will be great to have more media and exposure, and therefore create more stoke and more numbers in the community.” said Bruskoff, 25, who has twice finished the IDF season in the top three. ”

Speed Boarders (26 minutes) is an Olympic Channel Production, and is the Channel’s first original film dedicated to the sport of skateboarding which will make its debut on the Olympic Programme at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

“Speed Boarders is an awesome way to provide additional exposure to the sport of skateboarding and introduce the athleticism behind its lifestyle to our fans,” said Mark Parkman, general manager of the Olympic Channel. “With preparations already underway for Tokyo 2020, we look forward to introducing the five new sports on the Olympic Programme, which includes skateboarding, to a wider, global audience through entertaining and accessible content.”

The Olympic Channel is a multi-platform, global media destination where fans can experience the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round, and is available worldwide via mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

Photos provided by VocalNYC