Top skateboarding athletes Mitchie Brusco and Chaz Ortiz added to “Team Pantech”

Pantech USA - Press Releases - October 16, 2012Top skateboarding athletes Mitchie Brusco and Chaz Ortiz added to “Team Pantech” Pantech Wireless, official wireless device partner of the dew tour, readies for second dew tour competition oct. 18-21: top skateboarding athletes Mitchie Brusco and Chaz Ortiz added to “Team Pantech”

ATLANTA (Oct. 16, 2012) – Pantech Wireless (www.pantechusa.com), the U.S.-based subsidiary of Pantech Co., Ltd., announced today that two premier professional skateboarding athletes – Mitchie Brusco and Chaz Ortiz – will represent the innovative and leading wireless device manufacturer as Team Pantech when they compete in the 2012 Dew Tour. Pantech is the official wireless partner of the 2012 Dew Tour, the world’s premier action sports tour that kicked off in August with the Pantech Beach Championships in Ocean City, Md., and now heads to San Francisco for the Toyota City Championships Oct. 18-21.

Brusco and Ortiz join fellow skateboarding athlete Bucky Lasek and BMX competitor Brett Banasiewicz to form Team Pantech on the 2012 Dew Tour.

The Dew Tour Toyota City Championships in San Francisco, Calif. will air live on the NBC Sports Network on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 11 p.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 20 at 11 p.m. ET and Sunday, Oct. 21 at 11 p.m. ET. The competition will also air on NBC on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m. ET and Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. ET.

“Mitchie and Chaz make excellent additions to Team Pantech. They positively impact the sport and the brand, serving as role models both on and off the board,” said Erin Magee, director of channel marketing, Pantech. “We are thrilled to have such a strong and diverse roster of Pantech athletes competing in the 2012 Dew Tour.”

“I am really excited about my partnership with Pantech, they have really cool products and features on their phones that help me stay in touch with my family, friends and fans,” commented Ortiz. “I am excited to represent them and be a part of the team at the San Francisco Dew Tour next week.”

Brusco, Lasek and Ortiz will participate in special autograph sessions at the Pantech Experience in San Francisco. Dew Tour fans will also have the opportunity to interact with the Pantech brand and products, such as the new Pantech Flex, at the Pantech Experience during the 2012 Dew Tour events. Additionally, Pantech powers the Dew Tour mobile experience.

As fans enter the Dew Tour Pantech Experience, they will register on a Pantech Element, Pantech’s waterproof tablet and receive a unique PIN. The PIN will be used for checking in at different interactive kiosks within the Pantech Experience to win prizes and share their interactions on their personal social media platforms. From a Social Jukebox to a Pantech Element Dunk Tank to Dew Cup photos, fans will participate in an interactive and social journey during their Pantech Experience visit.

About Team Pantech
From South Bend, Ind., Brett Banasiewicz, 18, may be one of the younger BMX competitors in Dew Tour, but he’s far from inexperienced. Attacking the course with speed, style and fearlessness, cleanly executing tricks many pros will not attempt, he quickly earned the nickname Mad Dog. Banasiewicz won the BMX Park Finals in the 2012 Pantech Beach Championships in Ocean City, Md. He is currently recovering from a serious practice accident that happened in late August.

Making his Dew Tour debut in 2011 at the age of 14, Mitchie Brusco immediately proved his talent among the best skateboarders in the world, placing first in the 2011 skateboard vert qualifiers and sixth in the final. Brusco recently placed fourth in the skate mega 2.0 final at the 2012 Pantech Beach Championships in Ocean City, Md. From Kirkwood, Wash., Brusco began skating at the age of 3, picked up his first agent at 3 ½ and secured his first sponsor at age 5. Known for his incredible talent and an unforgettable smile, Brusco truly is the future of skateboarding.

Recognized as one of the greatest vert skateboarders in the world, Baltimore, Md. native Bucky Lasek won the skate vert final in the 2011 Ocean City, placed second in this year’s Pantech Beach Championships vert final and second in the skate bowl final. At 39 years old, Lasek continues to tear up record books and is one of the most decorated athletes in his sport. With aggressive and innovative style, Lasek also impresses in the best trick and bowl contests too.

From Chicago, Ill., Chaz Ortiz entered the professional skateboarding scene at age 13 and one year later he captured his first pro win at the Salt Lake City Dew Tour event, making him the youngest person in Dew Tour history to take first place. He went on to win the Dew Cup Championship, leaving an early mark on the international stage. In 2010, Ortiz claimed his second Dew Cup title and continues to leave a lasting impression in the street skating arena.

Complete 2012 Dew Tour schedule:

• Event Date Location
• Pantech Beach Championships August 16-19 Ocean City, Md.
• Toyota City Championships October 18-21 San Francisco, Calif.
• Mountain Championships December 13-16 Breckenridge, Colo.

About Pantech
Pantech Wireless, Inc., an Atlanta based subsidiary of Pantech Co., Ltd., researches, markets and develops wireless handsets, tablets and telecommunications products throughout North America as part of the Pantech Group. For additional information, visit the PWI website at www.pantechusa.com and connect socially on Facebook and Twitter.