In the latest programme announced on Factory International’s 2024 calendar, a huge skate park and free cultural event is coming to Aviva Studios this summer.
As Factory International and adidas Skateboarding collide for a dozen days over at the huge art, culture and music space later this month, Mancs will be treated to a custom-built skate plaza, a festival full of free activities for all ages, as well as a whole host of collaborations from local and global skating brands.
The event will also feature skate schools for beginners and beyond, trick competitions, food and drink, DJ sets, appearances by leading figures in the sport and much, much more.
Simply called ‘Build Manchester’, it’s one of the biggest skating events the city has ever seen.
THREAD 🧵: This summer, @adidasUK comes to Aviva Studios for global skateboarding event, Build Manchester.
Partnering with the city's most influential skate communities, we’ll be having a series of free events that celebrates skate culture both on and off-board.
— Factory International (@factoryintl) July 18, 2024
An exciting collaboration between the official adidas Skateboarding arm, their professional team of global riders and Factory International (now based permanently at the Aviva Studios hub), this event is about more than just letting people run free with a board – as much as we do love that.
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With 12 whole days of stuff to get stuck into, there’ll be exclusive product launches, exhibitions, film premieres and workshops all based around the world of skating, not to mention giveaways, demos by the very best in the business and even the opportunity to help build parts of the skate plaza piece by piece.
Better still, the mobile custom builds are set to remain in the space for the foreseeable, meaning they will be open to use by the public and provide a new space for the local skate community beyond the likes of Lincoln Square, Hulme Park and Projekts MCR.
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Speaking of which, Projekts is one of many Manc skating brands getting involved with the festival, self-built park skate pioneers Gooseside DIY, viral fashion label Drama Call and, of course, Note, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year.
If you’re into your pro skating, then this is your chance to see the likes of adidas global riders Blondey, Jarrad Carlin, Tom Snape, Nikolai Piombo, Gabriel Summers, Dan Fisher and more.
But even if it’s just the wider, more casual skating culture that you’re into, you can still immerse yourself in the lifestyle this summer and enjoy what feels like something of a first for Manchester, at least in the city centre anyway.
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The completely free-to-enter Build Manchester skate park and festival comes to Aviva Studios on 27 July and runs until 8 August. You can find the full programme schedule and sign-up for specific sessions HERE.
Tyson Fury says he hasn’t spoken to his wife in ‘three months’ whilst preparing for Usyk rematch
Danny Jones
Tyson Fury says hasn’t spoken to his wife Paris for three whole months while preparing for the much-anticipated Oleksandr Usyk rematch.
The Manc fighter is set to face the Ukrainian counterpart in the ‘Undisputed’ sequel, simply dubbed Fury vs Usyk 2, which will result in one unified heavyweight champion of the world.
Usyk’s victory over the Wythenshawe-born boxer back in May saw him take that title for the first time since 1999 (the only man to have done so in the four-belt era) but with the rematch nearly upon us, Fury could be set to steal that title away from him.
With that in mind, the pressure has clearly been on ever since he lost the first bout and, according to Tyson himself, he hasn’t spoken to his wife Paris Fury for virtually a quarter of a year as part of his immensely strict training camp.
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the match this weekend, he claimed: “I haven’t spoke to Paris in three months – not a word. [I’ve] not spoke to anyone, I haven’t been on my phone.”
Explaining that he simply removed all distractions to get his head in the right space ahead of the title decider, ‘The Gypsy King’ has been known to isolate himself from the rest of the world before a big fight in the past, but cutting contact with your spouse of 10 years and partner for nearly two decades is wild.
The 36-year-old went on to detail that in order to give himself the best shot at winning, he couldn’t keep switching between “beast mode to dad mode to wife mode” and so on.
In separate interviews with other outlets ahead of the highly-awaited rematch, Fury has made various other big claims about what boxing fans can expect from his own performance, including an admission that he needs to be “more focused this time and not do as much showboating” in the ring.
Nevertheless, he also assured the media that he isn’t a quitter and has promised he will not just “f*** up” his 37-year-old opponent but “retire” him. Usyk, on the other hand, has warned he will be a different challenge than the last time the two faced each other, predicting a knockout victory too.
Having downed Tyson more than once the last time around, he’s understandably confident of his chances.
Bold words from the pair of them, indeed, but this is all just part and parcel of the usual pre-fight build-up; all we really know is that Usyk won the previous face-off and Fury is the one with the point to prove.
While younger brother Tommy Fury recently had to pull out of his scheduled fight against Darren Till, during which tensions seriously boiled over during the first press conference, it looks as though there is no risk of more cancellations and any more ‘will they won’t they?’ antics between these two at least.
The rematch, or ‘Fury vs Usyk 2: Undisputed’ to give use its full title (the latest in Saudi Arabia’s growing fight scene and live sports programming as part of Riyadh Season) takes place this Saturday, 21 December, with the two set to clash once again from 10:25 GMT.
Who do you think will emerge victorious from this one and, more importantly, when do you think we’ll see the third and ‘final’ fight when they inevitably demand a trilogy?…
A Manchester City fan has died after a medical incident at Manchester derby
Daisy Jackson
A Manchester City fan has tragically passed away after a medical incident at the Manchester derby yesterday.
The club has confirmed that one of the club’s supporters died after collapsing during the match against Manchester United.
They wrote: “Manchester City are aware of the tragic news that one of our supporters passed away following a medical incident at yesterday’s match.
“The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with their family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
Man City and Manchester United faced off at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, with Man United eventually taking the win thanks to a 90th-minute goal by Amad Diallo.
An eyewitness told theManchester Evening News they saw the fan being administered CPR at around 4:10pm.
People have been leaving tributes to the Manchester City fan, who has not yet been named, online.
One person wrote: “RIP that city fan. No one should go to a football match and not come home again. RIP”
Another said: “An important reminder amongst all the squabbling over yesterday’s result is that the football isn’t everything. Thoughts are with his family, RIP blue.”
Someone else posted: “Rip blue. Thoughts are with your family and friends at this sad time.”
Danny Jones -
18th July 2024 
