RED BULL ATHLETES GAIN SIX NOMINATIONS AT THE 2009 ESPY AWARDS

Red Bull's Maya Gabeira.

June 29, 2009 – Santa Monica, CA – Red Bull would like to extend its congratulations to six of its marquee athletes for their nominations in the 2009 ESPY Awards. In the Male Action Sports Athlete category, Shaun White, Ryan Sheckler and James Stewart will battle it out for the trophy, while in the Female Action Sports Athlete division, Maya Gabeira and Ashley Fiolek will vie for top honors. Additionally, Juan Pablo Angel of the New York Red Bulls is nominated in the Best MLS Player category.

Ryan Sheckler is coming off a big year both professionally and personally, after winning his first X Games gold medal in skate street since he won his X Games debut at the age of 13. The 19-year-old also became a household name with his MTV Series, “The Life of Ryan,” and juggles his time between his skateboard career, running a business and a charity foundation.
James Stewart recently became the 2009 AMA Supercross champion, and continues to break boundaries in the sport. In 2008 he became only the second rider in history to achieve a perfect motocross season and was named the 2008 AMA Speed Athlete of the Year.
Shaun White continues to dominate on the snow and on the skate vert ramp, winning medals at the Winter X Games and overall Winter AST title. He’s also one of the most popular and recognizable figures in all of sports.

Ashley Fiolek , now 18, became the youngest AMA Women’s Motocross champ ever as a 17-year-old in her first full season on the series and is an inspiration to many, as she has been profoundly deaf since birth and has never let it slow her down.

Maya Gabeira is arguably the best big wave female surfer on the planet. This Brazilian beauty has braved massive waves from Alaska to Tahiti and won the 2009 Billabong XXL Women’s Overall Performance Award for the third straight year.

Juan Pablo Angel led the New York Red Bulls to their first MLS cup appearance, scoring 14 goals during the regular season.

The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2009 ESPY Awards will air Sunday, July 19th at 9pm on ESPN, with Samuel L. Jackson as host.

Fans can help determine the winners, with online voting that runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on July 11. To vote, go to http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/espys2009/#/home/