The champions of champions...

After the announcement of the nominees, one thing was clear: Red Bull athletes dominated the Action Sportsperson of the Year category for the Laureus World Sports Award. Shaun White took home the statue, the Oscar of the sports world...

The patron’s name is Nelson Mandela. The chairperson, athletics legend Edwin Moses. And the jury consists of Tony Hawk, Dan Marino, and Jack Nicklaus, among 43 other sporting giants.

The Laureus World Sports Awards are something like the Oscars of the sports world – or, in the words of the Academy, “a universal movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people together as a force for good.”

At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus; the driving force behind its work.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation utilizes the power of sport to address social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Laureus currently funds over 50 projects worldwide addressing key social issues including AIDS, drug abuse, violence, racial and religious discrimination, landmine risk, disaster clean-up, community integration and the plight of children in war zones.

Five Red Bull athletes had chances of increasing their trophy collections at the ceremony in St. Petersburg, Russia. But, only Shaun White walked away with the award.

Among the nominees in the category ‘Action Sports Person of the Year’ were:

– Shaun White
In 2007 he won the Summer X Games in the Skate Vert discipline, two medals at the Winter X Games as well as the Vert series championship on the AST Tour. The year 2008 also began successfully for him: Shaun, who was a Laureus nominee last year, began 2008 with a slopestyle victory at the Burton European Open in Laax, Switzerland.

– Ryan Sheckler
Winner of record-ratings and thousands of girls’ hearts through his MTV show ‘Life of Ryan." But more importantly, champion of the 2007 Skate Park series on the AST Tour in completely dominating fashion.

– Daniel Dhers
The Venezuelan won the BMX Park Goldt at the X Games this year as well as the series championship on the AST Tour.

– Mick Fanning
Reigning ASP surfing World Champion with an eventful life history. The 26-year-old Australian had to overcome the death of his brother, and a tear in his hamsrting in 2004 that caused a break from competition for an entire year.

– Aaron Hadlow
He's only 19, but already flying very high as a four-time PKRA World Champion. Like Shaun White, the British kiteboard pro was also nominated for a Laureus last year.