At the end of 2012, most of us were preparing for the apocalypse, flooding malls looking for last-minute holiday gift shopping and/or stuffing our mouths full of ham (or turkey) and pumpkin pie. Well, with the start of 2013, it’s obvious that preparing for the apocalypse was a bit premature, no? I guess the lady I saw at CVS on the 12/20/2012 didn’t need to use the 5 first aid kits she was buying after all. Anyway, the beginning of another year allows us to begin channeling our own inner crystal balls and predicting the potential of the year to come. And although I would definitely not consider myself psychic by any stretch of the word, here are some of the things I predict for 2013.

Huston Dominance

For those of you who are unaware, Nyjah Huston is one of the smoothest skateboarders ever. He rips it every time he’s on the board, and it seems effortless for him to land a smooth, clean run. And while it may seem a little premature to say he will dominate in a talent filled field of Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez, Greg Lutzka, Chaz Ortiz and others, it’s really not. Huston is really come through as one of the most consistent and dominant street skateboarders over the last few years, and I don’t doubt that he’ll slow down in 2013. Even if someone seemed to beat him at anything, the judges will probably give Huston the trophy out of muscle memory because he is just that good.

Down for Dirt!

BMX Dirt Riding has always showcased some of the best talent in the field, including (but not limited to) TJ Lavin, Ryan Nyquist, Corey Bohan and SBOTD Anthony Napolitan. And while it has been 6 years since the discipline was last showcased at X-Games, expect the riding to be better than ever. They will surely prove to the X-Games crew that they were mistaken in taking it out at all. With Brett Banasiewicz still foreseeably sidelined from the competition, I’d have to say I’d expect a rider like Dennis Enarson to top the podium. The young ones typically do. Although with a freshly cleaned out ankle, I’m excited to see what Napolitan can whip out when he’s back to 100%. 2013 will for sure be the year of the BMX Dirt Rider.

Going Global

America has produced a number of boy band acts, like N’SYNC and the Backstreet Boys. America has also churned out a lot of quality action sports including skateboarding, snowboarding, and BMX. And like the boy band acts of the 90s, actions sports is realizing that there is a huge market in international locations. While international competitions have been on the rise in the last couple of decades, 2013 will include even more. The Maloof Money Cup has already been in South Africa and more international stops are in discussion. And in 2013, the X-Games, the biggest event in action sports, will be held in Brazil, Barcelona, and Munich. I hope you’re ready rest of the world, because action sports are coming to you! Expect a ton of international contests in 2013 and the years to come. And while the stands won’t be filled with teenage girls screaming for Justin Timberlake, I’m sure the teenage girls screaming for Ryan Sheckler won’t be in short supply. Time to stock up on the Rosetta Stone.

Slater Surfs Back to the Top

While Joel Parkinson‘s win this year was no fluke, I’m pretty sure it’s just the added motivation Kelly Slater needs to achieve further dominance in the surf world. And although Mother Nature does play a role in the outcome of this one, I have a hunch that Slater will come back next year to win his unthinkable 12th World Title.

McMorris, King of the Mountain

Being a Saskatchewan native myself, I would have a special place in my heart for Mark McMorris even if he didn’t rip it. But he does, so it works out nicely! Whenever you watch these riders at things like Winter X-Games and what not, there’s always a backstory of the rider and their home mountain. Well, if you’ve ever been to Saskatchewan or even just heard of it, you know that there are no mountains.He attributes his success to riding rails and jumps in his backyard. When he was finally able to get on the mountain, at the age of 12, he found where he was really meant to be. McMorris has already made a name for himself when he became the first person to ever land a backside triple cork 1440. At just age 19, his future is as bright as ever. With a huge imagination and a drive for progression, I can only imagine what 2013 will bring for this guy. Anything but success would just be absurd.

This is merely a handful of big things to come this year. I mean, I can’t predict it all for ya because where would the fun in that be?With the world not ending, we are able to embrace 2013. And although I’m definitely not psychic, I can definitely assure you to expect a history making, record breaking, action sports filled year. In a industry where ingenuity and progression are awarded, how could you expect anything less?

(Photo Credit: Instagram jjthomas_, tjlavin, markmcmorris Twitter: nyjah_huston)