 |
|
|
|
X Games 12 Skateboard Big Air
|
|
|
|
X Games 12 Big Air Ramp
Bucky Lasek
Danny Way
Jake Brown
Danny Way
Bob Burnquist
Los Angeles – It takes a special frame of mind to be a Big Air skateboarder. On Sunday at X Games 12 Danny Way showed again why he has pioneered the event, landing the first-ever -- and the second-ever -- backflip off the monster ramp and walking away with an unprecedented third-straight gold medal.
The legendary San Diego skateboader held off Australian Jake Brown (silver medal) and fellow skateboarding pioneer Bob Burnquist (bronze medal) in front of crowd of more than 12,000 fans at The Home Depot Center.
On his winning run Way dropped from the 80-foot roll-in to soar over the 70-foot gap and land a rocket air backflip followed by an extended backside air off the quarterpipe. He had already landed the first-ever back flip in competition in an earlier run.
“It was kind of a joke when I did it in Mexico City, but I tried it in practice and was like ‘Whoa, I could probably do this,” said Way of the trick he dubbed an El Camino. “With the little time we had with this ramp this week, it’s amazing what we were able to do out there.”
Jake Brown held the lead early in the competition, landing the first complete run. It was, however, his fourth jump that put him on the medal podium -- landing a mute grab backside three over the 70-foot gap, and finishing it with a McTwist off the pipe.
“It’s been a few years getting into this spot and breaking into the top three, so I’m pretty stoked,” said Brown. Asked about how the skaters keep their bearings while soaring and spinning, Brown added, “There’s just something in your head that tells you where you are. I don’t know what that is called – maybe intuition.”
Burnquist, who has also been a driving force in the progression of Big Air, won the bronze with a switch backside 180 no-handed ollie, followed up with a double board flip off the pipe. After landing the double board flip, Burnquist came within inches of rolling off the side of the quarterpipe roll-in ramp.
“I’m happy that it happened the way it did; I was pretty scared I’d go off the side, but it made for some good drama,” said Burnquist.
The trick Burnquist did not land may have been just as significant in the growth of Big Air -- trying three times unsuccessfully to land a front flip.
“I just wanted to land one good run and then go for the front flip. Today was good conditions for trying the front flip.”
Skateboard Big Air features athletes skating down a 60- or 80-foot roll-in, choosing to launch over a 50- or 70-foot gap, landing and continuing into a 27 foot quarterpipe. Speeds on the roll-in ramp can reach close to 40 miles per hour. Way developed the sport, which is exclusive to X Games competition. Six skaters qualify for the finals, with each getting five jumps. The highest single score wins. Later today, BMX Freestyle Big Air will make its debut at X Games 12.
Way’s three-peat is the third three-peat completed at X Games 12. On Saturday, Elissa Steamer won her third-straight gold in the Women’s Skateboard Street competition. On Thursday, Corey Bohan completed a gold-medal three-peat in the BMX Freestyle Dirt competition.
SKATEBOARD BIG AIR FINAL RESULTS
Final standings from X Games 12 Skateboard Big Air competition at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on August 6, 2005
Name Hometown Score
1. Danny Way San Diego, Calif. 95.00
2. Jake Brown Sydney, Aus. 93.00
3. Bob Burnquist Sao Paulo, Brazil 91.25
4. Bucky Lasek Baltimore, Md. 88.00
5. Andy Macdonald San Diego, Calif. 44.50
6. Rob Lorifice Encinitas, Calif. 41.50
All Photos Credit: Kanights/Shazamm/ESPN Images
|
| |
|
|
|
^^top
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
>