Monday, August 8, 2005

   X Games XI recap 4
Listening to: "Mother" - Danzig

I missed the 1st half of Skateboard Big Air, but they did show a repeat of Danny Way's sick frontside 360 into a Christ air. Bob Burnquist did his magic by landing a seemingly impossible backside kickflip, but it wasn't enough to medal. The contest was like deja vu b/c the medalists were the exact same as last year's. Before Way's 4th run, Pierre-Luc Gagnon seemed to have snagged another gold w/ a huge mute 360. Andy MacDonald came close too w/ a backside 360 judo air to a "thread the needle" (Tony Hawk's term for wrapping the board around your body). However, Way proved why he inveted this contest. I have so much respect for him. This guy jumped over the Great Wall of China! :o He also didn't need to take a 5th run, especially w/ an injured ankle, but he did it anyway.

Results:
1) Danny Way
2) Pierre-Luc Gagnon
3) Andy MacDonald

Random skater quote: "I wanna go fishing." - Danny Way on how he's gonna relax now.

This year held the 1st ever BMX Vert Best Trick contest, and man was it insane! There was a lot of hype about Kevin Robinson's double flair (2 backflip 180s). He came very close to making it but had to stop before hurting himself badly. Dave Mirra snagged for medal #20 w/ a gigantic tailwhip flair. Chad Kagy had already wowed audiences and judges w/ the 1st flatspin tailwhip over the channel, but he wanted to do a triple tailwhip. Unfortunately, he knocked himself out but later walked off the ramp on his own. Phew! However, the man of the night, again, was Jamie Bestwick. He took another gold w/ the 1st ever double tailwhip flair. 2 years ago, he had unveiled the tailwhip flair, which entails spinning the bike while doing a backflip 180. Now he's spinning the bike twice! :o Bestwick is having the best week of his life (he also recently became a dad). This event definitely showed what was in store for the future of BMX Vert.

Results:
1) Jamie Bestwick
2) Dave Mirra
3) Chad Kagy

Random BMXer quote: "A lot of history is going to go on tonight." - legendary rider and event organize Mat Hoffman before the contest

The X Games concluded w/ SuperMoto. This race gets the best riders in motocross, flat track, and road racing to compete in one all-terrain event. Throw in pit stops, and anything can happen. The moto guys proved that they had the endurance take over the podium, keeping superbiker Eric Bostrom from succeeding his brother Ben (who was competing in Europe) as the gold medalist. Retired motocross/Supercross racer-turned-farmer Doug Henry led 33 out of 40 laps, leaving the more recent Supercross champs Jeremy McGrath and Chad Reed to duke it out for 2nd. McGrath showed why people call him the "King of Supercross" as he took his skills to work his way up to 2nd from the back of the pack. He was also the only rider to fully clear the gnarly triple that entered the stadium (the track went in and out of it).

Results:
1) Doug Henry
2) Jeremy McGrath
3) Chad Reed

Random interviewer/racer quote:
Jamie Little - "Why are you so fast?"
Doug Henry - "I don't know."

Despite some gripes, it was still a great year of X. Now I gotta wait until 2006 for Winter X...
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