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Not really knowing what to expect traffic or crowd wise, we decided to head up to LA early and get a parking spot. Most of the action would not begin till 12:30pm so it gave us plenty of time to check things out. As you drive down Figueroa and get close to the Staples Center you can't help to notice the huge mural on the side of the Hotel Figueroa - we wonder what that cost to put up? |
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With heightened security, they had metal detectors to screen everyone entering the venue and then once again when you entered the main arena. When you start to walk around you get the feeling of being at a carnival...sorta with an action sports twist. |
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| A trend we have been seeing lately at these type of events is a skate park set up so that kids can skate a little course that sometimes is much better than what they are used to skating. As we walked around the course we found about a dozen kids rolling around with a few that could really rip it up. |
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| The park course that they set up for this years competition was a bit different than in years past. They covered the entire asphalt that the course was set up on with skatelite so that as the temperature that was expected to be about 90-95° the whole weekend, the hotter temps would cause the asphalt to soften and slow the runs down. The first thing we noticed with the course was the use of pool coping and cement. It provided an unique look and feel to the course that in years past was very predictable. |
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The first event up for the day was the women's park jam. This was the first time that the ladies had their own division in the X-Games and it just goes to show that the women's ranks are on the rise. Although the event was filled with the world’s best women’s skateboarders, Vanessa Torres was predicted to take the gold after performing the best in the demo at X Games VIII. |
| On preparing for the event, Vanessa stated, “I definitely felt that I had to land my tricks, where last year in the demo I could fall and it didn’t matter as much.“ Vanessa was able to pull off a number of difficult tricks -- landing her a winning score of 82.00 -- including a backside disaster, a backside lip slide, front side board slide and a kick flip. Vanessa was also the only one to grind the cement. |
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Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins was the Women’s Skateboard Park silver medallist, with a score of 79.67, followed by Amy Caron with a score of 78.67. “I was blown away and happy to be in the contest,” said Lyn-Z. “I am stoked to get this medal, and now that they are giving medals I hope that more women come out to try to skate.” |
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With the ladies division over we retreated to the air conditioned arena to get some cold ones and have lunch. The next few hours was the men's park practice outside and it would not be until 6pm that the practice for the vert ramp finals would start. |
| The practice session was now on and Tony Hawk who was not scheduled to be in the vert contest took the opportunity to roll around with the other skaters. Practice was a little over an hour and it was now 7:30pm for the vert finals. |
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Bucky Lasek emerged victorious amid the field of competitors in the Vert final. Bucky's score of 94.67 stood strong through two consecutive runs of fierce challenges from silver medallist Andy Macdonald and bronze medallist Rune Glifberg. Coming off a first place victory at this year’s X Games Global Championship in San Antonio, Bucky staked his claim to first place honors during his second run. In that run he nailed a massive combo that began with a frontside rodeo and ended in a heelflip to gay twist. Bucky said “After nineteen years of skating, to still be progressing is a great feeling. I wasn’t expecting to win.” Two-time X Games Skateboard Vert gold medallist Andy Macdonald claimed second place with a score of 92.67. Andy Mac earned his silver by completing five successful 540’s in the final run, landing the last 540 backwards to reserve his spot among the winners. “All the competitors are great,“ Andy commented, “I wouldn’t want to be a judge. We are all in this together.” Rune Glifberg took the bronze posting a 92.33 in his final run, only fractions of a point behind Andy Mac. Glifberg’s final run included a frontside heelflip, alley-oop 540 to a McTwist, capped off with a nosegrab switch kickflip. Last year’s gold medallist Pierre-Luc Gagnon placed fifth, and making his professional skateboarding debut, 16 year-old Shaun White who placed sixth. We actually think that Shaun got robbed, his runs included 720's and when his score of 89.67 was announced the entire crowd boo'd. |
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Glifberg’s final run included a frontside heelflip, alley-oop 540 to a McTwist, capped off with a nosegrab switch kickflip. Last year’s gold medallist Pierre-Luc Gagnon placed fifth, and making his professional skateboarding debut, sixteen year-old phenom Shaun White placed sixth. We actually think that Shaun got robbed, his runs included 720's and when his score of 89.67 was announced the entire crowd boo'd. |
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For
more information go to:
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Click
here to see Saturday's Vert Doubles Sunday's Men's Skate Park Final, Vert Best Trick and Women's Vert Final |
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