Sunday August 17, 2003

© Skate Scene Media

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Sunday was the final day of the X-Games and was the busiest day yet. When we rolled down Figueroa at 10am there was already long lines of people all over the streets to get in. One thing that was very noticeable was the large number of travis look alikes with side ways hats - gezz ....that trend has really been played out. The atmosphere had rivaled that of the Indy 500 with all the people, yet this was action sports on a mass scale.

Starting off the day was the vert best trick contest with guys like Bucky, Rune, Pierre-Luc and Danny Mayer. Eight-time X Games gold medallist and former Tony Hawk Vert doubles partner Andy Macdonald took third place today with a run that included a huge varial to fakie.

“Jake’s 900 attempt represents the perseverance that all the guys have when they set a goal,” Tony Hawk said. “It’s the progression of the sport. I’d like to see lots of guys out there doing 900s.” Sandro Dias who won second place in Best Trick Vert at X Games VIII, took the silver once again, landing an incredible varial McTwist alley-oop to solidify his place on the podium.

Tony Hawk landed the first 900 within official competition, winning the X Games gold medal in a field filed with the best vert shredders around. In dramatic fashion, Hawk busted out the 900 with seven seconds left on the clock. The crowd at STAPLES Center erupted as Tony landed the flawless 900 smooth. As the clock hit zero, Tony tossed his helmet and threw his deck down with authority. Today he won his tenth gold medal and sixteenth medal overall. Hawk expressed his intention to retire from competition and focus on other endeavors. “I’m happy to go out with a bang,” said Hawk. “It’s nice to know I went out doing something I love with the 900. I’m just glad I finally got one in legitimately within time. I was happy to land a trick, any trick out there. If I do well, that’s enough.”

On his first run Chad Bartie set the pace early on scoring a 90.67 with flawless lines that used the whole park including a board slide the went the entire length of an approximately 13 foot long rail. Chad's run would be good enough to take home a 3rd place bronze. Austin Seaholm who we remember seeing kill mini ramps and everything else a few years back was now at a major event putting it on the line with lots of trick combinations and some gnarly 180 switch slides.

Our favorite was Chris Senn who is a pool ripper in his own right grinded up the pool coping and left truck dust on just about every inch of the course. Crowd favorite Eric Koston did not seem like he had brought his game today. The guy who can put together a sic run seemed to have checked out early and leaving time on the clock in is second run. A guy who seems does not get enough press for how good he skates in Rodil de Araujo, Jr. from Brazil. Rodil is a shut up a skate kind of guy who does not try to be flashy with some lame clothes or vibe, he just skates and does it well. His runs were as text book as they get, nailing everything he went for which earned him a 2nd place silver medal.

At only 13-years old, X Games newcomer Ryan Sheckler took top honors at the X Games Skateboard Park Final, stunning an energetic crowd of thousands at STAPLES Center. Now the youngest X Games gold medallist in history, Sheckler’s winning run included a backside smith grind, backside 5.0, kickflip railslide, a big kickflip over the gap to a huge kickflip indy grab scoring a 93.33. In Sheckler’s first appearance in X Games competition, he has officially become the youngest competitor to win gold in X Games history. When asked about his success and competing against other professional athletes he said, “ I just want to be humble and progress. I’m skating with guys I have looked up to all my life. The fact that I am winning is cool, but just skating with them is the best part.” “I had absolutely no intentions of winning the X Games,” said Scheckler.  “I just came here to have fun and not mess up.  I hope next year is just as fun.”

Closing out the skate action for this years X-Games was the women's vert competition. 5 of the best lady vert rippers earned a spot for this years X-Games. The fav to win gold was Cara-Beth Burnside as long as she did not have trouble landing her stuff - which was unlikely.

Their 45 minute jam seemed to go by pretty fast and when time was called the large crowd cheered wildly. Gold went to Cara-Beth Burnside, Silver went to Jen O'Brien and getting a Bronze medal was Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins to take her second X-Games medal this year. As ladies skateboarding seems to continue to grow each year we would expect to see even more ladies competing next year.

For more information go to:
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