X Games opening night once again delivered the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” with thrills, spills and history-making performances.
Motocross star Kyle Loza made X Games history by becoming the first ever to win back-to-back gold medals in the Moto X Best Trick competition.
This first slideshow is of Thomas Pages from France competing in Moto X Best Trick.
Photo and Slideshow Credit: Richard Kontas
A capacity crowd of 13,300 cheered as Loza nailed his latest trick, the “Electric Doom,” and he knew it was all sewn up – it was the same energy that filled Staples two years ago when Travis Pastrana landed the first ever double back-flip.
Loza, 22, from Trabuca Canyon, Calif. scored a 94.00 on his first attempt and since no one had beaten his score, didn’t need to make his second run.
What does Loza’s future hold.a three-peat, to come back and do it again next year?
“That’s the plan!” he told ESPN afterwards.
That was the thrill of victory-now the agony of defeat was felt by both Jim DeChamp and Scott Murray; DeChamp who attempted the first-ever front-flip on a motorcycle but didn’t quite pull it out, leaving the bike in mid-air and landing hard on his back, he did not return for his final run.
Murray, who tried twice this year to complete Pastrana’s double-back-flip, still to no avail, he also missed it last year – Scott, you’ve had 2 years to practice this trick. It’s time to move on. (Besides, Travis should be about ready to crank out the triple by now!)
This is a collection of random shots from the Moto X Best Trick – ending with Kyle Loza’s gold medal winning “Electric Doom”
TO RESTART THIS SLIDESHOW – CLICK ON THE “01” AT BOTTOM OF ITS SCREEN THEN CLICK ON THE ‘PLAY’ ARROW AT RIGHT. Slideshow Media Credit: Richard Kontas
In the skateboard Big Air competition, Bob Burnquist won the gold medal (96.00) after fighting a tough see-saw battle against silver medalist Danny Way (94.00), who crashed twice yet still completed his runs.
However, the big news from the skateboard competition was the return of Jake Brown, who fell 46 feet in front of a stunned and silent crowd last year. Brown “got back on the horse” and earned a bronze medal (91.33) this year.
Moto X Best Trick features motorcyclists attempting extreme aerial maneuvers while jumping from a ramp to a dirt hill.
Skateboard Big Air features athletes skating down an 80 foot ramp, launching across either a 50 or 70 foot gap, landing and then continuing into a 27 foot high quarterpipe. Speeds can reach 40 mph on the starting ramp.
For more information visit: www.expn.com
