Sunday, August 6, 2006
FINAL: Way Wins Third-Straight Skate Big Air

Skateboard Big Air Finals
Rank Athlete Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Run 5 Score
1 (G) Danny Way 1.0 93.75 95.00 1.00 1.00 95.00
2 (S) Jake Brown 85.75 1.0 1.00 93.00 1.00 93.00
3 (B) Bob Burnquist 47.25 91.25 1.00 1.00 1.00 91.25
4 Bucky Lasek 1.0 88.00 42.50 42.50 42.50 88.00
5 Andy MacDonald 44.50 44.25 44.50 1.00 1.00 44.50
6 Rob Lorifice 41.50 41.50 41.50 1.00 41.25 41.50

Skateboard Big Air Selection
Rank Athlete Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Score
1 Bob Burnquist 88.00 3.00 2.00 5.25 88.00
2 Jake Brown 85.00 43.75 4.75 4.00 85.00
3 Bucky Lasek 40.25 84.75 3.00 3.00 84.75
4 Rob Lorifice 82.75 3.25 2.75 41.50 82.75
5 Omar Hassan 35.75 74.00 1.50 2.00 74.00
6 Jason Ellis 3.00 41.00 1.75 36.75 41.00
7 Buster Halterman 2.25 2.25 1.25 38.00 38.00

X GAMES, Los Angeles — It takes a special frame of mind to be a Big Air skateboarder. On Sunday afternoon at X Games 12, Danny Way showed again why is the event pioneer. Way landed the first-ever — and the second-ever — backflip off the monster ramp and walked away with an unprecedented third-straight gold medal. Way is the only ride to win the event since its inception in 2004.

The legendary San Diego skateboader held off Australian Jake Brown (silver medal) and vert 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 in from the 80-foot roll-in and soared over the 70-foot gap. He landed a rocket air backflip followed by an extended backside air off the quarterpipe. He had already landed the first-ever back lip 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. But it was his fourth jump that put him on the medal podium. He landed a mute grab backside three over the 70-foot gap, and finished 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.

"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. He made three unsuccessful attempts at landing 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.