X Games X

[Maxx]

Who's watching this year?

If you aren't, last night you missed the skateboard vert finals and MotoX Best Trick(formerly known as MotoX Big Air)

My thoughts...

The Vert competition was sad this year. Everyone was falling during their runs and when Shaun White had a near perfect run, it didn't get scored because the judges weren't ready.

Bucky Lasek won again this year, even though commentator Tony Hawk thought his 95.00 score was higher than it should have been.

I hate the ramp this year. The giant ramp at X Games IX and Global X was much better and the bowl on the one side of this year's ramp seems to throw everyone off. At least we still have Skateboard best trick to look forward too, and hopefully Sandro Dias will throw down a 900.

The real event of the night though, was MotoX Best Trick.

Just a little history..

IN 1999 the first MotoX freestyle competition was held at X Games, won by Travis Pastrana, of course

In 2002 the first backflip was landed in competition

In 2003 the first backflip variation was landed, along with the first 360

In 2004, everyone competing in MotoX Best Trick was capable of doing at least a backflip variation and 3 guys could do 360's, though Brian Deegan's is debatable.

This sport has exploded since riders started using foam pits to practice new tricks and thats why its one of the most exciting to watch.

We saw Nac-Nac to Heelclicker Backflips, Seatgrab Backflips, 360s and in Travis Patrana's case, a one handed 360

But suprisingly the trick that won the competition didn't involve the bike spinning in any direction....just the rider.

Chuck Carothers landed one of the most insane tricks I've seen in Freestyle MotoX. A Body Varial. Thats a seatgrap, then he lets go, turns his body 360 degrees, then grabs on and gets back on the bike. Go find a video of it, its a sight to see.

There he is in the middle of the trick.

Carothers won gold, Nate Adams won silver and suprisingly Travis Pastrana won Bronze. Pastrana has the only trick that could possbily beat the Body Varial, but its something he's saving for the Freestyle competition. Its a trick where the worst case scenario in a crash could be death, or at least a broken neck/spine and the best case scenario during a crash is probably still a major injury of some kind. You have to wonder why Pastrana, who is undefeated in Freestyle competitions, would want to throw down a trick so dangerous. To quote Pastrana "Because how cool would it be if you landed it?"

The trick?

The Double Backflip.

X Games X continues tonight at 9 on ESPN with MotoX Step Up(featuring Jeremy McGrath) Skateboard Street and BMX Vert, where hopefully we'lll see Jamie Bestwick kick Dave Mirra's ass again.

[DMN in the House]

Damn, a few weeks ago I was watching some replay of some Moto X stuff, and I was thinking how badass a body varial would be. And I missed it.

And I heard the skate take off ramp for Best Trick is like, 75 feet high. Should be bad ass just to see them go down it.

[thatshortguy]

Travis, m'boy, either you're a genius or you're crazed.

[thuganomic]

Bucky was fantastic last night.....awesome run.

[Greg The Smooth]

What exactly is the 360, because it doesnt actually look like they turn the bike 360 degrees at all.

[Maxx]

The 360 is an actual 360, but for the past year they've been showing Brian Deegan's corked backflip and calling it a 360. Nate Adams and Travis Pastrana do much cleaner, true 360s. They start by doing a whip and instead of straightening the bike out, they fully commit to a turn and bring it back around.

In the picture in my first post, Travis is finishing off the final turn of the 360.

The Giant Ramp is for Skateboard Big Air, Danny Way's created event which mimmicks Snowboard Big Air, long hill, jump at the bottom, do your best trick. In skateboardings case, its a huge ramp and then a big gap. I'll see if I can find a picture, its on Sunday at 4.

Skate Best Trick is done of the vert ramp, Tony Hawk won it last year with a 900

[DMN in the House]

I could have swore they were talking about doing Best Trick on it last night on the radio.

Of course, it was a BMX and a Moto X guy, so...

[naiwf]

Carothers' Body Varial was fucking INSANE. The fact he missed the handlebar with one of his hands and landed the bike with one hand and a shoulder was even sicker.

I wasn't impressed with the skateboard vert event, and even though Bucky should have won, his score was too high. I did miss White's non scored run though.

The ramp for Skate Best Trick was MONSTROUS. If anyone has seen the new KG commercial (He's got the whole world in his hands. . . ), the drop is similar to the dude who jumps off of the building onto the pile. For those who haven't seen it, think Shane McMahon jumping off of the TitanTron. Someone's going to break a leg or two on that one, and of the ten or so guys they showed doing the jump, not one even came close to landing on their board, much less performing a trick.

My only hope is that no one ends up dying at the X Games trying something they have no hope of landing, ie Pastrana's Double Backflip on a Moto Bike. All in all, it was a solid, if not spectacular opening day.

[punky]

Deegan's 360 is pretty cool, even if it's not a real 360.

Carothers move had to win because it's just fuckin' unbelievable. I bet if he did it many more times in competition, it would have to win everytime. It's insane.

I'm waiting for Pastrana to bust out the Double Backflip but I don't want to see him get seriously hurt, either.

[ILoveNicole]

Skate Best Trick is done of the vert ramp, Tony Hawk won it last year with a 900

←

I could've sworn the Pierre Luc Gagnon won last year. I remembered Tony kept trying the 360 varial mctwist, and landed it after the competition.

[Docpepper]

I'm so pissed at myself for missing the moto x best trick my bro watched and called me and told me about the awesome body varial performed by Carothers. from the pic above it looks sick as hell I'm gonna have to find a vid of it cause my bro forgot to record it.. as for travis and his double backflip it is insane and very dangerous but i don't think it could beat Carother's trick

[Docpepper]

moto x messageboard witha vid of Chucks awesome body varial!

[Cactus Drags]

I'm currently watching X Games IX, I'll get back to yuo with my views on X Games X next year, because for soem reason, the EX channel (UK) is a fucking year behind.

[Hellfire]

i saw the last half hour or so and it was insane. Hopefully i can catch it tonight, cause i thought it was great. That Varial thing was crazy, when i saw it i figured he would crash, especially since they said every time he tried it he broke something.

[Maxx]

The Gigantic Ramp is for Skateboard Big Air, thats on sunday.

Skate Best Trick takes place on the vert ramp and its happening tonight. Today we have Aggressive Inline Vert, Men's and Women's Wakeboarding, Surfing, Bike Stunt Park, Skateboard Best Trick and the MotoX Freestyle Prelims, which I hope they are doing in the LA Colliseum.

ILoveNicole, you're behind a year. Tony was trying the 360 Varial McTwist in 2002 and hit it after time expired. Last year they had the really big, long vert ramp and Jake Brown was trying to hit a 900, then Tony went in and did one as time expired.

Last Night:

MotoX Step Up was a really good competition, Jeremy McGrath won in his first X Games appearence. The height went to 33.6 feet and his competition, Matt Buyten did half the event with a seperated shoulder.

Sadly Mirra won Bike Stunt Vert, I really hate the ramp this year and Kevin Robinson almost hit a Double Flair