Jake Brown survived a harrowing 45-foot plunge to the bottom of the mega-ramp
in the Skateboard big air competition Thursday night at the X Games, and Bob
Burnquist walked away with the gold medal at Staples Center after producing the
winning score on the ensuing run.
Brown, a 32-year-old from Australia, was leading the event entering the last of
his five runs. He landed the first-ever 720-degree revolution on the mega-ramp,
but did not set up properly for the 27-foot high quarterpipe that followed his leap
over the 70-foot gap.
Fellow competitors thought he was crouched too low when he took off from the
top of the quarterpipe and his momentum shot him away from the wall. He threw
his board away and flailed his arms and legs in mid-air before landing on the flat
portion of the ramp that leads into the quarterpipe. As he laid motionless, silence
enveloped the arena.
"That was the gnarliest thing I've ever seen in my life," said Pierre-Luc Gagnon,
who was standing on the arena floor during Brown's final run and immediately
ran to his side. "I seriously thought he was dead for a second."
After several minutes, Brown was helped to his feet and walked off the ramp
under his own power. He told medical personnel that he did not want to go to
the hospital, but he was taken away shortly afterward for observation.
Burnquist then followed that run with a winning score of 96.55, knocking Brown
into second with a score of 95.33, achieved on his third run.
"It is bittersweet," Burnquist said of his victory over Brown. "He's walking away
hurt, but he's walking away
Skateboard Big Air Finals
1. Bob Burnquist - Best Run 95.66
2. Jake Brown - Best Run 95.33
3. Pierre Gagnon - Best Run 93
4. Buster Halterman - Best Run 85
5. Bucky Lasek - Best Run 83.33
6. Rob Lorifice - Best Run 79.33