Big Air Battle Comes Down To Bob Burnquist’s Big Switch
August 1, 2008 – 1:52 am PT by GregTags: Bob Burnquist, Danny Way, Jake Brown, X Games —
Last year the world could stop talking about the Skateboard Big Air contest because of Jake Brown’s incredible slam. This year, the conversation will be about the battle between Brown, Danny Way and Bob Burnquist for the title with Burnquist making an amazing comeback to win on the final run of the night.
The beginning of the night was not promising, as most of the field of six couldn’t have a clean landing on the megaramp, but that all changed all in the third set of runs (out of five). Way was first, returning after a massive fall of his own, to land a sick backflip over the gap on the way to a 90.33 and first place. Interviewed immediately after, Way mused his foot might even be broken from the fall. But moments later Brown brought the crowd to its feet with a huge backside no-grab 360 leading into a mctwist for a 91.33 — a score that looked like it would hold up. But Bob Burnquist, the top qualifier, had different plans. He dropped in switch with a kickflip mute over the 70-foot gap and moments later it was a rae as he had the top spot with a 93.33.
At that moment the contest came down to those three, with the other competitors nowhere near the top of the pack. The fourth runs didn’t change things at all as Brown tried and missed for the legendary 720 (the trick he landed before his quarterpipe fall last year) and Way fell again, appearing to be unconciouss for a few moments before leaving the floor with assistance.
It came down to the fifth run. Brown again tried for his 720 and when he missed, the bronze was his to keep. Then came Danny Way. Bruised and battered after two falls, there was no way he was expected to come out with anything bigger than he had already shown, but this is Danny Way, after all. Way landed a perfect backflip over the gap into a frontside 540 on the quarterpipe. The crowd exploded and Way celebrated what looked to be a first-place run. It was, with Way scoring a 94.00 and putting Burnquist on the spot.
Last year, Burnquist was in a similar position after Brown’s fall but this was different. He was up against Danny Way, the man who invented the megaramp and who won every gold medal in the event until missing last year’s competition with an injury.
So Burnquist took a deep breath and then dropped in to a switch backside ollie to an indy 360. The crowd went crazy again and the Brazillain reacted to what could be the run of his life. But it wasn’t until the score came in, a 96.00, that the dream was realized. Burnquist won the gold medal in ‘07 but Danny Way wasn’t there. Now, he had won it without any conditions. It was bound to happen eventually, after all. Burnquist has the only working megaramp in his backyard and hasn’t put in the years of slams that Way has on the massive structure. But it wasn’t official until now.
There were other competitors, but they weren’tpart of the story. Andy Macdonald, on his 35th birthday, had clean runs but was a distant fourth while 18-year-old Adam Taylor was unable to land cleanly on the quarterpipe. Finally, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, last year’s bronze medalist, had a terrible night and was unable to land anything, finishing with a 1.0.
“I had this Indy 3 in my mind,” Burnquist said when it was all said and done. “I had to go for it.”
Way congratulated his friend and didn’t seem to mind if his best wasn’t good enough.
“First or last… it doesn’t matter to me as long as I get an opportunity to come out and skate with my friends,” Way said.
It was Bob Burnquist’s night, and no one could take that away.
Read the official press release below for another take on the night’s action.
Burnquist Steps Up the Skateboard Big Air Final and Takes Gold
Brazilian Claims Title with a Switch Backside Ollie to Indy 360
LOS ANGELES- It was an emotional rollercoaster in the STAPLES Center this evening as close friends Danny Way and Bob Burnquist battled each other for the Skateboard Big Air gold medal. In the end it was Burnquist who dropped in for a switch backside ollie over the 70-foot gap, to indy 360 on the quarterpipe earning him a first place finish with a score of 96.00.
Danny Way kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as he came back from two crashes on the quarterpipe, eventually sticking a backflip over the gap to a frontside 540 on the quarterpipe, bringing the crowd to its feet. Danny’s triumphant last run earned him a score of 94.00, enough to take second place.
Jake Brown made a remarkable showing with a backside no-grab 360 to an 18-feet-eight-inch high mctwist on the quarterpipe, ending him with a score of 91.33 for the bronze.
The skaters fed off each others’ energy and pushed each other’s limits throughout the final.
“It’s all about pedal to the metal with this event. That’s what Danny Way is all about and that’s what Jake Brown is all about, so I had no choice but to push it,” said gold medalist Bob Burnquist.
“That was full throttle. That was the craziest competition I’ve ever seen,” Jake replied to Bob’s statement.
Highest landed quarterpipe air of the night goes to Andy Macdonald, who celebrated his 35th birthday with a 22-foot-two-inch air above the coping.
The skateboard action continues tomorrow during the Men’s and Women’s Street Finals starting at 3 p.m. PT.
Danny Way falls on his fourth run… | cr. Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images
SKATEBOARD BIG AIR FINAL
Results from ESPN X GAMES 14 at The STAPLES Center in LOS ANGELES on Thursday, July 31, 2008. (Final Standings)
Name / Hometown / Score
1. Bob Burnquist / Sao Paulo, Brazil / 96.00
2. Danny Way / San Diego, Calif. / 94.00
3. Jake Brown / Carlsbad, Calif. / 91.33
4. Andy Macdonald / San Diego, Calif. / 83.33
5. Adam Taylor / Cocoa Beach, Fla. / 34.66
6. Pierre-Luc Gagnon / Carlsbad, Calif. / 1.00
Results - Skate Big Air Elims
Rank - Name - Run 1 - Run 2 - Run 3 - Run 4 - Score
1. Andy Macdonald - 81.33 - 83.33 - 80.66 - 85.00 - 84.00
2. Adam Taylor - 74.33 - 80.33 - 1.00 - 36.00 - 80.33
3. Buster Halterman - 79.00 - 80.00 - 1.00 - 1.00 - 80.00
4. Rob Lorifice - 39.33 - 76.66 - 78.66 - 40.00 - 78.66
5. Edgard Pereira - 36.00 - 1.00 - 1.00 - 77.66 - 77.66
6. Lincoln Ueda - 32.66 - 32.00 - 1.00 - 31.66 - 32.66
7. Digo Menezes - 1.00 - 1.00 - 1.00 - 1.00 - 1.00
