X Games Los Angeles – Day 1 News and Results: Higashino three-peats in Moto X Freestyle; Sloan catches Big Air and Leticia Bufoni claims gold in Women’s Street, again.
As the event prepares for new host city Austin, Texas, the final X Games Los Angeles kicked off with a crowd of over 19,000. Mild temperatures and plenty of California sunshine set the scene for a day that saw Moto X and Skateboarding take center stage.In Moto X Freestyle, Taka Higashino claimed gold in the finals for a record third time. Higashino’s unique approach included a Kiss of Death backflip and a Rock Solid backflip in a pair of runs that both earned 90.00. Despite also scoring a 90.00 in his second run, Adam Jones and his one of a kind trick, the Rigamortis, earned silver as Higashino’s first run decided the tie.Josh Hansen earned a convincing 42 percent of the vote in the fan voted Best Whip competition. The event also saw competitor Vicki Golden, the first woman to compete in the discipline, win bronze.
In the America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air which moved across town to the Irwindale Event Center, Elliot Sloan claimed his first X Games gold. Despite strong tailwinds, Sloan was able to stay on his board when it counted with a 720 and one particularly large 540. Favorite Bob Burnquist battled through an injury sustained midway through the competition before taking home bronze. Thirteen-year-old Tom Schaar took silver.
Earlier in the day, fifteen skaters competed for the final spot in the Street League event via the SLS Select Series. In the end, it was Ryan Decenzo’s powerful and consistent skating that edged out Brazilian Felipe Gustavo. This will be Decenzo’s first appearance in the Street League competition since it’s inception in 2010.
On the women’s side it was Leticia Bufoni who won the Women’s Street competition. The 20-year-old Brazilian’s winning run included a frontside flip, fakie flip and backside flip. Prior to this, Bufoni won Gold at both the Real Women in Barcelona and Women’s Street in Foz.
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U. S. Media: Danny Chi X Games, +1 310-642-1509; danny.c.chi@espn.com
U.S. Media: Grace Coryell X Games, +1 310-642-1519; grace.s.coryell@espn.com
SLS Select Series — Final Scores
1. Ryan Decenzo, 41.60 (CAN) Moves on to Finals
2. Felipe Gustavo, 40.80 (BRA)
3. Greg Lutzka, 40.20 (USA)
4. Evan Smith, 39.20 (USA)
5. Manny Santiago, 30.40 (USA)
6. Youness Amrani, 20.10 (BEL)Women’s Skateboard Street Final
Gold: Leticia Bufoni, 88.00 (BRA)
Silver: Lacey Baker, 86.00 (USA)
Bronze: Marisa Dal Santo, 81.00 (USA)Women’s Skateboard Street Heat 1
1. Leticia Bufoni, 90.33 (BRA)
2. Samarria Brevard, 78.66 (USA)
3. Rachel Reinhard, 74.66 (USA)
4. Alexis Sablone, 73.66 (USA)
5. Pamela Rose, 73.00 (BRA)Women’s Skateboard Street Heat 2
1. Lacey Baker, 88.66 (USA)
2. Marisa Dal Santo, 84.66 (USA)
3. Alana Smith, 83.00 (USA)
4. Candy Jacobs, 65.33 (NED)
5. Jessica Florencio, 45.33 (BRA)Women’s Skateboard Street — Final Scores
1. Leticia Bufoni, 88.00 (BRA)
2. Lacey Baker, 86.00 (USA)
3. Marisa Dal Santo, 81.00 (USA)
4. Samarria Brevard, 75.00 (USA)
5. Alana Smith, 69.33 (USA)
6. Rachel Reinhard, 64.66 (USA)America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air Final
Gold: Elliot Sloan, 90.17 (USA)
Silver: Tom Schaar, 88.83 (USA)
Bronze: Bob Burnquist, 88.67 (BRA)
America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air — Final Scores
1. Elliot Sloan, 90.17 (USA)
2. Tom Schaar, 88.83 (USA)
3. Bob Burnquist, 88.67 (BRA)
4. Jagger Eaton, 80.50 (USA)
5. Edgard Pereira, 78.66 (BRA)
6. Nolan Munroe, 49.00 (USA)
7. Jake Brown, 40.67 (AUS)
8. Mitchie Brusco, 34.83 (USA)
Moto X Best Whip Final
Gold: Josh Hansen, 42.00 (USA)
Silver: Jeremy Stenberg, 24.00 (USA)
Bronze: Vicki Golden, 21.00 (USA)
Moto X Best Whip — Final Scores
1. Josh Hansen, 42.00 (USA)
2. Jeremy Stenberg, 24.00 (USA)
3. Vicki Golden, 21.00 (USA)
4. Robbie Maddison, 8.00 (AUS)
5. Edgar Torronteras, 5.00 (SPA)
6. Nate Adams, 2.00 (USA)
Moto X Freestyle Final
Gold: Taka Higashino, 90.00 (JPN)
Silver: Adam Jones, 90.00 (USA)
Bronze: Nate Adams, 88.00 (USA)
Moto X Freestyle — Final Scores
1. Taka Higashino, 90.00 (JPN)
2. Adam Jones, 90.00 (USA)
3. Nate Adams, 88.00 (USA)
4. Levi Sherwood, 87.66 (AUS)
5. Rob Adelberg, 86.66 (AUS)
6. Blake Williams, 85.00 (AUS)
7. Libor Podmol, 83.33 (CZE)
8. Wes Agee, 83.33 (USA)
9. Jackson Strong, 82.33 (AUS)
10.Todd Potter (USA)