Superstar Buzz. Big Airs. Podiums. Oakley’s Skate Team Sees Glory at X Games 16
It was more than just buzz.
Oakley’s high profile skate team, featuring some of action sports’ biggest mega stars, stirred up a massive commotion in the weeks leading up to X Games 16.
Snowboard celebrity and Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White stole the headlines with his plans to temporarily trade in the ice for the hardwood…returning to the Skate Vert competition. (Hollywood-level hype from inside and outside the industry.) Then the moment of truth arrived as X Games 16 raged into Los Angeles. Flash to Saturday: He rolled into X’s brand new, semi-dramatic Vert setup onstage at the Nokia Theatre to the roars of adoring fans.
And he didn’t disappoint. Shaun came into the Vert Finals on Saturday night on fire (much like his hair). He took the lead at one point, as he pulled a frontside heelflip 540 body varial (never before seen at X Games – or at any competition in general) amongst a plethora of more spectator tricks. He was eventually edged out by defending gold medalist Pierra-Luc Gagnon for the Silver medal – but his overall performance was more than definitely a crowd favorite and a true contender for the top spot.
Speaking of top spots on the podium, another larger-than-his-sport Oakley team rider was doing a little jewelry shopping of his own. Ryan Sheckler returned to the Skateboard Street contest after an abrupt ending to his efforts at last summer’s X Games due to injury. Safe to say, He’s back.
A near perfect final run capped off an afternoon of strong moments, as an alley-oop frontside transfer from one half of the teacup to the other, a frontside air on the teacup and a cab back lip helped sealed the deal for his third Gold medal in the contest. He edged out Nyjah Huston, who dazzled the crowd with some pretty sick runs of his own.
While Oakley’s celebrity riders charged at the L.A. Live area, just down the freeway at the Los Angeles Memorial Colisseum, one of the most dramatic events of the X Games unfolded. The legendary Bob Burnquist took to the mega ramp for the Skateboard Big Air competition. He came into the much hyped contest as a favorite for the top of the podium. And he wasn’t very far off. Bob threw down a massive switch backside 180 into a backside 540 in his second run to earn a 93. But friendly rival Jake Brown, who’s most famous for his horrific crash at the X Games in 2007, edged Bob out with insane aerial antics of his own. A Silver metal and a lot of mutual respect was the result.
Fortunately, he made up for a second place finish in Big Air with an amazing performance at Big Air Rail Jam. The skating machine that sent Bob to a bronze metal at the Skate Vert-Best Trick contest, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, couldn’t land a single run at the Big Air Rail Jam. But Bob, reaffirming his legend status, did a little schooling. He switched his feet on his board while on the rail, turning 180 degrees on the skateboard for a trick called the “switch-stand.” The feat earned him a score of 94.00 and a Gold medal. (Bob landed three runs, while the Silver medalist, Rob Lorifice, only landed twice.)
Two Gold, two Silver and a Bronze. Oakley’s Skate Team definitely shined at X Games 16 and represented big time for the Big O. Congratulations to our team for putting on a real show for Oakley fans across the globe.
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