Jake Brown's death-defying crash two years ago was on everyone's mind at the skateboard big air kicked off at the Staples Center in L.A. on Thursday night, but by the time it wrapped, the brutal wreck was just another memory in the annals of Summer X history. Scoring a 94.00 with a no-handed ollie 360 over the 70-foot gap to a massive 21-foot high beautiful McTwist, Brown finally got to chew on his own morsel of X Games Gold.

Veteran Brown felt not only the searing heat of yesteryear's demons, but also the vigor of youth. 19-year-old Adam Taylor--the rising star of the vert world--brought fire of his own with an under flip over the gap into a massive melon 540, enough to place him in third behind Brown and Burnquist midway through the final. Yet he was soon eclipsed by Rob Lorifice, just two years his senior.

Competing in his firth X Games, Rob had the crowd (and his family) on their feet after landing (in his final run) a massive 360 over the gap to rodeo 540 on the quarter. Dave Downing was frothing on the mic, leaving many in the stands to believe Lorifice may just have taken the lead. Alas a score of 92.33 was only good enough for Bronze, but a happy Lorifice was ecstatic nonetheless to grab his first X Games medal, no doubt with many more opportunities to come in the years ahead.

Not to be outdone by Brown's determination or the threat of young chargers, the ever poised Bob Burnquist, almost stole Jake's glory with a matching score of 94.00 via a switch backside 180, no grab, over the gap into a huge indy backside 360 landing fakie. Jake then tried to secure once and for all his rightful spot atop the podium by going for the biggest 900 ever attempted.

Yet despite making the full rotation, he couldn’t find the landing gear through multiple attempts. Despite the double 94.00 scores, the powers that be at X awarded Jake the gold anyway (not sure how that works). Regardless Big Air continues to progress and impress and with the 900 still lingering in the shadows and it's clear we have much to anticipate come next year.


Men's Skate Big Air Final Results




Adam Taylor with poise and style beyond his years


Bob Burnquist finds his center



Jake McTwist


Lorifice on his way to Bronze


Podium - Brown, Burnquist, Lorifice


Brown's Redemption