That Was The Worst Fall in the History Of Skateboarding
Posted by: admin in 2007 Skateboard Contests, 2007 X Games, Injuries, Snow & Skate“That Was The Worst Fall in the History Of Skateboarding” That is exactly what Jason Ellis said as the X Games Big Air event came to its conclusion. Skateboarding Big Air was the first event of X Games 13 tonight. Danny Way was out due to surgery, who stepped it up and why was it a very emotional event? Read on…
The venue moved from outdoors at the Home Depot Center back to the Staples but indoors. Can not believe they actually fit this thing inside.
The X Games are always a hassle with the traveling to LA, tight security, limited shooting options, traffic and parking issues. However, even with the problems, it really does feel lucky to be able to witness what goes down here. Every year some amazing things happen
Jake Brown with a giant backside air in practice, this whole article is dedicated to Jake, he is the man!
Young Rob Loriface is showing some true promise as a skateboarder. Rob locks into this kickflip to Indy in practice
PLG with a kickflip180 over the gap. This trick put PLG onto the podium, 3rd place to be exact
Atiba Jefferson, one of my favorite skate photogs, hands down, was there shooting
Here is Jake Brown again, with another monster air
Hawk and Sal on top of the deck
Bucky Lasek qualified first for the finals. Here he is doing a front 3 over the gap to air to fakie. Bucky could not quite pull his frontside 5 rodeo which may have put him on the podium
I high-fived David Spade. David was sitting right in front of me. He was very personable; greeting and posing for photos with anyone who asked. Unlike Jason Lee a few years ago who was bitching at people for taking his photo, still like Jason though
PLG – 19 foot method air
Here is where it really got interesting. This very run you are looking at a photo of ; consisted of Jake Brown doing a backside ollie 360 over the 70 foot gap right into a 19 foot 540 put Jake in the Gold Medal position. That’s right Jake was going to win the 2007 X Games
Bob Burnquist immediately answered Jake with a switch back 180 into this giant 540. It was not enough to put Bob over the top; he sat in the silver position with PLG owning the Bronze. I believe this was the 4th of everybody’s five runs. The best score wins
Stephen Baldwin was in the house. The media section must have been near the VIP section
Here is Jake’s 5th and final run. He did the unbelievable…a 720 over the gap (seen here). It was insane, everyone in the house was screaming. What was amazing was the fact that he was already in first place or as PLG said “Jake had nothing to lose”
What happened next is unclear. I feel that Jake was so stoked about doing the 720 that he got kind of got dis-oriented…he shocked himself maybe. He went up the quarter pipe and went off with no control what so ever and Jake has too many skills to be so outta control. I could be wrong, we may never really know
We do know that Jake went straight from 40+ feet up straight to the position you see right here which is to say he landed from a 40 foot fall right on the flat – No Transition. He actually “bounced like a skydiver” according to Bob Burnquist. The house went from screaming for his 720 to totally silent, I mean SILENT. PLG thought he was dead, so did many others. Jake did not move for a few minutes. The Staples Center sat silent for that time. Then Jake twitched and everyone screamed. People were crying, freaking out. Jake actually walked off the ramp. Jake is one tough fucker, like a Tasmanian devil. PLG said that “Jake probably broke the ramp” It really was insane, look how distraught the other two people in the photo are
PLG, Bill Weis, Rob Loriface, Buster Halterman, Bucky Lasek, Jason Ellis and the medical crew check out Jakey
Then, right after Jakes run Bob had his moment. He said it was so tough to go. Not only was he extremely scared but he did not really want to take away Jake’s Gold. Then he said Jake would not want a Gold medal unless he knew everyone gave their best and then Bob went for his final run. Bob pulled a switch back 180 right into a frontside 540. The crowd erupted. It was a surreal moment. Bob said it “was bittersweet” He also said that “If Jake did not walk off the ramp I would not have gone”
That was it, the last run. Bob took it
“What did I do over the gap?” – Jake
“You did a 720” – PLG
What did I do on the quarter?” Jake
“Nothing” – PLG
Here is Jake right after he got off the ramp and he was joking around
“That was the worst fall in the history of skateboarding” – Jason Ellis holding Jake’s board
Bob, found it hard to smile but after all he did just win gold
The sun sets over Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles USA. This is right across the street from a car wash were Chad Muska is photographed doing an insane tail drop in the new Skateboard Mag. The first day of the X Games is over
Results
1 Bob Burnquist
2 Jake Brown
3 PLG
4 Buster Halterman
5 Bucky Lasek
6 Rob Loriface
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