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Wednesday, 19 October 2005 |
Skateboarder Danny Way takes it all the way
After seeing Danny Way bail his first three runs last Sunday, it would
be understandable if the capacity crowd at the second X Games Big Air
event were concerned and perhaps confused. The very idea that Way might
not take a second gold—or even podium—in the event that he helped
create for the 2004 X Games seemed almost unthinkable last month as the
31-year-old skateboarder soared over the Great Wall of China. But with
his recent ankle injuries taking their obvious toll, it was a
near-miracle that Danny Way was participating at all.
But just as everyone came to grips with Danny Way's mortality, his
spectacular fourth run reminded everyone at the Staples Centre why the
world-record holder is one of the few who rides like a god on a
skateboard. The run rocketed Danny Way from fifth to first place,
thanks to a 70-plus foot frontside 360 into a Christ air near the
20-foot range and the combination launched him a full 50 feet in the
air.
Up until Danny Way's fourth run, Vert gold medalist Pierre-Luc
Gagnon had been sitting pretty in first place. With his father cheering
him on, he'd blasted 360s over the big gap into 21-foot methods and
one-footed Japan air. Meanwhile, Danny Way hadn't completed a run yet.
But once Danny Way nailed that fourth run, all hope of Pierre-Luc
Gagnon adding a second gold to his X Games take were rapidly destroyed.
Instead, it became a battle for second place between Pierre-Luc Gagnon
(who hit the 70-footer for the first time the morning of the
competition) and Andy Mac (who started skating it the day before).
Andy Mac, the only skater to land three of the five runs today, briefly
threatened to end Pierre-Luc Gagnon 's silver streak in the event. But
when the dust cleared, his backside 360-judo air and a "thread the
needle" in the 14-foot range over the big gap weren't enough, and Andy
Mac had to settle for the bronze. Pierre-Luc Gagnon won silver, his
third medal of the Games.
But neither skater was too concerned with missing out on the gold. Both
were just happy that they had conquered the 70-foot gap and were
looking forward to next year. "We're only scratching the surface," said
Andy Mac.
Despite scoring his second straight Big Air gold, Danny Way
was less impressed with his performance than most of his fans in the
audience. "I wasn't completely on my game today," he said afterward.
"But once I figured out that I could skate, I just wanted to make a run
regardless of where I placed."
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 October 2005 )
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