X GAMES CAPSULES
Skateboard
Schedule
Friday -- Street Best Trick final, 2-3 p.m., Staples Center; Vert final, 7:30-9 p.m., Staples Center. Sunday -- Vert Best Trick final, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Staples Center; Park final, 1-3:30 p.m., Staples Center.
The Competition
The vert event has become a cornerstone of the X Games, featuring competitors in a massive 13-foot half pipe constructed of wood, screws and Skatelite. Competitors have 45 seconds to string together a run that’s not only judged on amplitude out of the pipe, but the types of technical tricks the skater can put together above or on the coping “lip” of the pipe.
The vert and street best trick competitions are open jam formats that enable skaters to attempt their most difficult and impressive tricks on three best trick areas.
The vert doubles allows skaters to pick their partners and together attempt to create unique lines. Runs often include shadow tricks (in unison), over-under airs and opposite airs. Partners earn a greater number of points for teamwork.
The park competition features professional skaters attempting to win points by maneuvering over, through and onto obstacles, grinding on ledges and sliding down handrails. The course is drawn up and laid out by a world-class designer, and skaters are judged on creativity, amplitude and their ability to use the entire course.
Competitors are divided into two groups. Each will take two runs and the six judges will award a whole number up to 100 points. Of the six scores given by the judges, the highest and lowest scores are dropped and the four scores left are averaged. The highest score determines the winner.
In the street best trick competition, riders have a 15-minute jam session to perform on the three best trick areas where the judges record their impressions throughout. Once the head judge declares the session is over, skaters select their individual best trick to be considered.
Judges rank skaters in order from 1-10, based on originality of the trick, difficulty, style, height, distance and execution.
In the preliminary round of the vert competition, each skater receives two runs to prove they are worthy to move on to the final round. Each of the six judges scores a competitor on a whole number up to 100 points for two runs. The highest and lowest scores are dropped and the remaining four scores get averaged. Their best score from the first and second run is taken. Only the top 10 competitors move on to the finals. In the finals, each skater gets three runs and competes using the same format as the preliminary round.
In the vert doubles, each of the 10 teams completes two runs with their highest score taken as their best score. The top five teams move on to the final round. In the final round, each of the five teams completes two runs starting from the lowest score. Teams are judged on originality, difficulty, flow, use of ramp, combination tricks, interaction of the partners and amplitude.
In the vert best trick, riders have a 45-minute jam session and judges record their impressions throughout. When the head judge declares the session over, the judges rank skaters in order from 1-5, based on originality, difficulty, style, height and execution.
The equipment: The main platform area of a skateboard, or the deck, is usually made from 7-ply maple laminate. The deck is attached to the trucks, which have wheels on each end. The trucks are essentially the axels of the skateboard. They are made of polymer bushings for steering and maneuverability. Each wheel is a unique blend of Urethane. Wheels come in different sizes, colors and hardness. All skaters are required to wear a helmet.
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Moto X
Schedule
Friday -- Step Up final, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Staples Center. Saturday -- Freestyle final, 8-9 p.m., Coliseum. Sunday -- Big Air final, 7-9 p.m., Staples Center.
The Competition
When Travis Pastrana won the freestyle Moto X during the 1999 X Games, he celebrated by soaring into San Francisco Bay. Afterward, ESPN refused to pay his $10,000 prize, instead using part of it to salvage the motorcycle from the water some five hours later and donating the balance to a charity involved in Bay cleanup.
Pastrana, a three-time gold medalist at the X Games, and current reigning champion Mike “the Godfather” Metzger will meet for the first time Saturday at the Coliseum.
In addition to freestyle, Moto X also includes step-up and big-air competitions.
Big air competitors have three attempts to perform their best trick while jumping over an approximate 80-foot gap. The bigger the air and more difficult the trick, the higher the score.
Step up is similar to the high jump in track and field. Jumpers start from a stationary position between 15 and 20 feet away. The rider takes his bike up a 15-foot plus vertical dirt face and leaps into the air, attempting to clear a horizontal bar placed between two uprights at the top of the jump.
In freestyle, 16 competitors on 250cc dirt bikes try to be as flashy as humanly possible by attempting to pull off high-flying tricks in mid-air.
In big air competition, each of the 16 riders has three attempts, with the highest score representing the final.
In step up, after each successful clearance, the bar is raised in six-inch increments until a winner is determined.
In freestyle, each of the 16 competitors completes two 60-second runs. The best of the two scores is assigned as the competitor’s best score with the top eight advancing to the final round. In the final round, athletes compete in reverse order of the leader board with each completing two 60-second runs. Scoring is based on overall impression, tricks, execution, use of the course, and landings.
The equipment: Most freestyle riders compete on either 125cc or 250cc two-stroke machines. The suspension is crucial on the bikes, as it helps insure a soft landing.
Riders wear knee-high plastic boots, chest protectors, nylon pants and a full-face helmet designed specifically for motocross.
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Bicycle Stunt
Schedule
Today -- Dirt final, 7:30-9 p.m., Staples Center. Friday -- Flatland final, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Staples Center. Saturday -- Park final, 1-3:30 p.m., Staples Center. Sunday -- Vert final, 4-6 p.m., Staples Center
The Competition
This sport, which comes in the form of dirt, flatland, park and vert competitions, has been known to slide middle-aged men to the edge of their seats, lighting up memories of days spent doing tricks on their BMX bicycle.
Since its debut as a sideshow event in 1995, the dirt competition has evolved into one of the favorites of the X Games. Competitors get one chance to peddle their aerial awareness to the judges, so don’t be surprised to see a back flip and a tail whip completed on the same jump, consecutive 360-degree spins or a one-handed sidesaddle landing.
The flatland competition is a display of balance, agility and patience. If a foot touches the ground in this highly technical discipline, competitors are deducted points. Riders are judged on style, difficulty, originality, creativity, execution and overall performance.
When it comes to the park competition, expect to see plenty of flips, spins and other high-altitude tricks mixed in with grinds on street-oriented obstacles such as spines, quarter-pipes, wedge ramps, and handrails. Bikers have 90 seconds to impress the judges with their use of the course, mainly through the difficulty of their tricks.
In the vert competition, several of the best bike stunt riders compete in a 12-foot-high, 56-foot-wide half pipe made of wood and surfaced with Skatelite, a hard, fast plastic composite. Each rider gets between 45 and 60 seconds to illuminate the air with big air and risky, original tricks.
The scoring format for each of the competitions includes a preliminary round and a 10-man final round.
In the dirt competition, competitors attempt three jumps in the preliminary round, the lowest score of three is dropped and the remaining two scores are averaged to determined the qualifiers. In the finals, riders attempt three more jumps. In each competition, the final starts in reverse order of the preliminary leaderboard.
In the flatland competition, each of competitors completes a two-minute run in the preliminaries and two 90-second runs in the final, with the highest score of the two indicating the final ranking.
In the preliminary round of the park competition, each of the competitors completes two runs between 60 and 75 seconds, with the better of the two scores being the preliminary score. In the final round, each competitor must complete two runs and the better of the two scores is the final score.
In the preliminary round of the vert competition, each of the competitors must complete two runs between 45 and of 60 seconds. The better of the two scores is the preliminary score. In the final round, each competitor must complete two runs, with the better score being the final score.
In the vert competition, bikes typically have two pegs on both wheels on each side of the bike, larger handlebars and a higher seat than a normal BMX bike. Vert bikes are set up to be more stable for airs and high speeds. Park and street bikes have two or four pegs, the handlebars and seat are lower and some might have the handlebars swept back toward the rider. Most park and street bikes have only back brakes or no brakes at all. These bikes are set up to be more agile and sensitive.
The equipment: When it comes to the frames, the length of the top tube, which runs from the seat tube to the head tube below the stem, determines the frame size. The pegs are made of steel or aluminum, and are inserted into the axles of the wheels and tightened down with axle nuts. Pegs are used to execute lip tricks in vert, grind along ledges in park and hold a rider’s body in place in flatland.
It is mandatory that competitors in dirt jumping, park and vert wear helmets. Most riders also wear knee, shin and elbow pads.
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Aggressive In-line
Schedule
Today -- Park final, 1:30-4 p.m., Staples Center. Sunday -- Vert final, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Staples Center.
The Competition
Don’t be confused by the name of this sport, it has nothing to do with roller derby. Aggressive in-line skaters will direct their wrath on the many street-oriented obstacles in the park competition and will try to reach new altitudes in the vert competition.
The park competition matches most of the world’s top in-line skaters against ledges, handrails, wedge ramps, quarter pipes, spine ramps and other obstacles used similarly by skateboarders and bicycle stunt riders.
The vert competition includes a mix of men and women performing individual tricks within a half pipe. The challenge is for skaters to link together a combination of big air, high spinning and technical lip tricks during a smooth and exciting run.
In both competitions, there is a preliminary round that includes two timed runs for each competitor. An average is taken from both scores and the top 10 positions advance. In the final round, each competitor completes two additional timed runs. The greater score of the two runs is assigned as the competitor’s best score. Scores are based on style, difficulty, consistency and line. The runs are timed at 60 seconds for the park competition and 45 seconds for the vert competition.
The equipment: The same skates are used in both events. They are enclosed in a hard casing called a shell, which is usually made of durable plastic. The shell holds in place the laces or buckles, allowing closure and keeping the skater’s foot in place. The frame connects the shell to the wheels. Grind plates are a unique accessory used by aggressive in-line skaters. They are typically attached to the instep of the skate between the second and third wheels. All competitors are required to wear helmets and most also wear wrist guards, extra-large kneepads and elbow pads.
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Wakeboard
Schedule
Sunday -- Women’s final, 2:30-3:15 p.m., Long Beach Marine Stadium. Men’s final, 3:15-4 p.m., Long Beach Marine Stadium.
The Competition
This event evolved from a combination of surfing and water-skiing. Riders are towed behind a boat while spinning, flipping and twisting off the boat’s wake, in addition to using water obstacles, to try to score points.
In round one of the men’s competition, wakeboarders are divided into two heats based on current tour standing and other criteria. The competition begins with each athlete in Heat A completing one run (two passes), in reverse order of the rankings. The competition continues with each athlete in Heat B making one run (two passes), in reverse order of the rankings. The top four competitors from Heat A and the top four from Heat B advance to Round 2. In Round 2, the competitors complete one run (two passes and a double up). In this round the competitors’ running order begins with the two fourth-place finishers from Round 1 and ends with the two first-place finishers. The scores after Round 2, the final round of eight, are called the Round 2 final scores.
In the women’s competition, each of the eight competitors runs in reverse order of standings. Each competitor will complete one run (two passes and a double up) for a final score.
The equipment: The binding, or “straps,” are located on the board and hold the riders’ feet in place. Many recent developments in bindings have made them more durable, tighter and form fitting, which protects the athletes from sliding out and injuring themselves. Thicker footbeds, which provide better shock absorption for riders, have also been a recent change on many boards.
There are two different types of boards on the market. The newest is referred to as the “finless board,” which is a deceptive description as the board does have fins that are on non-interchangeable rails built into the board. These boards are looser and give more of a snowboard feel, which may feel uncontrollable to some.
An essential element in wakeboarding is the boat. MasterCraft was the first company to design a boat specifically for the sport. Wakeboarding ropes have little or no stretch. The lack of stretch prevents “recoil” during tricks.
Among the obstacles is the Slaughter Box, a hybrid ramp/slider creation that rises up from the water about three feet on both sides. Sliders can run along the edges of the ramp and platform. The rainbow slider is the third piece of the apparatus that is made up of 30 feet of pipe for riders to hop on and slide.
The kicker is a short but very steep ramp that shoots riders six feet off the water allowing for a lot of height and elevation, which is perfect for flips.