Bostrom Beats Seel for Gold

The Moto X SuperMoto made its debut at the X Games on Sunday afternoon, bringing a mix of supercross and road racing to the Home Depot Center and leaving all types of two-wheel enthusiasts acting satisfied.

Road racing star Ben Bostrom passed reigning supermoto world champion Eddy Seel on the final lap and held on to win the gold medal. Seel finished second, and former supercross champion Jeremy McGrath was third.

McGrath, who won an X Games gold medal Friday in the step-up jump competition, took the hole shot out of the gate, avoiding former supercross racer Doug Henry, who crashed heading into the first turn and then skidded on his back for about 40 feet.

McGrath could not sustain his lead on the street portion of the course, however, giving way to Bostrom after four laps.

Bostrom, a Las Vegas resident, held the lead until six laps remained in the 22-lap race. He then lost it to Seel when he slid into the hay bales after coming off the street portion into a dirt section. Bostrom was able to restart his bike with the first kick, giving him hope to catch Seel.

“Right there, I said, ‘We’re either going to crash or win this thing,’ ” he said.

Seel led for six laps until he bobbled coming out of the ramp that led out of the stadium, giving Bostrom a chance to pull up alongside him on a street course straightaway. Heading into a tight left-hand turn, Bostrom then tried a ploy used in street racing, laying off the brakes until after Seel braked. Seel tried to lean into the turn, but Bostrom was on his inside, causing Seel to straighten up, then bobble and miss the turn.

*

Corey Bohan took an early lead in the Bike Stunt Dirt competition and held on to win the event at the Home Depot Center.

Bohan, a 22-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, who finished second in the event last year, was awarded a score of 93.66 in the first of three rounds. Heading into the last round, he was still on top.

His biggest challenge was expected to come from Stephen Murray of Britain, the 2001 winner, or defending champion Ryan Nyquist of Greenville, N.C., both of whom began the last round with the lowest scores in the 10-man field.

But Murray came up short on the opening jump of his last run and could not generate enough speed to complete the second jump. Nyquist crashed after landing a 720-degree spin on the final jump.

“I feel bloody great,” Bohan said. “We all know what Ryan is capable of.”

Chris Doyle of Pittsburgh finished second, and T.J. Lavin of Las Vegas was third.

Dan Arritt

*

Danny Way of San Diego was the only skateboarder who tried to clear the 70-foot gap during the debut of big air, and his 360 off the ramp to a Christ air off the quarterpipe scored 91.66 points and the gold medal.

Way, credited with inventing the big-air discipline, cleared 79 feet to set a record for longest jump on a skateboard. He had the previous record at 75 feet.

Pierre Luc Gagnon of Canada won silver, his third silver of the X Games, with 86.33 points. He did a one-footed McTwist off the quarterpipe after clearing the 50-foot gap with a melon grab backside 360.

Andy Macdonald earned 85 points and the bronze with a 360 varial finger flip over the 50-foot gap and a kickflip indy off the quarterpipe.

-- Peter Yoon