X Games Thursday Live Blog
ESPN Skateboarding kept it live day four of XG15.
July 30, 2009, 6:22 PM
By: Adam Salo
Check out the LIVE Skate Blog.
For all day Wednesday coverage click here.
X Games Tuesday Wrap
ESPN Skateboarding kept it live day two of XG15.
July 28, 2009, 11:08 PM
By: Adam Salo
Adam Salo
Chris Miller floated frontside airs all afternoon and made them look better than most.
Tuesday practice day of X Games 15 has come to a close. Things are starting to build here as more and more pros turn up and begin to figure out the courses and their potential runs. The street course was relatively quiet today but Vert, Park and Big Air saw a lot of action. Big names including Bucky Lasek, Rune Glifberg, Lance Mountain, Christian Hosoi, Jimmy "The Greek" Marcus, Adam Taylor, Bob Burnquist, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Chris Miller, Omar Hassan and more were all in them ix today. For a complete look back at the day and some predictions for tomorrow, click here.
For all day Wednesday coverage click here.
X Games Monday Wrap
ESPN Skateboarding took a left-turn at Los Angeles for XG15.
July 27, 2009, 4:31 PM
By: Josh Brooks
Josh Brooks
TK's getting ready for XG15. Are you?
Seem quiet around here? That's because we're onsite at X Games 15, live blogging from throughout the Street, Park, Vert, and Big Air venues. Keep it tuned to this page right ... here ... for up-to-the-minute observations, reports, photos, and more.
X Games Park Practicing
Andy Mac cruising the park.
July 24, 2009, 3:47 PM
By: Josh Brooks
Here's another overview of the X Games 15 park with Andy Mac shredding around in it. It looks amazing—a wood and concrete hybrid. The park event is going to be entertaining. I can't wait to see other skaters on this monstrosity.
A Peak at X Games 15's Street Course
Construction underway!
July 22, 2009, 3:30 PM
By: Josh Brooks
Mick Kelleher
People will be hucking themselves down these stairs in just a week and a half.
To take a look at an exclusive preview of the street course being built for X Games 15, click
here.
The Love and Guts of X Games 15 Legend Competitors
XG 15 competitor skateboard art show.
July 22, 2009, 2:14 PM
By: Josh Brooks
Courtesy of Love and Guts
They make rad art and shred. Click
here to watch video and read about the Love and Guts art show that will occur on August 1st during X Games 15 and feature art from competitors in the Park and Park Legends competition, namely
Christian Hosoi,
Lance Mountain,
Chris Miller,
Omar Hassan,
Rune Glifberg,
Chet Childress and
Steve Caballero, among others.
Lance Mountain Shreds the X Games Park
Expected to compete in the X Games Park Legend event.
July 21, 2009, 1:02 AM
By: Josh Brooks
Caroline Kirkland
The unmistakeable skull graphic of Lance Mountain.
We just got this photo of skateboard legend
Lance Mountain at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, skating the intricate cement bowl that will be the site of the Park event in X Games 15 in about two weeks. Click read more below to see a quick snap of
Lance drifting a frontside air on a board with the iconic skull graphic that his friend
Craig Stecyk III created years ago.
Mountain is one of many legendary skaters to be on site as X Games 15 kicks into gear. Be sure to look for him during the X Games Park Legends event along with
Christian Hosoi,
Steve Caballero and others, which will be held on this uniquely designed bowl that
Mountain can be seen skating below. The bowl was constructed for the first time this year by laying cement out on top of a wooden frame.
Read More »
X Games Concrete Bowl Construction
The X Games' ripping ramp
July 15, 2009, 3:09 PM
By: Josh Brooks
The Summer X Games only happen once a year and this time around, builders are sparing no expense to get a proper concrete bowl on site for the event.
Nate Wessel, the head X Games builder, is working with California Skateparks (of Maloof Money Cup street course fame) to make a concrete bowl without having to trowel dirt into mounds. The unique plan requires that the construction team build a wooden frame in the Carson, CA parking lot that they will then cover in an over three inch layer of concrete to make a legitimate bowl to skate. Come July 30 through August 2, when the X Games begin, the bowl will no doubt be the site of sick sessions with Tony Trujillo, Rune Glifberg, Omar Hassan and many others. Maybe Alex Perelson, the
fourth skater to land the 900, will show up. Be sure to tune in here and on the
X Games site now and through the games July 30-August 2. To see the whole park in construction, click read more:
Read More »
Competition for XG15 is heating up
Another bout of Danny v. Bob, a rookie appearance from Chaz Ortiz and new action in the SuperPark await.
June 17, 2009, 3:47 PM
By: Adam Salo
Bryce Kanights/SHAZAMM/ESPN IMAGES
Omar went for it last year and should be back for more at X Games 15
Morning/SHAZAMM/ESPN IMAGES
Chris Cole doesn't hold anything back, ever. He's always a contender.
X Games 15 may just be the best X Games to date for skateboarding. Seriously, every year the number of good skaters who show up seems to grow and the lot just keeps improving. Skate street should be a serious event to watch. Will Eric Koston be there? Most likely, along with Chris Cole, Paul Rodriguez, Ryan Sheckler, Nyjah Huston, Terry Kennedy and more. But there will be new faces as well including the 2008 Dew Tour Champion and miniature phenom, Zoo York's Chaz Ortiz. Ortiz, at just 15 years of age, was definitely still in diapers when the first X games rolled around. It's crazy to think he has the potential to win the whole thing his first time out. He's that good.
Skateboard Big Air is adding a discipline with a Rail Jam that will separate the men from the even more manly men. The rainbow rail feature on the Big Air ramp was made famous (or infamous depending how you want to look at it) by Danny Way in The DC Video. Danny and Bob Burnquist have certainly got an edge on the competition with their experience on Big Air ramps but guys like Jake Brown and Pierre Luc Gagnon have been stepping to it and stepping it up as well. Those underdogs just might have some tricks up their sleeves.
Vert don't hurt and this year's vert comp is vying to keep things interesting with big contenders like Burnquist, Gagnon, and Bucky Lasek gunning for gold. Will Gagnon maintain his dominant year? Will Lasek's new backyard wonderland that he's been practicing in be an asset for what he's bringing to the table? Will Shaun White show with another Olympics on the horizon? Time will tell but things could get interesting.
The discipline I'm honestly most excited about this year is the Skateboard Park competition. Last year the brand new bowl setup had guys that you would almost never expect to see at a contest otherwise just lining up. Tony Trujillo skated. Peter Hewitt lurked and Omar Hassan murdered it while still managing to keep his forehead skin strapped to his skull. This year looks to be even better. There are serious improvements being made to the park course and some amazing design surprises in store that I can't publicize just yet. Suffice it is to say, though, things are going to get gnarly.
BRIAN BRANTLEY/SHAZAMM/ESPN IMAGES
Will Shaun White spin his way to another gold, or will he hang up the summer setup and step to Vancouver?
