SAN FRANCISCO -- In perhaps the biggest upset of this year's X Games, Japanese in-skater Ayumi Kawasaki skated flawlessly in both of her runs to take the gold medal in vert -- ending Fabiola da Silva's three-year reign in the halfpipe.

	Kawasaki is the new vert champion.

Kawasaki is the third Japanese in-line skater to win a gold medal at this year's games. On Thursday, Sayaka Yabe won gold on the street course while Eito Yasutoko took first in men's vert.

"I'm really happy," said Kawasaki through an interpreter. "I'm just so excited right now."

Kawasaki had a great first run, and seemed to be pulling from a never-ending bag of tricks. She landed huge airs, a 540, 720, and an alley-oop backside to earn a score of 56.25. Oh, and she also did a backflip just for fun.

Da Silva followed with another impressive routine pulling out a 360 stall, a 540 and an alley-oop pornstar. The first round ended with Kawasaki leading da Silva by a slim quarter of a point.

In the second round, Kawasaki managed to improve on her first-place score. She performed a number of variation grabs, a huge 540, a 720, and then another big 540 fakie. She scored a solid 59.00 and in the process put all the pressure squarely on da Silva to come up big on her final run and keep her title as reigning queen of vert.

Da Silva, acknowledging the throngs of supporters in the crowd, started her run with obvious intensity. She was skating harder, faster and higher and managed to land a huge 540 and a 720 -- but slipped up attempting a pornstar. She ended on an alley-oop backside, but the bobble caused her to come up short with a score of 56.00.

"I'm kind of happy with the results," said da Silva. "Now I can take that pressure off myself. I can give myself a break."

Kawasaki has been inching her way toward the gold for three years. She took the bronze medal in 1997 and took a step closer in 1998 by claiming the silver. Both times, she fell short to da Silva.

Maki Komori, also of Japan, finished in third place with a score of 40.75.