Bob Burnquist
predicted before the recent X Games that the next great skateboarding trick on the
dangerous Mega Ramp would be a 900-degree rotation above its
quarterpipe wall.
"I haven't really put it down because I haven't wanted it yet," said the perennial X Games star, who four years ago built a Mega Ramp in the backyard of his home in Vista, Calif. "I've kind of been waiting for the right time and the right moment."
That moment did not arrive during the action sports festival, although Burnquist tried repeatedly during and after the event's big-air competition. But he finally came through on his prediction Saturday, by completing what vert-skating veteran Bucky Lasek described as "possibly the best trick to date on a skateboard."
Burnquist not only nailed the first 900 on the Mega Mamp, a large contraption used in X Games big-air competitions. He did it "fakie to fakie," meaning essentially that he skated up the quarterpipe wall backward -- ultimately lofting 40 feet above ground as he spun the 900 -- and landed on the same wall backward.
Burnquist, who waited until Wednesday afternoon to announce what he had accomplished and to post a video on the Skateboard.tv website, said in an interview Thursday: "I didn't want it just to be another 900. In my mind I'm like, 'I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to do it differently.' "
Burnquist, who along with Danny Way have progressed Mega-Ramp skating to daunting new heights, becomes only the fifth skateboarder ever to land a 900.
The other four -- beginning with the legendary Tony Hawk in 1999 -- did so on traditional vert ramps, which are much smaller and less dangerous.
Said Hawk: "Bob has upped the ante once again and ramp skating will never be the same, thanks to him. He is unbelievable."
Asked how many times he tried the 900, in different variations over the past several weeks, Burnquist answered, "I've tried hundreds of times, probably 900 times, who knows?"
"I haven't really put it down because I haven't wanted it yet," said the perennial X Games star, who four years ago built a Mega Ramp in the backyard of his home in Vista, Calif. "I've kind of been waiting for the right time and the right moment."
That moment did not arrive during the action sports festival, although Burnquist tried repeatedly during and after the event's big-air competition. But he finally came through on his prediction Saturday, by completing what vert-skating veteran Bucky Lasek described as "possibly the best trick to date on a skateboard."
Burnquist not only nailed the first 900 on the Mega Mamp, a large contraption used in X Games big-air competitions. He did it "fakie to fakie," meaning essentially that he skated up the quarterpipe wall backward -- ultimately lofting 40 feet above ground as he spun the 900 -- and landed on the same wall backward.
Burnquist, who waited until Wednesday afternoon to announce what he had accomplished and to post a video on the Skateboard.tv website, said in an interview Thursday: "I didn't want it just to be another 900. In my mind I'm like, 'I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to do it differently.' "
Burnquist, who along with Danny Way have progressed Mega-Ramp skating to daunting new heights, becomes only the fifth skateboarder ever to land a 900.
The other four -- beginning with the legendary Tony Hawk in 1999 -- did so on traditional vert ramps, which are much smaller and less dangerous.
Said Hawk: "Bob has upped the ante once again and ramp skating will never be the same, thanks to him. He is unbelievable."
Asked how many times he tried the 900, in different variations over the past several weeks, Burnquist answered, "I've tried hundreds of times, probably 900 times, who knows?"
And yes, he believes the 1080 is possible, but that's a story for another day.
-- Pete Thomas
caralhoooooo bob . .mandou muito . . .parabens mesmo
Posted by: @viits | Sep 09, 2010 at 12:43 PM