X Games Munich Top 25 moments
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
In June, Munich became the second European city to join the new global X Games tour. The following photos represent a few of the best behind-the-scenes and front-of-the-camera moments of the event. And what better way to kick off four days of music, competition and culture in a new X-city location than with a Macklemore & Ryan Lewis concert?
In June, Munich became the second European city to join the new global X Games tour. The following photos represent a few of the best behind-the-scenes and front-of-the-camera moments of the event. And what better way to kick off four days of music, competition and culture in a new X-city location than with a Macklemore & Ryan Lewis concert?
A River Runs Through It
While Munich was getting its first taste of the action, X Games stars were sampling the local adrenaline offerings, starting with this: Pedro Barros and Tony Hawk river surfing in downtown Munich.
While Munich was getting its first taste of the action, X Games stars were sampling the local adrenaline offerings, starting with this: Pedro Barros and Tony Hawk river surfing in downtown Munich.
Fan Out
The Macklemore & Ryan Lewis show that opened the inaugural X Games event in Munich on Wednesday night was held in front of a sold-out, tightly packed crowd that included fans from across the spectrum, including skateboarders such as Mitchie Brusco here.
The Macklemore & Ryan Lewis show that opened the inaugural X Games event in Munich on Wednesday night was held in front of a sold-out, tightly packed crowd that included fans from across the spectrum, including skateboarders such as Mitchie Brusco here.
The Select Series
Think of the Street League Select Series like a minor league baseball tour, where every X Games stop a group of skateboarders gets a chance win entry into the main Street League at X show. The past two events, Manny Santiago has not only dominated this Series, he's made it past the next round -- SLS elimination -- into the finals. This time, however, it was Belgian skateboarder YounessAmrani who dominated the show.
Think of the Street League Select Series like a minor league baseball tour, where every X Games stop a group of skateboarders gets a chance win entry into the main Street League at X show. The past two events, Manny Santiago has not only dominated this Series, he's made it past the next round -- SLS elimination -- into the finals. This time, however, it was Belgian skateboarder YounessAmrani who dominated the show.
Daily Grind
Four-time Park gold medalist Pedro Barros, competing with an injured hand, executes one of the most stylish tricks in all of skateboarding: a backside Smith grind. Barros has never gotten less than silver in his six appearances at the X Games.
Four-time Park gold medalist Pedro Barros, competing with an injured hand, executes one of the most stylish tricks in all of skateboarding: a backside Smith grind. Barros has never gotten less than silver in his six appearances at the X Games.
New Champ
Seventeen-year-old Curren Caples qualified first in Skateboard Park elims and then went on to overtake reigning champ Pedro Barros for gold at the buzzer in the final. Barros' response: pure stoke.
Seventeen-year-old Curren Caples qualified first in Skateboard Park elims and then went on to overtake reigning champ Pedro Barros for gold at the buzzer in the final. Barros' response: pure stoke.
Water Sacrifice
Though it made for a picturesque backdrop, the Skateboard Vert and MegaRamp were built, literally, over the Olympiapark lake. This made retrieval of runaway boards that flew too far a bit tricky, such as this one Jake Brown unintentionally sacrificed to the water gods during Big Air practice.
Though it made for a picturesque backdrop, the Skateboard Vert and MegaRamp were built, literally, over the Olympiapark lake. This made retrieval of runaway boards that flew too far a bit tricky, such as this one Jake Brown unintentionally sacrificed to the water gods during Big Air practice.
Vert Captain Bucky Sparrow
Bucky Lasek sports pirate facial hair and has been known to dress up as Jack Sparrow for Halloween, but he didn't seem to have a problem keeping his board under his feet and out of the lake. His win Friday in Skateboard Vert was his third in a row.
Bucky Lasek sports pirate facial hair and has been known to dress up as Jack Sparrow for Halloween, but he didn't seem to have a problem keeping his board under his feet and out of the lake. His win Friday in Skateboard Vert was his third in a row.
Cliffhanger
Two-time BMX Big Air gold medalist Zack Warden was unable to land the run that won him gold at X Games Barcelona, so Chad Kagy stepped up to reclaim his spot at the top of the podium with a cliffhanger backflip over the gap, followed by a flair tailwhip at 14 feet on the quarterpipe.
Two-time BMX Big Air gold medalist Zack Warden was unable to land the run that won him gold at X Games Barcelona, so Chad Kagy stepped up to reclaim his spot at the top of the podium with a cliffhanger backflip over the gap, followed by a flair tailwhip at 14 feet on the quarterpipe.
Stepping It Up
"To get gold is my dream," said Czech rider Libor Podmol, after beating Matt Buyten and Ronnie Renner in Moto X Step Up on Friday. "To get on X Games was my dream since I was a little kid." Podmol is the first non-American rider ever to win the event.
"To get gold is my dream," said Czech rider Libor Podmol, after beating Matt Buyten and Ronnie Renner in Moto X Step Up on Friday. "To get on X Games was my dream since I was a little kid." Podmol is the first non-American rider ever to win the event.
Looking For Three
Mike Mason fended off a rallying Javier Villegas on Friday night at X Games Munich to secure his second consecutive Moto X Speed & Style gold medal. He will be racing for the discipline's first three-peat next month at X Games LA.
Mike Mason fended off a rallying Javier Villegas on Friday night at X Games Munich to secure his second consecutive Moto X Speed & Style gold medal. He will be racing for the discipline's first three-peat next month at X Games LA.
X Culture
Not only did they get to watch their favorite events live, spectators onsite at X Games Munich had the additional treat of being able to entertain themselves in the rapidly evolving cultural village known as the X Fest. In addition to free live concerts each day, highlights in the village included live art, free real tattoos, mini-ramp sessions and some fierce fingerboard competitions in the So Gnar zone.
Not only did they get to watch their favorite events live, spectators onsite at X Games Munich had the additional treat of being able to entertain themselves in the rapidly evolving cultural village known as the X Fest. In addition to free live concerts each day, highlights in the village included live art, free real tattoos, mini-ramp sessions and some fierce fingerboard competitions in the So Gnar zone.
Back On Top
Daniel Dhers has long been a favorite to win gold in BMX Park. This year Dhers seemed to have lost his footing, placing off the podium at the previous two X Games. That changed in Munich where he earned his first gold medal of the year.
Daniel Dhers has long been a favorite to win gold in BMX Park. This year Dhers seemed to have lost his footing, placing off the podium at the previous two X Games. That changed in Munich where he earned his first gold medal of the year.
Singing In The Rain
Europe has been experiencing one of the rainiest summers on record and the schedule for Saturday's events took a beating when weather moved in, forcing the postponement of Enduro X and Skateboard Big Air and the cancellation of Moto X Freestyle.
Europe has been experiencing one of the rainiest summers on record and the schedule for Saturday's events took a beating when weather moved in, forcing the postponement of Enduro X and Skateboard Big Air and the cancellation of Moto X Freestyle.
Gold Rims
The gravel and asphalt composition of Munich's RallyCross track allowed for an exciting race in the rain on Saturday. Liam Doran not only finished with a blown-out rear tire, he took the win with it.
The gravel and asphalt composition of Munich's RallyCross track allowed for an exciting race in the rain on Saturday. Liam Doran not only finished with a blown-out rear tire, he took the win with it.
Parkour Props
The rain also did nothing to slow down exhibitors in the X Fest village, like the makers of these plastic spindle/chair things, which, as far as we can tell from watching the demo video they had looping on site, are props for practitioners of parkour.
The rain also did nothing to slow down exhibitors in the X Fest village, like the makers of these plastic spindle/chair things, which, as far as we can tell from watching the demo video they had looping on site, are props for practitioners of parkour.
Water Bog
Saturday's Enduro X races were also postponed a day due to weather -- however, this photo isn't the product of rain. This is the water feature in the middle of what Women's Enduro X gold medalist Maria Forsberg, not pictured, called, "the toughest course we've had yet."
Saturday's Enduro X races were also postponed a day due to weather -- however, this photo isn't the product of rain. This is the water feature in the middle of what Women's Enduro X gold medalist Maria Forsberg, not pictured, called, "the toughest course we've had yet."
OlympiaPark
Architect Gnter Behnisch won the 1972 Olympic bid in part from his firm's plan to construct a massive rolling hill over debris from World War II. The hill also happens to be an ideal location for the first X Games Mountain Bike Slopestyle course.
Architect Gnter Behnisch won the 1972 Olympic bid in part from his firm's plan to construct a massive rolling hill over debris from World War II. The hill also happens to be an ideal location for the first X Games Mountain Bike Slopestyle course.
Road To The Top
Of course, having your event's starting gate at the top of a long, narrow hill has its drawbacks -- one of which was that the roads back up to the top are too narrow for vehicles, which meant that Mountain Bike Slopestyle competitors had to walk or ride their bikes back up to top to ride the course again.
Of course, having your event's starting gate at the top of a long, narrow hill has its drawbacks -- one of which was that the roads back up to the top are too narrow for vehicles, which meant that Mountain Bike Slopestyle competitors had to walk or ride their bikes back up to top to ride the course again.
First Gold
The walk to the top didn't hold anyone back, though. Despite weather delays, when Mountain Bike Slopestyle finally went down, it proved to be one of the most exciting debuts of a new event that the X Games has ever seen. Brett Rheeder is pictured here on his way to winning the first-ever X Games MTB Slopestyle gold.
The walk to the top didn't hold anyone back, though. Despite weather delays, when Mountain Bike Slopestyle finally went down, it proved to be one of the most exciting debuts of a new event that the X Games has ever seen. Brett Rheeder is pictured here on his way to winning the first-ever X Games MTB Slopestyle gold.
Chris Cole
Chris Cole bested Paul Rodriguez on his final Street League Skateboarding run with a 360 flip 50-50 grind down the Hubba ledge to win his fourth X Games gold medal and his first Street League contest. "I feel like I doubly won, because it's X Games and Street League together," said Cole, who last won Skateboard Street gold at X Games in 2007 under a different competition format.
Chris Cole bested Paul Rodriguez on his final Street League Skateboarding run with a 360 flip 50-50 grind down the Hubba ledge to win his fourth X Games gold medal and his first Street League contest. "I feel like I doubly won, because it's X Games and Street League together," said Cole, who last won Skateboard Street gold at X Games in 2007 under a different competition format.
Hole Shot
Sverre Isachsen hits the water barrier and rolls through the first turn on Lap 1 in the second Ford RallyCross race of X Games Munich on two wheels. Despite coming through the hole shot in this pileup in pole position, the first race's gold medal winner Liam Doran was unable to maintain the lead, and Finnish driver Toomas Heikkinen came in first.
Sverre Isachsen hits the water barrier and rolls through the first turn on Lap 1 in the second Ford RallyCross race of X Games Munich on two wheels. Despite coming through the hole shot in this pileup in pole position, the first race's gold medal winner Liam Doran was unable to maintain the lead, and Finnish driver Toomas Heikkinen came in first.
Brown Out
MegaRamp superstar Jake Brown had an unfortunate crash during Big Air practice that knocked him unconscious, gave him a Masonite burn on his face and forced him to withdraw from the competition before it even started.
MegaRamp superstar Jake Brown had an unfortunate crash during Big Air practice that knocked him unconscious, gave him a Masonite burn on his face and forced him to withdraw from the competition before it even started.
Rocky Balboa Moment
Elliot Sloan also had some bad luck on the MegaRamp, suffering a hard slam early in the Skateboard Big Air final. But he stayed in the contest to pull off a tail-grab 720 over the gap and took home the silver medal, his third of the 2013 X Games global tour.
Elliot Sloan also had some bad luck on the MegaRamp, suffering a hard slam early in the Skateboard Big Air final. But he stayed in the contest to pull off a tail-grab 720 over the gap and took home the silver medal, his third of the 2013 X Games global tour.
Making History
Bob Burnquist captured his fifth consecutive Skateboard Big Air gold medal at X Games Munich, bringing his total medal count to 25, the most in X Games history.
Bob Burnquist captured his fifth consecutive Skateboard Big Air gold medal at X Games Munich, bringing his total medal count to 25, the most in X Games history.
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