Los Angeles – Sandro Dias closed his eyes and tipped back his head for a moment. After watching the last of the big names in skateboard vert fall to the ramp, he finally could relax.
Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist, Shaun White – none of them could match Dias’ first run, and the Brazilian held on for his first vert gold medal Thursday night on the opening day of the 12th X Games.
“It was very special for me,” Dias said. “I’ve been trying for so many years working on this event and everything came together at the right time.”
Dias has been overshadowed by the big boys of the ramp for years despite consecutive world vert titles from 2003-04 and pulling off a 900 in 2004 that earned him gold for best trick.
Wanting to prove he belongs with the elite vert skaters, the 31-year-old put together the best run of his life, landing his trademark trick – a backside 540 twist to tail – on his first run to take the lead at 87.50.
Then he had to hold on.
Burnquist, another Brazilian and the defending vert best trick champ, had good runs going in the first and second rounds, but spilled on the same trick both times.
Dias also had a solid run going for the last round before falling, then had to watch as Lasek and White, the Olympic snowboard gold medalist, made their final runs. Lasek, who ended up third, went down on a relatively simple trick and White missed a grab in the air, giving Dias the title he has wanted the most.
Ryan Nyquist of Greenville, N.C., took the silver medal with 91.33 points, adding to his collection of X Games medals. That gives him a record eight dirt medals and 13 overall – seven behind the record of Dave Mirra, who is out of this year’s event after lacerating his liver in a practice crash Wednesday. Anthony Napolitan, a 19-year-old from Youngstown, Ohio, finished third in his first X Games with 90.33 points.
But none of them could match Bohan’s spectacular first run.
Landing a no-handed, one-footed tailwhip and a one-footed table 360, he scored 91.66 points on that opening run, plenty good enough in the best-of-three runs format.
Earlier, Cara-Beth Burnside won the women’s skateboard vert.
