Summer X Games 2009, day 1 - game on!

Christian Hosoi flying methodically over the Superpark cradle (Photo: Luiz Calado)

The highly anticipated 15th edition of the X Games has begun!

It goes from Thursday, July 30th through Sunday, August 2nd.

Nevertheless, the action has been going on for quite a while and, on Wednesday, I snapped these exclusive images of the practice, where the atmosphere was way more relaxed.

But yesterday the pressure began to rise and, from there, it can only go up.

The low-down on day #1

Held at two separate venues in Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center and Home Depot Center – there has been lots of skateboarding action already and plenty of medals were awarded.

The first finals of the first day were the Women’s Vert at the Home Depot Center. Like in 2007 (and 2004 as well), Lyn-z Adams Hawkins took gold again and is pushing the female category even further with respectable aerials, flips and lip tricks – it didn’t matter she couldn’t land the McTwist after a number of attempts. Brazilian Karen Jones got silver and, in her second X Games appearance, Gaby Ponce went home with bronze.

New for 2009, the Superpark features a mix of concrete and wood surfaces. (Photo: Luiz Calado)

In the same venue, later in the day, the women took over the street course and, like in vert, the 2007 gold medalist did it again: Marisa Del Santo showed fearlessness attacking the rail with front and backside dexterity. Alexis Sablone finished in second and Elissa Steamer in third.

Chaz Ortiz rehearses a febble grind in one of the street course rails. (Photo: Luiz Calado)

Meanwhile, at the Staples Center, it was Mega time! Unlike past contests, the 2009 Big Air competition went down without making news headlines out of atrocious wipeouts.

Danny Way, who crashed hard last year after clipped his shins in the coping, sat this one out but will compete the Rail Jam on Friday.

In 2007, it was Jake Brown who became a media sensation overnight after slamming hard on the Megaramp flat bottom from an altitude of 45-ft.

Jake’s fortune changed for the better this year.

After five runs (in which he attempt a 900!), he was tied in first place with favorite Bob Burnquist.

But Bob didn’t make past the 70-ft gap in his last attempt and ended up in second just three decimal points behind Jake, who took gold for the first time. Rob Lorifice took bronze after showing his Mega know-how with a back ollie three followed by a stratospheric rodeo five.

Rune Glifberg polishes the Superpark coping with a frontside grind during practice on Wednesday. (Photo: Luiz Calado)

The pool edge gets a taste of Chris Miller's disaster. (Photo: Luiz Calado)

If you are going to either venue, take a look at the schedule of skateboarding events here.

If you cannot make it, no sweat – ESPN is doing its thing and broadcasting a total of 20 hours of live coverage over the four days (for the telecast schedule, click here).

By the way, Tony Hawk is back in the scenes – behind them, actually.

Retired from competition since 1999, the Birdman is returning as an analyst in the ESPN team for all skateboarding events.

More Summer X Games reporting will appear here as the event develops – check again soon!

;-)

FINAL RESULTS