X Games Austin 2016 – Skateboard Vert Final – June 3, 2016
This year’s X Games is losing the fight to the one thing they can’t control – the weather. As last night’s Big Air competition was postponed due to lightning striking close to the ramp, here is a bit of coverage of the one skateboarding event that did go down – the Skateboard Vert Final. It’s funny how this is the one event that the X Games wanted to cancel a few years ago and is the same event that put the X Games on the map in 1999 with Tony Hawk’s 900.
The one thing that’s interesting about the 2016 X Games is the fact that the Americans are no longer winning Gold. In a surprise upset in the Skateboard Vert Finals, Sam Beckett claimed Gold for the U.K. and Japan’s Moto Shibata took Silver while CreatureFiend, Jimmy Wilkins, grabbed bronze for the good ol’ USA. Previous X Games medalists, including Bucky Lasek, made strong showings, yet didn’t make it to the podium.
Gold medalist, Sam Beckett, from the U.K., is one of the nicest dudes on the professional skate circuit and is also part of the Carve Wicked crew of bros whose motto is ‘to simply have fun.’ Silver medalist, Moto Shibata is not only a pro skater, but his dad owns a skate shop in Osaka, Japan, which not only features vert and bowl skating gear but also complimentary words of wisdom from Moto’s dad, Tetsu, about skate history and the ‘true essence of skateboarding.’ Of course, America’s Jimmy Wilkins is the real deal and always puts guts and grit into every run. Respect to all of the skateboarders that participated and gave it their all.
Gold – Sam Beckett 
Silver – Moto Shibata 
Bronze – Jimmy Wilkins 
Photos by Lee Leal
X Games Austin 2016 – Skateboard Vert
| Rank | Name | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Beckett | 48.00 | 89.33 | 53.66 | 89.33 |
| 2 | Moto Shibata | 83.00 | 88.66 | 55.33 | 88.66 |
| 3 | Jimmy Wilkins | 28.00 | 86.00 | 27.66 | 86.00 |
| 4 | Bucky Lasek | 85.66 | 59.33 | 85.66 | 85.66 |
| 5 | Mitchie Brusco | 74.00 | 84.33 | 2.33 | 84.33 |
| 6 | Clay Kreiner | 51.33 | 52.00 | 83.33 | 83.33 |
| 7 | Elliot Sloan | 81.33 | 62.33 | 59.33 | 81.33 |
| 8 | Bob Burnquist | 80.33 | 11.00 | 66.00 | 80.33 |
| 9 | Paul-Luc Ronchetti | 65.66 | 29.00 | 66.66 | 66.66 |
| 10 | Rony Gomes | 63.33 | 20.00 | 20.33 | 63.33 |
| 11 | Alex Perelson | 10.00 | 57.66 | 10.00 | 57.66 |
| 12 | Jono Schwan | 41.66 | 41.66 | 18.33 | 41.66 |
Austin 2016 – America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air
| Rank | Name | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Run 4 | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake Brown | 77.33 | 77.33 | |||
| 2 | Evan Doherty | 69.66 | 69.66 | |||
| 3 | Leonardo Ruiz | 65.66 | 65.66 | |||
| 4 | Italo Penarrubia | 39.33 | 39.33 | |||
| 5 | Trey Wood | 16.33 | 16.33 | |||
| 6 | Justin Rivera | 11.66 | 11.66 | |||
| 7 | Clay Kreiner | 10.00 | 10.00 | |||
| 7 | Mitchie Brusco | 10.00 | 10.00 |
X Games Austin 2016 – Skateboard Street Amateurs
| Rank | Name | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyson Bowerbank | 89.66 | 77.66 | 55.00 | 89.66 |
| 2 | Christian Dufrene | 81.66 | 87.66 | 88.00 | 88.00 |
| 3 | Jagger Eaton | 86.66 | 84.00 | 74.00 | 86.66 |
| 4 | Marcos Montoya | 67.66 | 73.00 | 82.66 | 82.66 |
| 5 | Jake Ilardi | 82.00 | 78.00 | 39.00 | 82.00 |
| 6 | Mason Silva | 74.66 | 77.66 | 72.66 | 77.66 |
| 7 | Alex Midler | 56.66 | 15.33 | 76.66 | 76.66 |
| 8 | Zion Wright | 40.33 | 71.66 | 63.00 | 71.66 |
| 9 | JS LaPierre | 68.33 | 39.66 | 60.33 | 68.33 |
| 10 | Gabriel Fortunato | 65.66 | 41.00 | 35.00 | 65.66 |
| 11 | Hermann Stene | 45.00 | 54.33 | 51.33 | 54.33 |
| 12 | Derek Holmes | 45.33 | 46.66 | 44.66 | 46.66 |
