2017 Summer X Games: 12 of the Best
The X Games - the annual celebration of urban sports - are always a lively and exciting affair, and 2017 was no exception. The games have found a great home in Minneapolis, where crowds in their tens of thousands flocked to see the world's most talented extreme sportspeople in action.
While there were plenty of amazing moments across the three days of competition, here are the very best performances from X Games 2017:
Skateboard Vert
One of the first events of the games, skateboard vert was won with an outstanding run by Moto Shibata. Using his hand to flip the board around mid-jump put him head and shoulders above everyone else in contention. Japan were well represented at these X Games, Shibata's compatriate Aori Nishimura won gold in women's skateboard street.
Women's Skateboard Street
There was a lot of expectation behind Samarria Brevard going into the street event, but she mostly failed to deliver. Her runs were messy and failed to land some of her tricks - not ideal when competing on skateboarding's biggest stage.
However, her tray flip down the steps was enough to win the silver medal alone.
BMX Big Air
The big air this year was incredible, no other sentiment for it. Every competitor pulled off amazing tricks and their mastery of the bike was superb.
With a backflip and a 540 off the ramp, how could anyone beat Vince Byron's run?
...by whipping the bike around at the same time. That's what James Foster did, and that's what won him the event.
Moto X Freestyle
Perhaps no one had a better X Games than Levi Sherwood, who became the first person in the games' history to win gold in both Moto X best trick and freestyle. In the latter event, he secured first place with a double backflip, a nac whip and a stand off the bike mid-rotation. No one else could come near him in this event.
Skateboard Big Air
Seeing a man roll down an enormous slope and then leap off an equally sizeable halfpipe, you can't help thinking there's so much that could go wrong in the skateboarding big air event. It didn't for Elliot Sloan, who began his run with a 720 and finished it with a indy grab 900 eighteen metres in the air.
Women's Skateboard Park
It's not unusual to see younger competitors at the X Games, like Brighton Zeuner, whose skills on a skateboard would put a lot of veterans to shame. Pulling off a near-perfect run in the park the day after turning 13, she became the youngest ever X Games gold medallist.
Moto X Best Trick
Crowd favourite Jackson Strong did not disappoint in the trick category, with a double backflip off the 90-degree ramp that won him silver.
BMX Dirt
Colton Walker's run had whips, bar spins and backflips off each of the course's obstacles - everything you can get from a BMX in a single performance.
Moto X Quarterpipe
This event turned into a duel between Tyler Bereman and Colby Raha. They were both far ahead of their fellow competitors, and it came down to which of the two could leap the bike highest off the curve.
Bereman went first and managed 28 feet off the ramp -
But in the final run of the event, Raha stunned the crowds by making 29 feet 7 inches, and even Bereman was compelled to congratulate his opponent.
BMX Best Trick
Kyle Baldock won the golden pedal award by performing two 720 whips in one jump - one off the bike, one having re-mounted.
The celebrations were dampened somewhat by the announcement of Bob Burnquist, one of the world's best-known skateboarders, that the 2017 games would be his last. Burnquist has competed in every single X Games since their inception in 1995, and they will feel so very different without him.
The good news is that the X Games will next year again be held in Minneapolis - the City of Lakes has produced a great atmosphere and been a fantastic venue for the games, and will no doubt be so again in 2018, where the best skateboarders, BMX and motocross riders will be doing their thing once again.
More highlights are available at the X Games official website.
