The X Games arrive to Foz do Iguaçu (IV)
The skate will be one of the stars of the X Games and the local skaters are the favorites for medals
The day has already come. X Games Foz do Iguaçu will give the starting signal on Thursday 18 April where four days of fun and entertainment are expected. After analyzing the best riders in RallyCross, Moto X and BMX now it's time for skaters.
The biggest action sports event opens the competition with Skate Big Air test tomorrow. The best skaters in the world will compete in there and we stop at four names: Bob Burnquist, Mitchie Brusco, Nolan Munroe and Jake Brown. The first one is a true skateboarding genius, and the Brazilian is one of the most medal owner at the X Games (tied for second-most with 21 medals) and is the current title holder in this modality. He will for sure want to repeat medal before his audience, but the road will not be easy at all. Facing him will be other Big Air proper names such as the veteran Jake Brown, with an extensive experience at the X Games and holder of two gold in Big Air, and two young skaters who are already well known, Nolan Munroe, who was bronze in Los Angeles and his career goes "in crescendo" year after year, and the youngest, Mitchie Brusco, a daring American 16 year old with innate qualities on the table who took silver after Burnquist in last X Games edition.
On Friday 19 there will be no Skate finals, so the activity in this discipline will continue the next day with two more tests: Vert and Men's Street finals. In the first one, the main contenders are the same as those who jumped on the podium in 2012 in Los Angeles and who are characterized by an extensive experience and for being three of the best skaters in the world. Pierre-Luc Gagnon, one of the most technical skaters and who has up to 17 medals (seven of them gold), Bucky Lasek, an the X Games institution and always a podium threat, and Andy Macdonald, who has 21 medals, tied with Bob Burnquist for second-most, will wildly fight to repeat medal and with no doubt they will offer a big spectacle.
As the SLS Street is concerned, the men's final will have some favorites to get a medal: Paul Rodriguez, the only athlete to earn consecutive X Games Street gold (2004 and 2005) and the current title holder, Ryan Sheckler, a serious podium threat who took silver in the last X Games, and Nijah Houston, another young American athlete who was third in Los Angeles, silver in the two previous editions and has won other smaller tournaments. They should not forget neither another young skater coming up and going strong lately who was fourth in 2012, Chaz Ortiz, nor other names like Sean Malto and Shane O'Neill.
Sunday will be the end for this X Games edition in Foz de Iguaçu in the Skate discipline with the Women's Street and Park finals. The big femenine Street names are Alexis Sablone, Leticia Bufoni, Rachel Reinherd and Marisa Dal Santo. The first three were gold, silver and bronze respectively in Los Angeles last year, and along with Dal Santo, 6 medals in 7 X Games appearances (3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze), they will compete for medals in the only women's Skateboarding discipline test.
Finally, the Park final will close this X Games edition. We emphasize Pedro Barros, Rune Glifberg and Ben Hatchell as the big aspiring athletes to medal. The first one, gold in 2012, is one of the most versatile skaters and despite his young age (18 years) has already hung two golds and a silver at the X Games. The second is an American with little experience but who jumped on the podium getting silver in Los Angeles. Finally, Rune Glifberg is perhaps the biggest threat because of his experience at X Games and also because the Danish has 10 total medals and is one of just three skaters to compete at every X Games.
Schedule:
Thursday, 18th April 2013
+ 11.00 - 14.00: SLS Select Series
+ 19.00 – 22.00: Men and Women Enduro X Final
Friday, 19th April 2013
+ 14.00 - 17.00: Elim. Men Street League Skateboarding
+ 18.30 – 19.00: Moto X Freestyle Jam
+ 19.00 – 22.00: Moto X Best Whip / Moto X Step Up Final/ GoPro BMX Big Air Final
Saturday, 20th April 2013
+ 11.00 - 17.00: BMX Park Final / Skateboard Vert Final/ Men Street League Skateboard Final / BMX Vert Final
+ 19.00 – 00.00: Moto X Speed & Style Final/ BMX Dirt Final
Sunday, 21th April 2013
+ 11.00 - 17.00: Women Street Skateboard Final / Ford RallyCross Final / Men Park Skateboard Final / Moto X Freestyle Men
Remember that the X Games Foz do Iguaçu can be watched live from the ESPN channel. In addition, issue Esport3 pills best of Brazil (Friday at 18.00, Saturday at 21.30 and Sunday at 9.30) while Marca TV, meanwhile, offer summaries of what is happening across the ocean on Saturday at 14.45 and Sunday at 15.00.