She said it’s luck, but we’re not buying it. After taking five years off the regular competition to earn a degree in architecture, Alexis Sablone is back in a big way.

The goofy-foot stuck all of her tricks in her first run at X Games 16 to challenge the ladies from the get-go. In her second run she took two hard falls, but it didn’t slow her down. Visibly determined to claim a medal at X Games, Sablone hustled to her take off spots and picked herself right back up after falling, not wasting any precious run time allotted in the new Skateboard Street format.

"Amazing, I still can’t believe it, freaking out right now. I was nervous about it (the new competition format) it took a little getting used to, you really have to figure out some stuff beforehand- it was luck. I’m psyched!”

Televised live from Los Angeles, the pressure was on for the skaters to perform under the cameras and California sun. The course included a staircase with two boxes and a handrail, a three-part broken teacup feature and a translucent triangle platform placed by a gap. Add in the purse prize of $40,000… ready…. go!

Lacey Baker, the eighteen year old from Covina, CA attempted difficult tricks to rack up a higher score. She brought a nollie inward heelflip to the table, and tried a backside nollie over the hedge to get a nod from the judges, but couldn’t stick it. Pushing the limit taxed in her points, as Baker sat with a low 60.33 in fourth behind Amy Caron’s 80 in third.

Caron carried speed and style throughout her runs to hold her position, landing clean kickflips . The Californian took a hard fall on the handrail, but landed it on her second attempt.

Marisa Dal Santo kept everyone on their toes, pulling a rock and roll in the broken teacup and attempted a kick flip over the gap. Dal Santo took home the X Games gold in 2007 and 2009, placing second in 2008. She suffered an injury, which kept her off her board for a while.

In her second run, Dal Santo pulled a clean run, sticking a kickflip, landing a handrail grind, and finishing with a kickflip at the buzzer to move into second behind Sablone.

Leticia Bufoni, who recently relocated to California to skate some golden state pavement (originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil) hit the course like we all knew she would. Having recently won the Dew Tour stop in Boston earlier this summer, as well as the Mystic Cup in Prague, Bufoni headed into the X Games on fire.

Lorena Lima was looking frustrated after losing time when her board fell in the gap. The buzzer sounded after she stuck a 50/50, but she still didn’t look satisfied.

While all of the ladies put on a great show, and pushed their fellow competitors to the limit, it was Sablone, Bufoni and Dal Santo that would podium, and Sablone that would take home the fat check for $40,000.

After securing the gold, Sablone said, “Amazing, I still can’t believe it, freaking out right now. I was nervous about it (the new competition format) it took a little getting used to, you really have to figure out some stuff beforehand- it was luck. I’m psyched!”

Sablone- It was not luck.

Women’s Skateboard Street Results
1- Alexis Sablone GOLD 86.00
2- Leticia Bufoni SILVER 85.66
3- Marisa Dal Santo BRONZE 83.00
4- Evie Bouilliart 74.33

Round One- Heat One
1- Evie Bouilliart 85.33
2- Elissa Steamer 82.00
3- Leticia Bufoni 82.00
4- Vanessa Torres 78.00
5- Abisha Alshebaiki 68.33

Round One- Heat Two
1- Alexis Sablone 87.00
2- Marisa Dal Santo 85.00
3- Amy Caron 80.00
4- Lacey Baker 60.33
5- Lorena Lima 58.33

View Original Post at dylamagazine.com

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• Skateboard, Sports, Boardsports, Action

This post is related to an event on our Calendar:

• X Games Girls' Day