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X Games 16 (day 1)

It's that time of year again! The X Games has hit L.A. in style, with the first day of competition stuffed with Mega Ramp madness, MotoX mayhem, and a double back-flip from Mr. 199, Travis Pastrana. Get all the news and video highlights below, or check out our gallery here.

Brown Backflips For Back-to-Back Gold Medals

It was deja vu for Jake Brown as he launched the 70-foot Skateboard Big Air gap at X Games to take in his second gold in a row. Brown went head-to-head with two-time gold medalist Bob Burnquist who took silver trying to land a 900.

"I feel really good about my new trick. When we get more practice everyone can expect to see more 900s now that we have a place to practice," Brown said. "I'm really excited for next year."

Brown backflipped the gap and boosted 22.7 feet with a 540 to take his second X Games gold medal in as many years.

Right on Brown's heels was Burnquist, as the duo pushed each other throughout the night at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with Burnquist continuing to attempt his elusive 900.

"Bob is such a great competitor and I have to push myself just to be at his level," Brown said. "We're competitors against ourselves. Rob is so gnarly that it's an honor to think I'm anywhere near him."

"I'm so impressed with Jake and how he puts it together," Burnquist said. "Everyone was going really big. People usually don't do 20 plus feet on the quarterpipe and this was a great competition for that."

Rob Lorifice came in third for the bronze.



Fiolek Wins Second Gold Medal in Super X Women's Final

Returning title defender Ashley Fiolek revved up the field and the audience as she took the gold for the second year in a row in the Moto X Super X Women's Final at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Last year, she made competition history as the first hearing-impaired medalist.

"Christmas came early this year!" said Fiolek. "This is a great way to get the weekend started, and now I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the X Games."

Silver and bronze came down to the last lap as Tarah Gieger and Sara Price were neck-and-neck the entire race. 2008 gold medalist Gieger edged out Price to take second place.

"I am surprised and excited to finish in the top three," Price said. "I didn't realise that I had medaled until my mechanic told me."



Pastrana Claims 16th Medal, Wins Moto X Freestyle Final

Moto X legend Travis Pastrana pulled out every trick as he impressed the judges and brought the fans to their feet when he took the gold medal in the Moto X Freestyle Final at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Thursday.

"This is a great start to the X Games," said Pastrana. "Out of the four events I am competing in, this is the last one I expected to win."

As he entered his third run in the final, Pastrana had the score which would bring him gold but that didn't stop him from giving the crowd an exciting finish. At times standing up and waving to the crowd, he smoothly executed the double backflip, a notable trick of his that earned him gold in Moto X Best Trick in 2006.

"When I saw the course, I felt that it really favored me," Pastrana added. "It was a lot of fun, especially the wall rides, and I knew that the only way to beat everyone else was to bring back the double backflip."

In his X Games debut, New Zealand native Levi Sherwood took home the silver medal, with Nate Adams rounding out the top three. This is Adams' sixth Freestyle medal, his ninth overall.



Grant Takes Lead For First X Gold

Josh Grant made up for lost time in the start of the Moto X Super X Men's Finals to take over the lead in lap 11 for his first X Games gold during at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

"I feel great, this is a great feeling. It's right up there with my win in Anaheim," Grant said. "It was a close race but to come away with the win is great. The atmosphere and the people are fantastic here at the X Games. If I wasn't competing, I would still be here."

Grant trailed two-time Moto X Super X gold medalist Josh Hansen, who took the holeshot for an early wide lead in the race. After consist, smooth transitions, Grant took the lead in lap 11 and finished with a celebratory fist pump over the finish line.

Justin Brayton of Murrieta, Calif. stayed consistent and made his move after Grant to take the silver.

Hansen, whose father took the World Championship medal at the Coliseum in 1982, finished third for bronze.



Schultz Takes Gold in Moto X Super X Adaptive Final

Snatching the lead right out of the gate, Mike Schultz kept the competition behind him to take home his first X Games gold during the Moto X Super X Adaptive Final at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Thursday.

"It feels great to come back and compete after my injury at Winter X Games one and a half years ago and showcase an exciting track like this one at the Coliseum," Schultz said.

Cottonwood, Calif. resident Todd Thompson followed Schultz for the silver.

Schultz, who took the Super X Adaptive silver in 2009, narrowly took the win after having trouble with his prosthesis during the race, which he built custom for competing in the X Games.

"I wasn't able to stand up on my prosthetic side so I lost a few paces, but we pulled it off and ended up in the lead so it's good," Schultz said.

Beau Meier from Susanville, Calif. took third.