X Games IX Skateboard Vert final Bucky Lasek

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LOS ANGELES - Bucky Lasek emerged victorious amid an all star field of competitors at the X Games IX Skateboard Vert final. The competition was a fierce best-run-wins battle across the largest ramp in X Games history. Lasek?s score of 94.67 stood strong through two consecutive runs of fierce challenges from silver medallist Andy Macdonald (San Diego, Calif.) and bronze medallist Rune Glifberg (Copenhagen, Den.).

Coming off a first place victory at this year's X Games Global Championship in San Antonio, Lasek staked his claim to first place honors during his second run. In that run he nailed a massive combo that began with a frontside rodeo and ended in a heelflip to gay twist, a move where the skater completes a 360 at the lip while taking off backwards.

"I love my fans. My fans are everything to me,"? said Lasek, an X Games veteran who now holds four gold medals in his X Games career, ?"After nineteen years of skating, to still be progressing is a great feeling. I wasn't expecting to win."

Two-time X Games Skateboard Vert gold medallist Andy Macdonald claimed second place with a score of 92.67. Macdonald earned his silver by completing five successful 540's in the final run, landing the last 540 backwards to reserve his spot among the winners. Macdonald, like Lasek, is also one of the X Games most decorated veterans.

"All the competitors are great",? said Macdonald, ?"I wouldn't want to be a judge. We are all in this together."

Last year's gold medallist Pierre-Luc Gagnon placed fifth, and making his professional skateboarding debut, sixteen year-old phenom Shaun White placed sixth.

The ninth annual X Games in Los Angeles showcases more than 300 of the world?s best action sports athletes competing in a variety of sports categories for medals and prize money from August 14-17. STAPLES Center serves as the primary venue for the X Games, and will host competitions in Aggressive In-line Skate, Bike Stunt, Moto X, and Skateboard. The Moto X Freestyle event will be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum at night under the lights on August 16, and Wakeboard will be held at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Competitions that take place the week prior include Surfing at Huntington Beach and Downhill BMX at Woodward West in Stallion Springs.

X Games IX will air on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC August 16-21, including a live telecast of the Bike Stunt Vert competition on Sunday, August 17 from 7-9 pm ET on ABC -- the first time an action sports competition will be aired on a broadcast network in primetime.