Ryan Decenzo is the winner of the four-man Game of SK8 on Sunday at X Games 17. Decenzo bested Silas Baxter-Neal, Austyn Gillette and Brandon Westgate in the competition. In a slightly different format from a traditional game of SKATE, the leadoff skater attempted a trick, and if the trick was landed, the next skater would attempt the same trick. But if the skater attempting his peer's trick fell, the next skater in rotation would attempt a new trick.
Decenzo told ESPN that he almost didn't make it to the contest today. "Last night we were celebrating the silver medal that I got [in the Real Street contest]," he said. "So we were going hard. Today I was lying in the hotel bed just trying to get up. But I managed to get over here. I wasn't feeling too good at the start but after a little time on my board I started to feel it out again and I remembered what to do."
Initially, this contest was set to feature the top three skaters judged in the X Games Real Street contest along with Real Street Fan Favorite, Westgate. However, Real Street ripper Daewon Song dropped out at the last minute so Habitat skateboards' pro Gillette filled the void left by Song.
Baxter-Neal, the gold medal winner of the Real Street, led off with a front blunt on the bank-to-curb obstacle. Things heated up when the group began skating the bump-to-bar which Decenzo and Westgate nollied and Westgate 360 flipped.
Gillette was knocked out of contention when he bailed a frontside kickflip over the bump-to-bar. Baxter-Neal was knocked out next when he failed to attempt an ollie up onto the loading dock obstacle which Westgate had ollied onto with ease.
Only two skaters remained and both Decenzo and Westgate had two letters stacked against them. There was a bit of confusion when Decenzo, attempting a switchstance feeble grind on a handrail, landed in a switchstance boardslide. Contest judge Chris Pastras allowed Decenzo a rebate which Decenzo used to stick the switchstance feeble. Westgate couldn't land that move and the win went to Decenzo.
Check out full results.
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