It took seven straight rounds of 'mano a mano' battle for Ronnie Renner to overcome Matt Buyten, clearing a record-breaking height of 47 feet to win X Games Moto X Step Up gold on Friday night at the STAPLES Center.
"With out these opportunities we won't have these moments," Renner said. "It if wasn't for X Games the platform of our sport wouldn't be where it's at today. God I love Step Up because there are no judges."
The record-breaking win bested the top height of 37 feet reached in 2011 by 10 feet and marked Renner's third X Games gold, all of which are in Moto X Step Up.
Renner went round for round with Buyten, who took the gold in 2011 and 2010, topped out at 46 feet to finish second in the event.
"X Games is always a good time. Everyone laying it down on the line. The who world is watching and that's what makes it fun," Buyten said.
Moto X Step Up features six riders lining up 30 feet from a near vertical wall of dirt in an attempt to jump over a horizontal bar positioned between two vertical bars at a height determined at the competition director's discretion, above the lip of the jump.
If a rider knocks the bar to the ground, that rider has one additional chance to clear the bar at a height or else is eliminated. After each round, the bar is raised in increments determined by the competition director and the entire process is repeated until one winner is determined.
Stenberg Whips It Good In Moto X Best Whip
California's Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg threw it sideways with style Friday to reclaim the X Games gold for the second year in Moto X Best Whip at the STAPLES Center.
"I'm not going to lie, it feels pretty awesome. I'm pumped to come back and get my second gold medal and win this. It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time," Stenberg said.
The win marked Stenberg's ninth X Games medal in his 13th year of competing at the event.
Aussie Jarryd McNeil threw his bike with some solid extension to take the X Games silver, his third medal in the best whip competition after a bronze in 2011 and silver in 2010.
Todd Potter, who has taken home three X Games golds in Moto X Best Whip, took home the bronze.
In Moto X Best Whip, riders showcase their ability to throw a 350-pound machine sideways and bring it back with style in a 10-minute jam format. This discipline is 100 percent fan judged, and their best attempt is voted in via test message.
Step-Up Results
1. Ronnie Renner 930 Tampa, Fla. 47.0
2. Matt Buyten 921 Minden, Nev. 46.0
3. Brian Deegan 38 Bellevue, Nebr. 39.0
4. Myles Richmond 934 Cherry Valley, Calif. 36.0
5. Todd Potter 911 Temecula, Calif. 32.0
6. Massimo Bianconcini 928 Monterenzio, Italy 32.0
X Games Los Angeles 2012: Moto X Best Whip Final Results
1. Jeremy Stenberg 912 Winchester, Calif. 32
2. Jarryd McNeil 909 Yarrawonga, Australia 19
3. Todd Potter 911 Temecula, Calif. 17
4. Edgar Torronteras 927 Barcelona, Spain 14
5. Josh Hansen 907 Murrieta, Calif. 13
6. Billy Laninovich 908 Ramona, Calif. 6
