Zach Warden Wins First X Games Gold Medal in GoPro BMX Freestyle Big Air

Apr 20, 2013

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 5399 times

Zach Warden Wins First X Games Gold Medal in GoPro BMX Freestyle Big Air Veteran Chad Kagy and First-time Big Air Medalist Morgan Wade Rounded Out the Podium After having to settle for a silver medal behind Steve McCann in Los Angeles, Zach Warden felt redemption in winning his first X Games gold medal in the GoPro BMX Freestyle Big Air competition in Brazil.

With five previous X Games starts, Warden earned his second overall medal with an Iron Lotus – a trick Warden first landed – over the gap and a triple tailwhip on the quarterpipe. That run earned him a score of 93.66 and the top spot on the podium.

"I've was in Brazil in 2008 for a competition and I’m very happy to be back here,” said an excited Warden. "All the competitors are like part of my family."

Six-time BMX Freestyle Big Air medalist Chad Kagy took silver despite travel delays that left him little practice time in Brazil. His cliffhanger backflip to tailwhip flair scored a 92.66, enough to beat out Morgan Wade by less than a point. Wade took home his first-ever X Games BMX Freestyle Big Air medal with the highest triple tailwhip ever landed in history to score a 92.00.

The only Brazilian in the final, Douglas Leite finished in fifth place, but landed the highest air ever in BMX Big Air competition at 22 feet, one inch. About X Games Foz do Iguaçu 2013X Games Foz do Iguaçu 2013, taking place April 18-21, kicks off the first of this year’s four summer events in Brazil – the first new event of the global expansion.

Over the four days, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 will combine to present 29.5 hours of content from Brazil. In addition to all of the content on ESPN's U.S.-based media platforms, X Games Foz do Iguaçu will be televised in 184 countries and territories to more than 430 million homes. ESPN Brazil will broadcast 27 hours of live coverage on ESPN, ESPN Brazil and ESPN+. For additional coverage in Brazil, ESPN has partnered with RedeTV! The network will broadcast 10 hours of live coverage from X Games Foz do Iguaçu. RedeTV! will also broadcast up to 20 hours of programs, highlights and packages from the other five events.