X Games legend Bob Burnquist finally makes good on ‘Mega’ stunt

September 09, 2010 by Pete Thomas

Bob Burnquist predicted before the recent X Games that the next great skateboarding trick on the dangerous Mega Ramp would be a 900-degree rotation above its massive wall.

He tried repeatedly, during and after the event’s big-air competition, to nail the landing after soaring 15 feet above the lip of the 25-foot quarterpipe. But trying to spin just right and negotiate a perfect landing just proved too difficult.

Yet in his mind’s eye the skateboarder could envision sticking that landing, and last Saturday, after two dogged hours of trying some more on the Mega Ramp at his home in Vista Calif., Burnquist made good on his prediction by completing what vert-skating veteran Bucky Lasek described as “possibly the best trick to date on a skateboard.”

Burnquist not only became the first person to nail a 900 on the Mega Ramp, which features a steep roll-in and jump leading to the 25-foot wall, he did it “fakie to fakie,” meaning that he skated up the wall backward — ultimately lifting 40 feet above ground as he spun the 900 — and landed backward too.

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Burnquist, who waited until Wednesday afternoon to announce what he had accomplished and to post a video on the Skateboard.tv website, said Thursday: “I didn’t want it just to be another 900. In my mind I’m like, ‘I don’t care how long it takes, I’m going to do it differently.’ “

Burnquist, who along with Danny Way have progressed Mega-Ramp skating to daunting new heights, becomes only the fifth skateboarder ever to land a 900.

The other four — beginning with the legendary Tony Hawk in 1999 — did so on traditional skating halfpipes, which are much smaller and less dangerous. On the Mega Ramp, given the speed and height factors, slamming into the deck of the quarterpipe or drifting out into the flat and crash-landing from 40 feet can result in serious injuries.

Said Hawk: “Bob has upped the ante once again and ramp skating will never be the same, thanks to him. He is unbelievable.”

Asked how many times he has tried the 900 overall, Burnquist answered, “I’ve tried hundreds of times, probably 900 times, who knows?”

And yes, he believes the 1080 is possible, but that’s a story for another day.