Monster Energy athletes snatched up four Moto X medals in four separate disciplines at X Games Los Angeles 2012 this past week. The event started in victorious fashion with Taka Higashino’s gold medal display in Freestyle on Thursday night. He nailed a Rock Soild Backflip and brought the crowd to its feet with his innovative performance. Fellow Monster Energy athletes Blake “Bilko” Williams, Adam Jones, Andre Villa, and Nate Adams also battled it out in Freestyle, but it was Higashino who would take home the gold. Standing by to witness Higashino’s victory was mentor and Monster Energy athlete Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, who defended his gold in Best Whip the following night by winning the fan vote for the second year in a row.
The popular Best Trick competition was held following Best Whip on Friday night, and Higashino’s Rock Solid Backflip earned him silver, which would be his second piece of X Games Los Angeles 2012 hardware. Saturday night was host to Speed & Style and Women’s Moto X Racing. Monster Energy’s Nate Adams, X Games 2011 Speed & Style Gold Medal winner, returned to competition following a ten-month hiatus due to an injury sustained following X Games 2011. Adams sailed through quarter-finals and semi-finals and would go on to face Mike Mason in the finals. Adams would walk away with the silver following the head-to-head battle. The silver would mark his 13th X Games medal, and would put him in elite company by tying him with Travis Pastrana as the most decorated Moto X athlete in X Games history.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
X Games Los Angeles 2012 – Freestyle Results
1. Taka Higashino
2. Levi Sherwood
3. Javier Villegas
X Games Los Angeles 2012 – Best Whip Results
1. Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg
2. Todd Potter
3. Jarryd McNeil
X Games Los Angeles 2012 – Best Trick Results
1. Jackson Strong
2. Taka Higashino
3. Cameron Sinclair
X Games Los Angeles 2012 – Speed & Style Results
1. Mike Mason
2. Nate Adams
3. Ronnie Faisst
(Photos courtesy of Steve Cox)