X Games to Eliminate Moto X and Snowmobile Best Trick

This is pretty sad news. Moto X Best Trick and Snowmobile Best trick competitions have been eliminated ESPN announced on Tuesday.

ESPN has stated that the decision was not directly related to the recent death of Caleb Moore at the 2013 Winter X Games Snowmobile Best Trick competition.

This decision continues a trend which saw a recent Freestyle Snowmobile demonstration at X Games Tignes in France cancelled after Moore’s death.

Here is a statement released by ESPN:

“Moto X Best Trick and Snowmobile Best Trick were not dropped in response to what happened in Aspen, This decision was under consideration before Aspen, and, in fact, our review of Snowmobile Freestyle continues.”

ESPN continued to say… “This change reflects our decision to focus on motor sports disciplines which feature athletes who also compete in multiple, world-class competitions [e.g., professional events and tours] reflecting the highest degree of athlete participation, competitive development and the global nature of our X Games franchise. Over the past 18 years we have made more than 60 changes to our competition lineups at X Games events to capture the evolution of the sport and these continue that growth.”

The Moto X Best Trick competition at X Games has driven progression in action sports since 2001. From the first back flip, to the first 360 and in 2006 Travis Pastrana electrified the audience inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles with the first-ever double backflip the sport has been a fan favorite. Kyle Loza won gold in 2009 with his “Electric Doom” body varial, and Australian rider Jackson “Jacko” Strong brought the first front flip in 2011.

Travis Pastrana was quoted as saying:

“Best trick was my favorite event both as a competitor and a spectator,” said Pastrana, an 11-time X Games gold medalist who won Moto X Best Trick at X Games Los Angeles in 2006. “It was a staple of progression in FMX but also the most risky part of it. A lot of athletes would cross from other disciplines or learn a special skill specifically for best trick. Usually these athletes were capable of landing their trick in a foam pit or on special set up but under pressure, they rarely did which added to the dangerousness of it. Either way I was a fan of this event and will be sad to see it go.”

“Progression in these sports obviously comes with more risk,” the ESPN said. “Nobody can eliminate risk in its entirety, but what we can do is focus on providing world-class events that are as safe and organized as possible.”

One thing is for sure, X Games will lose quite a few fans as this was the most popular sport at the popular extreme sports event.

-ZV

X Games to Eliminate Moto X and Snowmobile Best Trick