Way again gets X Games gold medal, crutches in new Big Air Rail Jam

Way again gets gold medal, crutches at X Games

LOS ANGELES — Skateboard veteran Danny Way celebrated yet another X Games gold medal, yet again on crutches.

Way, who once launched over the Great Wall of China with a broken ankle, won the inaugural Big Air Rail Jam on Friday, a best trick competition held on the mega ramp he invented.

Way won despite hurting his ankle at the start in the competition.

“I rolled my ankle on the first try,” Way said. “It was just my warm-up, my intention was to make it and move on.”

Way ended up landing that warm-up trick — a lip slide 270 — for a score of 92 and the victory, but was hobbling around on crutches immediately afterward.

“I don’t know why I have to always be the guy that gets hurt, and to prove that you can keep going when you’re hurt. I don’t know if I like that title very much.”

Way, 35, of San Diego, had missed Thursday’s Skateboard Big Air with an injury to the same knee that has been operated on eight times.

He had won gold in that event three times and last year won silver, getting up repeatedly after nasty crashes.

Brazil’s Bob Burnquist was second with a score of 89, and Rob Lorifice of Encintas, Calif. won bronze, matching their finishes in Thursday’s Big Air competition.

REYNOLDS WRAPS UP ANOTHER: Garrett Reynolds won his second straight X Games gold in BMX Freestyle Street on Friday.

Reynolds, an 18-year-old from Toms River, N.J., won with a score of 419, beating the 412 posted by Ty Morrow of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Van Homan of Pennsville, N.J. was third with a score of 403.