Taka Higashino Flies to Freestyle X Games Victory

With two 90-point scores, Taka Higashino earned his three-peat in Moto X Freesytle last night at the 2013 Summer X Games from Los Angeles. Higashino posted a 90-point score on his first of two runs, but with Adam Jones scoring 90 on his second run Higashino had to put in a great final run to earn the gold.

"It's crazy," Higashino said. "I tried my best. Same score twice, but again, it’s just right!”

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The Moto X Freestyle event was the final competition on the opening day of X Games Los Angeles. Summer X Games has been in LA the past 11 years, but in 2014 it will move to Austin, Texas. Higashino made it three wins in a row last night  (he won in LA in ’12 and earlier this year in Brazil) with his two solid runs, but Jones definitely made it interesting when he posted a 90 on his final run on the tight course.

"After riding the course today – it was really tight, a lot tighter than in years past," Jones said. "I think everybody would probably agree that with what Freestyle's become in L.A. we're pretty happy to try out Austin next year and get a big course with a lot of options."

Higashino’s 90.0-point score was a well-rounded routine that featured a holy grab, rock-solid flip, no hand flip, stripper Superman seatgrab combo, an indy air combo, a kiss-of-death flip, a Cordova flip and a lazy boy flip

With fellow American Jones on the podium, Nate Adams took the final spot with the bronze in Moto X Freestyle, which is his first medal since winning gold in 2011. Unfortunately the night wasn’t without an accident, as Jackson Strong crashed while attempting a body varial on his last trick during his final run, which resulted in a break in his right foot, though he did hop off the track with the aid of course workers.

Freestyle Moto X
Gold - Taka Higashino
Silver - Adam Jones
Bronze - Nate Adams
4th - Levi Sherwood
5th - Rod Adelberg

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