NOTEBOOK: WIND DOESN'T GET IN WAY, WHO WINS BIG AIR EVENT COMPETITION.

Byline: KEITH LAIR Staff Writer

CARSON -- Backflips, flairs, tailwhips and Christ Airs all played a part in Sunday's Big Air finale at X Games 12 at Home Depot Center.

Skateboarder Danny Way and BMX rider Kevin Robinson won their respective disciplines despite swirling and changing wind directions.

Way is undefeated in the event, having won it all three years. It was the inaugural run for BMX.

Way, traveling down the 80-foot drop-in at about 35 mph to the 70-foot gap, had the two best scores with a rocket air backflip, a move he did not learn until two months ago in Mexico City. He soared 23 feet into a Christ Air, in which he grabs the board and extends his arms.

In even stiffer winds than the skateboarders, and dropping down from 60 feet, Robinson did a no-handed backflip over the 50-foot gap and a no-handed flair on the quarterpipe.

``There is no question I could feel the pressure,'' said Way, who did not ride any ramps until this week because he was injured in the Mexico City jumps in May.

``There were high expectations for how I would do. There's no question that when you look at these guys, you're happy to have any medal. There's always the opportunity to make a mistake or have a bad day.''

The San Diego resident completed the backflip twice, and had the best two scores. Jake Brown of second finished second with a 360 tailgrab into a 540 off the quarterpipe.

Bob Burnquist of Vista was third with a 360 into a switch backside ollie 180, which he had never done until this week. He nearly went over the ramp's side on the roll-out, something he says he has dreamed about. Brown also the only other skater to use the 70-foot ramp. Burnquist used the 60-foot drop-in.

Chad Kagy of Los Gatos, the only BMX rider to have previously ridden a megaramp -- in Mexico City -- finished second with a double tailwhip backflip. Allan Cooke of Greenville, N.C. finished third.

Old man rider: Jeff Ward held off a spirited challenge from Mark Burkhart to become the X Games oldest gold medalist with a 10-foot, 0.572- second victory in the 35-lap Supermoto race.

Ward took the lead on the 21st lap when Burkhart had to make his mandatory pit stop, which included taking racing fuel and a tire change. Burkhart began reeling in Ward and got as close as wheel-to-wheel in a hairpin turn around a fountain on the 1.04-mile dirt and pavement course.

``I'm never too old for this,'' said Ward, who is 45years old and has won Supercross, Motocross, Supermoto and IndyCar races.

Ward went outside down the short straightaway after the hairpin, but Burkhart, 19 years younger, tried going inside into the left-hander.

Ward, who has already won one AMA Supermoto this year, pinched Burkhart.

Doug Henry finished third. Travis Pastrana's quest for four golds fell short with a ninth-place finish and a lap down. He fell at the race's start.

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Photo:

(color) Danny Way goes airborne on his way to winning the Big Air final Sunday at Home Depot Center.

Bernardo Alps/SGVN