STREET SKATEBOARDING: SKATEBOARDERS RAGE AT STAPLES.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

Staples Center has never been so gnarly.

The ninth edition of the X Games took over the entrance ramps, handrails, stairs, tables and walls on the back side of the arena Sunday as 1,500 spectators crowded to watch the Street Skateboarding and Street Best Trick competitions.

The X Games brought skateboarding legend Chad Muska out of a six-year quasi-retirement, but he showed no signs of rust in winning the gold medal and $5,000 in the Best Trick event.

``I decided to compete here because it's my hometown and I wanted to represent,'' said Muska, who focused his attention this year on producing his first album, ``Muskabeatz,'' and designing clothing and shoes. ``I skateboard all the time for fun. I love it. So I don't need to train or anything. ... This was all about coming out and having fun and showing the kids what this is all about.''

The audience had just as much fun with Muska as he did with them. Wearing his signature pink shoes that match the pink wheels on his skateboard, Muska, who bears an uncanny resemblance to musician Kid Rock, played to the audience after each run and received the loudest applause of any of the skaters.

After landing the trick that ultimately won him the competition, Muska threw his skateboard into the crowd, then his hat and ultimately an X Games poster that was signed by all of the skaters. Five minutes later, he was bringing water to fans who had watched the three-hour event in near- 100-degree heat.

Muska was not the only skater to do well Sunday with limited practice. Four-time X Games medalist Eric Koston arrived at Staples Center at 12:10 p.m., 10 minutes after the event was supposed to begin, and missed the entire practice session and his introduction.

Koston, who had arrived in town in the morning after a wedding in San Francisco, skated last in the first round and barely had time to warm up but managed to win the Street Skateboard gold medal and its $13,000 prize with a flawless run in his second round, scoring a 93.3.

Last year's champion in both events, Rodil de Araujo Jr. of Brazil, won both silver medals and a combined $10,000 on Sunday. Araujo was the only skater in the competition without sponsorship. Despite winning three gold medals at X Games VIII in Philadelphia last year and a gold medal at the Latin X Games this year, and ending 2002 as the highest-ranked skater on the World Cup Skateboarding Tour, his previous sponsors dropped him in January because they did not believe he was marketable.

``He is very quiet because he is a shy person and I think people misunderstand that,'' said Araujo's agent, Marcio Shiroma. ``They think he's not nice.''

Araujo, though, dismissed questions about whether his reputation cost him points in the scoring Sunday against the more popular and flamboyant Muska and Koston.

``I didn't think the scoring at the Globe World Cup (where he finished second) was fair, but these guys earned it today,'' Araujo said. ``Koston has amazing technique and Muska is so nice. I've never met him before. He actually offered me some skateboards at one point (because Araujo must pay for his own equipment).''

Araujo was solid in all three of his runs in the Street Skate competition, scoring better than 90 on all three. He might have cost himself the gold, though, on his final run, which was by far his best, when he wasted the last 20 seconds of his allotted time by drinking water and showboating at the top of the course. The judges scored that run a 90.67.

Third place and $4,500 in the Street Skate competition went to 18-year-old Paul Rodriguez of North Hills, the son of actor/comedian Paul Rodriguez Sr. Rodriguez was consistent on all three of his runs, scoring 85, 86 and 89.67.

``I just came here expecting to do my best so I'm happy with how I did,'' said Rodriguez, who attended Birmingham High of Lake Balboa until he turned professional and was the Transworld Skateboard Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Of his famous father, Rodriguez said: ``The audience in skating is not the same audience my dad has so it's not that weird. ... I get asked about him all the time, but the funny thing is, he tells me people ask him about me all the time, too.''

Wagner Ramos of Brazil won the bronze medal and $1,000 in the Street Best Trick competition.

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Chad Muska of Los Angeles pulled off a crowd-pleasing gold-medal performance in the Street Skateboarding competition at Staples Center on Sunday.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer