Kiwi Sherwood flies to silver at X Games

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Anthony Napolitan competes in the BMX Freestyle Big Air Final during X Games 16.

Jamie Bestwick competes to a gold medal in the BMX freestyle vert final during X Games 16.

Brett Banasiewicz performs during the BMX Freestyle Park Final at X Games 16.

Chad Ortiz performs during the skateboard street men's final at the event deck at X Games 16.

Chaz Ortiz competes in the skateboard street men's final during X Games 16.

Levi Sherwood competes in the Moto X Best Trick Final during X Games 16.

Jamie Bestwick performs during the BMX Freestyle Vert competition at X Games 16

Coco Zurita races down the ramp to start a run during the BMX Freestyle Vert competition at X Games 16.

Karen Jonz performs on her way to winning the Bronze Medal during the Women's Skateboard Vert Final at X Games 16.

Fourteen year old amatuer Curren Caples performs during the Skateboard Park Elimination at X Games 16.

Kevin Robinson competes in the BMX Freestyle Vert competition at the Nokia Theater during X Games 16.

Jimmy Walker lies in the middle of the ramp after crashing hard during the BMX Freestyle Vert competition at X Games 16.

Kevin Kowalski competes in the Skateboard Park Elimination during X Games 16.

Nathan Williams falls off his bike in the BMX Freestyle Street Elimination during X Games 16.

Danny Hickerson competes in the BMX Freestyle Street Elimination during X Games 16.

Fourteen year old amatuer Curren Caples performs during the Skateboard Park Elimination at X Games 16.

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Watch out Travis Pastrana, Kiwi Levi Sherwood is the next big thing in freestyle motocross.

That's the verdict from motocross pioneer Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, who watched Pastrana muscle out the 18-year-old Sherwood for gold in the moto-x freestyle final at the summer X Games in Los Angeles yesterday.

"Honestly, I thought Levi had way better tricks, Pastrana was just a little more exciting to watch," Stenberg said. "But I think Levi's going to be untouchable next year – that kid's freakin' badass."

The field started with 16 riders and was whittled back to the top four for the three-run final.

Palmerston North-born Sherwood, the only Kiwi at the games, finished with 79 points from his best two scores, one point behind superstar Pastrana of the US. Another American, Nate Adams, took bronze. Pastrana had secured the gold before his final run as Sherwood was unable to catch up with his third round.

In a meaningless session, he did a one-handed wallride then surprised just about everyone at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with a double backflip, the trick that made him a star.

"That was for the fans," Pastrana said. "It's something that still scares the crap out of me. If Levi had gone ahead of me, I probably would've cleaned up a different run because I didn't know if I could land it and still know where I was on the course."

Pastrana had largely retired from freestyle and focused on rally car racing since landing his famous double flip in 2006, but returned this year after his Nitro Circus TV co-star Blake Williams called the 26-year-old Pastrana an "old man" and made a $5 bet on who would win at X Games. Williams, the defending champion, had to drop out of the competition last week with a slowly healing broken collarbone, but Pastrana kept up his end.

"This wasn't the one I expected to win," Pastrana said.

Pastrana, who has won 10 gold medals at the X Games, still has three events left at these Games.

He had been scheduled to compete in a record five events but the lingering effects of his own broken collarbone left him without the upper-body strength to pull off the stunt he'd planned for Moto X Best Trick, and he has dropped out.

For, Sherwood, who was competing in his first X Games, it was a slightly disappointing end after he had beaten his idol, Australian Robbie Maddison, earlier in the heats.

"He [Pastrana] beat us fair and square," Sherwood said.

"Whoever does a double flip in their run, he's pretty crazy.

"I'm in for best trick. Now I just gotta get lucky." Mike Alexander

- © Fairfax NZ News