When X-Games 17 kicked off last night, everyone expected Travis Pastrana to walk away with the Best Trick award for his Toilet Paper Roll trick. But after a crash, Pastrana walked away with a limp instead. It was rookie Jackson Strong who would take home the Moto X Best Trick award with the first front flip ever performed at a major contest.
Pastrana missed the Toilet Paper Roll, a 720 twisting/flipping crazy stunt, the first time out. Then he hopped right back on his bike to try it again. But this time he would break his ankle in the fall.
"I am sorry this happened and will be back in action as soon as I can," Pastrana said.
Pastrana was supposed to compete over the next four days and was expected to take home a couple of trophies. But the world will have to wait to see Pastrana land the Toilet Paper Roll.
With Pastrana out, the door was open for someone else to take the Best Trick award.
And in steps Jackson Strong.
Strong, part of Metal Mulisha, pulled off a front flip infront of the X-Games crowd, and scored a near perfect 95.66.
"I was going to be pumped whether I took first or last place, it was just my goal to do a front-flip at X Games," Strong said. "I think everyone saw how deep I had to dig. I had to hang on tight for that landing for sure."
Strong beat out Cam Sinclair, who pulled off a variation of the double back-flip.
