Moto X Step-Up Report - 2004 X Games

NEW STANDARD IN STEP UP
McGrath, Buyten go jump for jump in battle for gold at X Games X
Los Angeles, California - Jeremy McGrath is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of action sports. To list all of the awards and honors the 32-year-old from Encinitas, Calif. has garnered in his 16-year career would be quite an undertaking.

The one thing missing from that long list was sitting in Matt Buyten's home in Carson City, Nevada USA - an X Games gold medal. And, coincidentally, it was Buyten that stood between McGrath - who was making his X Games debut - and his first-ever X Games gold in Moto X Step Up on Friday night.

McGrath outlasted Buyten - a relative unknown until winning gold in Step Up last year - after a jump off that consisted of nine jumps and eventually saw McGrath clear 33-feet, 6-inches for gold in a competition for the ages.

"I thought I had a good chance so I tried it out," McGrath said of competing in Step Up. "I'm really psyched for SuperMoto (and another chance for gold)."

Buyten may not have the resume of the seven-time AMA SuperCross champion McGrath, but he proved that toughness and resiliency matter just as much as awards and national titles. Buyten dislocated his right shoulder twice in the event and battled back in a do-or-die attempt after McGrath cleared 33-feet on the sixth jump of the extra session.

"Just like anyone else in competition if I can go I'm going to go," Buyten said. "I was going against one of the best dirtbike guys out there. No, I'm not that frustrated. I did what I could."

Tommy Clowers (Ramona, California USA) finished third and continued his streak of medaling in every Step Up event he has at X Games. His world record of 35-feet remained intact, however.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, X Games X is the world's premier action sports competition featuring more than 150 of the world's best athletes competing in: Aggressive In-line Skate, Bike Stunt, Moto X, Skateboard, Surfing and Wakeboard

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