Women's Moto X Rocks Staples Center

Jean Turner | July 31, 2011

Vicki Golden called on her Arenacross experience on Saturday night at the Staples Center and dominated the Women’s Moto X Racing event to capture her first gold medal. The MotoUSA.com/Langston Motorsports-backed Kawasaki rider dominated both her heat race and the four-rider main event to top the televised event.

Competition was solid in the form of Tarah Gieger and Livia Lancelot, who rounded out the podium earning silver and bronze, respectively. But the two riders heavily favored to top the field – Ashley Fiolek and Jessica Patterson – but fell victim to hard luck.

Fiolek crashed hard in the first practice session when she clipped the landing of the triple with her front tire, which sent her head first into the ground. Due to the length of time she was unconscious, doctors would not clear her for competition, much to her devastation.

Patterson was unlucky all day starting in her qualifying session. Patterson was unable to get in a hot lap because she was having bike problems, and was forced to take the last gate pick in her heat. During the heat race Patterson was trying to get around French rider Livia Lancelot to earn a transfer spot, but she got out of shape in the rhythm section and crashed in the same way Fiolek did and knocked herself out of the competition.The main event saw riders Golden, Lancelot, Gieger and Kawasaki’s Sarah Price square off. Golden took the immediate lead followed by Gieger.

Price made an attempt to get around Lancelot on the outside, but Lancelot held her line and took Price out. Price wasn’t able to get her Kawasaki going before she was a lap down, leaving her to collect a distant fourth.The Speed & Style competition also took place on Saturday night at Staples Center with Nate Adams taking gold over Mike Mason.

The hybrid event, which pits freestyle riders against each other in a race format, is scored on a combination of time and trick scores. Although Adams didn’t cross the finish line first, his style points gave him the win. Mason settled for silver, which is his career best X Games finish.Ronnie Faisst went head-to-head with Carey Hart for bronze medal honors. Faisst topped Hart to take his second-consecutive bronze in the event.

Women’s Moto X Rocks Staples Center