Clowers Returns To Step-Up Gold
| August 5, 2005
After a year away from competition and three years since his last stand atop an X Games podium Tommy Clowers (returned to the top of his game on Friday night when he cleared 32 feet for gold in the Moto X Step Up at the X Games in Los Angeles, California, tonight.
“After three years away winning gold feels great honestly,” Clowers said. “I just came out to have fun and did what I came out here to do.” Runner-up Matt Buyten, the 2003 champ and last year’s runner-up, was unable to match Clowers at 32 feet and had to settle for second in the winner-take-all event.
“The bike felt weird, but there are no excuses because I gave it all I had,” said Buyten, whose back-and-forth battle with legend Jeremy McGrath at last year’s event remains one of the most memorable moments in X Games history. “I had a great time at the X Games.”
McGrath tied for third with Brian Deegan and a clearly disappointed Ronnie Renner after clearing 28 feet. All three were unable to get over the three-foot jump to the next height of 31 feet.
“It is what it is,” said last year’s champ McGrath. “It’s disappointing, of course. To be honest the jump is a lot different. To me nobody went very far before we were out. I think they need to get a better jump next year.”
