Mega Ramp
The MegaRamp[1] structure is the brainchild of professional Skateboarder Danny Way Danny Way and was unveiled to the world at Point X Camp in the OP King Of Skate Pay Per View special in 2002. It was introduced again and was officially called the MegaRamp in the 2003 DC Shoes video release "The DC Video" where Danny Way set two world records in the same run - Longest jump (75ft) and highest air (23.5ft).
The first MegaRamp skateboarding contest debuted in Los Angeles, CA at X Games 10 in 2004 with BMX debuting in 2006. www.kidzworld.com
The MegaRamp is constructed of metal scaffold with a wood surface and topped with Skatelite. The world’s best athletes ride MegaRamp structures and continually push the boundaries of athletic excellence.vert ramp freestyle BMX skateboarding.
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[edit] Structure
Contemporary structures are generally made of wood and steel, and consist of two or three sections. The most common ramp setup uses a sequence of three sections; a roll-in, a gap jump, and a vert quarter pipe. Vert half-pipe mega ramps have been built in the past, but they are uncommon.
The roll-in section consists of a single or multiple roll-ins that drop from 12m (40') or higher up. The purpose of the roll-in is for the athletes to be able to gain the speed needed to tackle the other sections of the ramp. The tallest Mega Ramp to date is 59.1m (197') tall. It is located in professional skateboarder Bob Burnquist's backyard.
The second section can be a gap jump, or a quarter pipe, though the gap jump option has become the most popular setup. Gap jumps range in distance from 7.5m (25') to 21m (70') between the launch and landing sections. The athletes clear the distance between the launch and landing sections of the gap jump by sailing through the air above the gap, and land on the landing section, which is sloped forward to decrease the landing impact.
The third section is almost invariably a quarter pipe. The quarter pipes can be 5.4m (18') or greater in height and serve as either a speed break, or as another launch point from which the athlete sails directly vertical into the air off the top lip of the ramp, before falling back down and landing on the quarter pipe transition again.
Other additions and modifications have been tried on mega ramps, such as the tall flatbox with a rainbow rail that was added to the Point X mega ramp.
The total length of these structures varies from approximately 60m (200') to 108m (360') in length.
[edit] History
Danny Way invented the MegaRamp, a massive skateboarding ramp first seen in the OP King Of Skate competition. It was officially called the MegaRamp in 2004. In "The DC Video,[2]" Danny Way breaks the records for longest jump and highest in the same run. Then, in the 2004 X Games 10, at the Big Air competition[3] that uses the MegaRamp, Danny Way broke his own record for distance and set the current record of 79 feet. The height record remains at 23.5 feet. In 2005, Danny Way used a MegaRamp again to jump the Great Wall of China and became the first person to jump the wall without the help of a motor vehicle and land successfully. This was also the largest ramp structure ever built. Not only that, today Danny Way pulled off the jump of the Great Wall of China[4] five times in front of a crowd of Chinese dignitaries and officials, along with his family and friends and thousands of locals.[5]Great Wall of China in 2005.[6]
[edit] MegaRamp at the X Games
The MegaRamp has been employed in competition at the X Games, where it is called "Big Air", since X Games X in 2004 for skateboard and 2006 for BMX. In 2007 Jake Brown fell 45 feet to the bottom of the ramp.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Megaramp.com
- ^ Bonus Footage of Danny Way
- ^ http://dannyway.com/bio/
- ^ http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2173-skateboarding-sports-records
- ^ skateboard.about.com/od/events/a/DannyWayChina1.htm
- ^ Higgins, Matt (November 1, 2006). "A Skateboarding Ramp Reaches for the Sky". New York Times (New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/01/sports/othersports/01ramp.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ Higgins, Matt (2007-08-03). "Skateboarding’s Mega Ramp Is a Draw, but Also a Danger". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/03/sports/othersports/03xgames.html?ex=1343880000&en=3dd47b2dd1a213dc&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
