Even though Shaun White has won a gold medal in the Olympics in snowboarding halfpipe and 6 winter X Games gold, the coveted Men’s Skateboarding Vert competition at the X Games has eluded him, until last weekend. In one of the most crowded events at the 13th X Games in Los Angeles, Shaun White pulled of a run consisting of a 720, backside 540, McTwist, and stalefish frontside rodeo that pulled him into first place, over top medal contender Pierre-Luc Gagnon, to take the gold.

“This means the world to me,” said White. “Pierre threw down the gauntlet for me, you know? I was just trying to stick my run and it just came together. I couldn’t let myself fall.”

From the top of the coping, we caught the action as the world’s top skaters pushed themselves so hard, that most had a hard time sticking the landings. When it came down to it, only a few of the guys in the finals were able to stick an entire run. White’s run not only had difficult tricks, but you could see his snowboard-style influence in his massive amplitude out of the pipe. It was also clear that he really wanted that medal and was frustrated with previous runs. But the last one proved his rockstar status and at the end, he through us a look like, “wow man, I did it.” And he deserved it.