De Araujo edged in final

Rodil de Araujo Jr., a Costa Mesa resident, nearly won the skateboard

park title at X Games IX Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles,

where Tony Hawk ended his competitive career on a high note.

De Araujo, a Brazilian native, scored 92.67 points in the

competition and was denied of the title after San Clemente’s Ryan

Sheckler won with 93.33 points.

Carlos De Andrade, also of Costa Mesa, finished fifth with 86.67

points in the event that features skaters trying to accumulate points

by maneuvering over, through and onto obstacles. They also perform

creative stunts on ledges and handrails.

Hawk, one of the most famous athletes in skateboarding who is

planning to retire, performed a 900 to secure his victory in the

skateboard vert best trick. Rune Glifberg, who hails from Denmark and

resides in Costa Mesa, finished sixth.

X Games IX concluded Sunday. Hawk’s victory in the skateboard vert

best trick event, which also includes Glifberg’s sixth-place finish,

will air Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. on ESPN 2, while de Araujo will be

on TV Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. on ESPN2.

Fabiola da Silva, a Costa Mesa resident who is one of the most

recognizable X Games athletes, won the aggressive in-line park title

Thursday and that will appear on ESPN Tuesday 2-3 p.m.