At the X Games in early August, motocross rider Corey Creed launched skyward off a ramp and rocketed three stories up into the air. Creed seemed to soar as high as the second level of the Minnesota Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium, then stuck the landing on the down ramp. On-screen graphics showed that his speed hit 36 mph. Moments later, the height of his jump flashed up: 32’ 6”. The Australian rider had won his first X Games gold, beating second-placed Tyler Bereman in the Moto X Quarterpipe by nine inches.
Many action sports are still judged on subjective metrics like style, and leave room for ambiguity. But the ESPN-owned X Games is working to bring hard, analytic data into decisions. During this year’s summer games, X Games VP Tim Reed ran a test of a new athlete tracking system that he hopes will eventually lead to both a broad overhaul and automation of the judging system and more in-depth storytelling capabilities.
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