A Mega Ramp is the informal name given to any large-format vert ramp structure used in freestyle BMX and skateboarding. The name distinguishes a second generation of ramps which became increasingly popular during the 1990s-2000s transition years. They are so called to distinguish them from the more modest classic ramps used throughout the preceding decades of these sports and which were, at most, half-scale versions of these newer and larger ramps.
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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.
Mega ramps became popular in mainstream professional competition after being skated by Danny Way in a King of Skate event. Yet another full scale mega ramp was constructed at Point X camp, with footage first unveiled in the DC skate video. Danny Way then used a much larger mega ramp to jump over the Great Wall of China in 2005.[1]
Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins was the first female to skate a mega ramp.[1]
The youngest skateboarder to attempt a mega ramp run was Taylor Smith. He completed it unharmed at age 11.
In New York City, June 12, 2008, Kevin Robinson broke the Freestyle BMX air world record, setting the new benchmark height at 8.1m (27') on a roll-in/quarter pipe mega ramp setup. [2]
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. One of the scariest moments in X Games history occurred on Skateboard Big Air at X Games XIII in 2007 when Jake Brown lost control going into the quarter-pipe after landing the first gap 720 in Big Air history, and fell over 40 feet to the bottom of the ramp, landing hard on his side. Surprisingly, he escaped with only a concussion and bruising, and walked away with little assistance.[2]
Despite the fall, Jake would repeat as silver-medalist in 2007, and would finally win gold in the event at X Games XV in 2009, giving him a medal in the event in four consecutive years.
At X Games XV, Danny Way brought a rail apparatus for the gap portion of Big Air in a special exhibition event called the "Skateboard Big Air Rail Jam".