Skater Jake Brown suffers liver and lung contusions

Skateboarder's 45-foot fall in big air competition also causes small fractures in his vertebrae and a fracture in one hand.

Skateboarder Jake Brown, whose 45-foot free-fall Thursday night brought a hush to the Staples Center crowd, remains hospitalized after suffering contusions of the liver and lung, stress fractures in his vertebrae and a small fracture on the top of one hand.

Brown, 32, who was injured during the big air competition on the mega-ramp during a silver medalist performance, is expected to be released from California Hospital Medical Center Saturday or Sunday and make a full recovery.

"Doctors said there was no paralysis or anything like that," said Bryce Kanights, team manager for Adidas, which is among Brown's corporate sponsors.

Kanights was critical of X Games medical personnel for not immobilizing Brown immediately and placing him in a stretcher.

A hospital spokesman refused to discuss Brown's condition.

The Carlsbad skateboarder, who missed the transition after soaring nearly 20 feet above the 27-foot quarterpipe and landed backside-and-feet first on flat wood, lay motionless for about two minutes.

He was rolled over a minute or so later and helped to his feet eight minutes after the fall. He was then escorted to a hallway and placed in a wheelchair.

He also suffered a mild concussion and could not immediately remember performing a 720-degree spin across the 70-foot gap leading to the quarterpipe -- the first time that maneuver has been accomplished in competition.

But he was still in good spirits. "One of the first things he did was ask for Bubblicious gum," Kanights said.

Added mega-ramp pioneer Danny Way, who talked to Brown early Friday afternoon:

"Most people would have every bone in their body broke and be in ICU right now. Jake is hurt, but it's nothing he can't come back from and be fine in a couple of weeks."

pete.thomas@latimes.com

Associated Press

Already leading last night's X Games 13 Skateboard Big Air event going into his fifth and final jump, Encinitas' Jake Brown went for broke.

• Photo gallery
• Brown's towering drop draws gasps but leaves just a concussion

Video

• A terrifyingly big ramp greeted Big Air skateboarder Jake Brown at the Summer X-Games in Los Angeles. Brown lost control and crashed to the floor. He didn't move for nearly five minutes, but was able to walk off under his own power.
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