SAN FRANCISCO - If anyone was going to beat Dave Mirra in Saturday's Bike Stunt Park finals at Piers 30-32, it was going to be Mirra himself.

But then again, even he probably couldn't figure out a way to bring a halt to the sheer domination he has shown throughout the history of the X Games Street/Park competitions.

Soon after dropping in for his first of two runs in the finals, Mirra built up considerable speed on the way to the box jump and pulled out a breathtaking double back flip that he landed flawlessly. It was the first double back flip in X Games Bike Stunt riding history. In addition, Mirra landed a decade air (a 360-degree rotation around the headtube with the handlebars) which was another X Games first.

"I want to stay safe," said Mirra when asked what he was thinking as he approached the double back flip. "I want to walk away healthy. And I am right now so everything worked out exactly like I planned."

Mirra takes a breather after winning his ninth X Games medal in his last nine tries.

There were rumblings around the bike scene all week that Mirra would be attempting the feat, and he put all curiosities to rest in a hurry.

"I was doing it first trick first run and whatever happens happens," said Mirra moments after collecting his 11th X Games medal and his ninth gold medal. "I'm kind of on the meant-to-be policy. If it is meant-to-be then you will pull it. If not, oh well."

Things have "meant-to-be" for Mirra for some time now. He has won the last nine X Games events he has entered and he doesn't show any signs of slowing down.

For Mirra's second run, he put together another stellar performance with a no-handed 360 and an X-Up backflip that secured him the top podium spot. Mirra continued to ride to a standing ovation from the crowd even after the clock had expired.

"I knew I could clinch the win if I just rode good," said Mirra. "I went through the run really well so I was happy."

German rider Markus Wilke surprised even himself by taking the silver medal in his first-ever X Games. He put together two very clean, technical runs and pulled off a nice can-can foot plant and a big 540 that was enough to outlast three-time X Games medalist Ryan Nyquist, who claimed the bronze.

"I thought everybody else rode better than me but I guess the judges had other ideas," said Wilke with a smile on his face. "I just came here to qualify and try to get to the finals. I never dreamed I would come in second. This is unbelievable."

Wilke had nothing but praise for Mirra as the two headed toward the podium to accept their medals.

"He is just so professional, so perfect," said Wilke. "He deserved the win definitely."

Mirra will now prepare to defend his three-year run in the vert competition with preliminaries on Monday and the final on Tuesday, the last event of ESPN's 2000 X Games.

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