PHILADELPHIA -- Under cloudy skies and a fine mist, the Men's Speedclimbing final outside the First Union Center on Sunday produced a first-time X Games gold medalist in 19-year-old Maxim Stenkovoy of Nikopol, Ukraine.

Stenkovoy outdueled fellow countryman Vladimir Zakharov, last year's X Games gold medalist, while American Chris Bloch of Stockton, Calif., came up short again in his quest for X Games gold, finishing third.

Stenkovoy's winning time was 11.687 seconds while Zakharov tapped the buzzer at 11.930.

"Winning gold was my goal," said Stenkovory. "My times were very fast because we built a similar wall in Ukraine that was even harder, so coming here, I hoped to have great times."

Bloch medalled in his sixth consecutive X Games Speed Climbing event. The Californian won the silver medal in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000 while he added a second bronze medal to the one he won in 1998. The gold medal still eludes the 30-year-old, but he remains the most decorated speed climber in X Games history.

In the Women's final, the town of Kharkov, Ukraine, stole the show as residents of the town stood on all three levels of the medal podium. Elena Repko claimed the gold medal, Olga Zakharova took the silver, and Alena Ostapenko garnered the bronze.

Elena Repko was all business on her way to the gold.

Repko, at 26-years-old, is regarded as the top female speed climber in the world today. During the 2000-2001 season, she won every event except the 2000 ESPN X Games, at which she took home the silver medal. The only woman to defeat Repko last year, Etti Hendrawati of Indonesia, placed fourth in this year's event.

"There are no limits for excellence," Repko said of her ability to climb better in the future. All but one of the contestants in today's event hailed from countries other than the United States. The contestants hope that an event of the magnitude of the ESPN X Games will generate more interest in America.

"The X Games are a lot of fun to compete in," Repko said. "I hope it helps to spread the sport in the U.S.A."

For the 28-year-old Zakharova, the silver medal represented her third career X Games medal. Zakharova won the silver in 1999 and the bronze in 2000. Climbing is a family affair for Zakharova, whose husband, Vladimir Zakharov won a silver medal of his own in the Men's Speed Climbing Event today. Combined, Zakharova and her husband have now won five ESPN X Games medals.

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