X Games Asia three-time Skateboard Vert champion Andy McDonald added a fourth gold to his trophy cabinet on Monday, after seeing off a strong challenge from team-mate Sandro Diaz in Shanghai.

The surprise of the afternoon had to be the absence of 2010's champion Pierre-Luc Gagnon, who crashed out of the competition in the first round of the final.

It must have been difficult for the field as they tried hard to skate their best despite being buffeted by strong wings in the Jiangwan Stadium, and despite stiff challenges from Diaz, as well as the ever-lurking presence of Bob Burnquist, MacDonald took the gold with a score of 87.67, one ahead of his Positive Skateboard team-mate, who was just one measly point behind on 85.67.

The American, also known on the street as the "Mac-Attack", remained faithful to his usual controlled and technical form in the first and second runs of the final, but then upped the stakes beyond the competition by pulling off a Kick foot 540.

You could almost see the hope leave Burnquist's eyes, right after watching McDonald's fantastic performance in the third run, and the Brazilian was simply unable to match up to his first perfect run, having to settle for the bronze after scoring 84.33.

There was time for some last-minute drama, though.

The irrepressible Sandro Diaz had already given indication of his ambition in the first few runs, and gave McDonald the shivers on his last run as the Brazilian, who came in second in the same event last year, pulled off a magnificent combination of tricks that left the result in the hands of the judges, who voted in the American's favour, much to his relief.

The 38-year-old was joyous after the victory, and stoked to have "broken the jinx" for the Vert discipline this year.

" I was wondering if I could ever win on this Vert", McDonald said.

"They had changed it to a larger Vert in 2010, and I had to settle for the bronze, which was a huge difference compared to 2007-09, when I had a stranglehold on the gold.

This victory at the Jiangwan Stadium has certainly broken his hoodoo on the new Vert, and McDonald was effusive in his praise for the event, as well as the fans who cheered him on to victory.

"I love coming to the X Games Asia", he said.

"I love coming to China, this is my fifth trip here actually.

The skateboarder revealed how much his family adored Chinese culture, with his son even taking up the language.

"He has a tutor that comes over, and frankly, the boy speaks better than I do", the American exclaimed.

"Maybe next year I'll bring him along as my translator!"