Monster Energy congratulates its BMX and skateboard athletes on a strong performance at X Games California 2023 on Sunday.
VENTURA, Calif., July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The last day of X Games California is a wrap! Monster Energy congratulates its BMX and skateboard athletes on a strong performance at X Games California 2023 on Sunday. On the last day of competitions inside Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center, 13-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia, took the gold medal in Women's Skateboard Park. She was joined on the podium by 20-year-old Monster Army rider Grace Marhoefer claiming bronze.
The furious BMX Park Best Trick final ended with 28-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, claiming the gold medal as his second gold of the weekend and third medal at X Games California 2023. Also joining the podium, 29-year-old Daniel Sandoval from Corona, California, put down a mind-boggling trick for bronze.
The ultra-competitive Men's Skateboard Street final concluded with 30-year-old Kelvin Hoefler from São Paulo, Brazil, taking the silver medal. In the historic Pacifico Men's Skateboard Vert Best Trick contest, 27-year-old Moto Shibata from Osaka, Japan, claimed silver as his eighth X Games medal. Joining the podium,
26-year-old Monster Energy rider Edouard Damestoy from Bordeaux, France, put down a never-been-done aerial trick for bronze.
Over the course of 21 medal events contested at X Games California 2023, the Monster Energy team claimed a total of 23 medals (seven gold, six silver, and 10 bronze). During the first stadium-sized Summer X Games in three years, more than 52,000 live spectators experienced the return of X Games in Ventura this weekend.
Supported by Monster Energy as the official energy drink partner, X Games California 2023 marked the 68th edition of X Games since the contest's inception in 1995. From July 16 to July 23, the world's leading action sports showcase featured 135 elite athletes from 20 countries competing in 21 medal events for 63 medals across BMX, motocross, and skateboarding disciplines. With sold-out crowds celebrating the world's best action sports athletes, X Games California 2023 delivered history-making performances and new records.
Here's how the final day at X Games California 2023 unfolded for Team Monster Energy:
Monster Energy Women's Skateboard Park: Arisa Trew Dominates to Victory, Grace Marhoefer Takes Bronze
The Monster Energy Team's medal run started in the Monster Energy Women's Skateboard Park event. After narrowing the field from twelve riders to six finalists, the best skaters in the world displayed their versatile skills on the concrete course in Ventura.
The rider to watch? Definitely newly minted Monster Army athlete, 13-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia! After already claiming the gold medal in Women's Skateboard Vert the previous night, the young trick innovator dropped into the park competition with confidence and a deep bag of tricks.
After already securing the win on her first run, Trew took her third and final attempt as a victory lap and proceeded to increase her score with a textbook run: Combining judo air the extension, backside crossbone air the kicker, backside method the gap, varial McTwist the vert extension, transfer to frontside lipslide the deep end, McTwist, frontside Smith grind, air to fakie the extension, and switch melon air the kicker brought Trew's score to 91.00 points for a dominant victory.
"I am just so happy I landed my run. And I'm even more happy that I got gold!" said Trew upon claiming Women's Skateboard Park gold in Ventura.
Trew now owns two X Games gold, both earned in Ventura this weekend.
The Australian's competition included 20-year-old Monster Army rider Grace Marhoefer, who advanced through the elimination for a shot at the podium. Blending powerful bowl moves with raw street tricks, Marhoefer impressed the crowd (and judges) to crack into the top three.
In her highest-scoring run, Marhoefer put down a long frontside Smith grind through the bowl corner, eggplant on the vert extension, and a burly frontside Smith grind on the kicker rail into a tall drop for 81.66 points and the bronze medal. Marhoefer now owns 1 X Games medal.
BMX Park Best Trick: Kevin Peraza Claims Gold with Show-Stopping Trick, Sandoval Bronze
The energy was off the charts for the BMX Park Best Trick final on Sunday. As the eight qualified riders attacked the vast Park course in Ventura, the boundaries of what's possible on a BMX bike expanded right before the high-energy crowd.
The rider pushing the progression over the top was no other than 28-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona. After already pocketing two X Games medals in Ventura this weekend, Peraza found the perfect combination of spot and location to take the win: Popping up on the narrow pergola bridge seven feet above the deck, Peraza proceeded to transfer into the bowl below via 360 whip drop to stoke the crowd and claim the gold medal.
"I don't even have the words to say, but BMX is just so freaking awesome! It's so special. Everyone here supports each other. Just having X Games back in California at the venue and the park just catered to my style, and I've been having so much fun since the first day," said Peraza upon claiming gold in BMX Park Best Trick. Peraza also dedicated his win to the memory of teammate Pat Casey: "This is for him! He would have done it, so I'm here to do it for him!"
Peraza now owns eight X Games medals (five gold, two silver, one bronze). He made history at this X Games as the first BMX rider to earn medals in disciplines BMX Park, BMX Street, and BMX Dirt. Welcome to new MVP of BMX!
Also rising to the podium in the heavy Best Trick session, 29-year-old Daniel Sandoval from Corona, California, put down a boundary-pushing trick: Sending a 360 double whip to down whip over the center kicker earned Sandoval the bronze medal.
Sandoval now owns seven X Games medals (two gold, one silver, four bronze).
Men's Skateboard Street: Kelvin Hoefler Rises to Silver Medal Finish in Epic Finals
The insane level of progression was on full display in the Men's Skateboard Street final. With eight of the top riders on the circuit looking to post a perfectly stacked run on the course, the bar for stepping onto the podium was among the highest in X Games history.
No stranger to coming through in the clutch, 30-year-old Kelvin Hoefler from São Paulo, Brazil, put all the ingredients for a perfect run together on his third and final attempt of the contest. Starting with a kickflip backside lipslide the big rail, the Olympic silver medalist landed backside Smith grind the volcano ledge, 360 flip the Euro Gap, Caballerial tailslide fakie the Hubba ledge, kickflip crooked the volcano ledge, nollie frontside boardslide the rail and kickflip backside tailslide fakie the tall rail for 90.66 points and the silver medal.
"This thing right here is a dream come true. The hard work pays off! Every trick was special. This course is so weird. It looks so good, but every obstacle is so hard to skate, so every trick that I did was completely insane for me," said Hoefler on taking silver in Men's Skateboard Street. "It was amazing with so many people here!"
On the strength of Sunday's silver medal, Hoefler now owns seven X Games medals (two gold, three silver, two bronze).
Pacifico Men's Skateboard Vert Best Trick: Moto Shibata Claims Silver, Edouard Damestoy Bronze
For the final medal event of the weekend, the massive halfpipe inside Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center provided the backdrop for the Skateboard Vert Best Trick session. As the grand finale, the contest featured ten elite halfpipe riders, including skateboard icon Tony Hawk.
In a 36-minute jam session, each rider received five attempts to land the most progressive tricks on the ramp and the specially added surfboard deck obstacle. And with never-been-done tricks landed right from the start, seasoned X Games commentator Brandon Graham concluded: "This is the best Vert Best Trick contest I've ever seen!"
When the dust settled on the contest featuring a handful of breakthrough tricks, 27-year-old Moto Shibata from Osaka, Japan, secured the silver medal by landing a complex alley-oop kickflip McTwist… and the crowd went wild!
"I'm kind of speechless. I'm really glad to make my kickflip alley-oop McTwist today in the contest. It was just three runs, and I was getting kind of nervous, but I'm stoked. Everyone killed it today," said Shibata upon claiming X Games silver on Sunday. "I'm really honored to be part of X Games today, and X Games came back to California, and that means a lot to me. Big shoutout to the Monster Energy family, and I see you all next year!"
Shibata now owns seven X Games medals (one gold, five silver, and one bronze). The Japanese style icon also took bronze earlier in Men's Skateboard Vert at X Games California 2023.
End of story? Not so fast! In a heavy session that expanded the trick repertoire of vertical skateboarding, 26-year-old Monster Energy rider Edouard Damestoy from Bordeaux, France, also brought a never-been-done (NBD) aerial to the table. On his last attempt of the contest, Damestoy put down a frontside rodeo 720 aerial that had the crowd, as well as the rest of the field, in disbelief.
"Landing my trick was the plan, and I did it, so I'm very happy. Really stoked to be part of the Monster Energy family and stoked that they believe in me. Monster is sick, so I look forward to hopefully a long career and many things to come," said Damestoy upon taking bronze in Vert Best Trick. "It was my first time in Ventura, I really liked it. The crowd was really on fire, and I had a good time here. And hopefully, I come back next year for X Games!"
Just like that, Damestoy secured his second medal of the contest and made skateboarding history. Damestoy now owns four X Games medals (three gold, one bronze).
And that's a wrap! Congratulations to all Monster Energy athletes on 23 medals in the world's premier showcase for action sports. And special thanks to the entire team at X Games for once again making action sports history and bringing back live stadium crowds for X Games California 2023!
Didn't catch the live stream? X Games fans in the United States who missed the action at X Games California 2023 can re-watch all live broadcasts on the official X Games YouTube channel.
Visit http://www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive content from X Games California 2023, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
About X Games
X Games has been the leader in action sports since 1995. The 2023 edition will feature the world's best action sports athletes competing for gold from July 21-23, 2023. Live event coverage will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. Follow @xgames on social to get the most up-to-date event information and visit http://www.XGames.com.
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SOURCE Monster Energy
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