Day Three | X Games California 2023

The glorious return to live crowds in Southern California had it all: historic performances, walk-off victories, and never-been-done tricks. All courtesy of the world’s best athletes in BMX, Skateboarding, and Moto X.

Then again, what really took performances to the next level was the high-energy crowd at Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center. During the first stadium-sized Summer X Games in three years, more than 52,000 live spectators experienced the return of Summer X Games to Southern California. And the energy was off the charts all 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. When the dust settled, Monster Energy athletes took home a total of 23 medals (7 gold, 6 silver, 10 bronze) in 21 medal events. Way to Unleash the Beast!

Here’s how the action unfolded for our Team on the final day at X Games California 2023:

SUNDAY RECAP | X GAMES CALIFORNIA

MONSTER ENERGY WOMEN’S SKATEBOARD PARK: ARISA TREW TAKES VICTORY WITH NBD 

GOT PARK SKILLS? At this point, 13-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia is probably the hottest name in women’s vertical skating right now. What with the first women’s 720 aerial and high-profile contest wins including this weekend’s Women’s Skate Vert contest. But can she throw down in a Park final? Turns out, she can…

NO LAZY VICTORY LAP: As the Women’s Skateboard Park contest neared final runs, Trew found herself sitting in first place after already destroying the course with McTwists and heavy switch trickery. 

But instead of going soft on a victory lap, the new Monster Army recruit went all out and raised the bar: 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.

GRACE MARHOEFER TAKES BRONZE: Also rising to Beast Mode in the Park finals, 20-year-old Monster Army rider Grace Marhoefer put down the right mix of ramp and street moves to crack into the top three. Especially considering that most riders ignored the burly street rail that served for Marhoefer’s statement trick! 

In her highest-scoring run, Marhoefer put down 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 BRINGS THE HOUSE DOWN WITH FACE-MELTING TRANSFER

THE NEW BMX MVP: Even before heading into the BMX Park Best Trick contest, 28-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona was already having his best weekend at X Games. In Ventura, he made history as the first rider to earn X Games gold in BMX Dirt, Park, and Street disciplines. Then he also ended up taking silver in BMX Park… and was not even finished! What happened next is BMX history at its finest.

THE SESSION TO END ALL SESSIONS: The level in BMX Park Best Trick escalated to unseen heights. How to stand out from the pack? Peraza found the perfect blend of location and banger trick 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' 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).

SANDOVAL CLINCHES BRONZE: When it comes to throwing down the most innovative and creative tricks, never rule out 29-year-old Daniel Sandoval from Corona, California. The decorated X Games veteran put down a boundary-pushing trick in Ventura: 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 COMES THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH WITH SILVER 

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? There may have never been a higher level of tricks in X Games than this Men’s Skateboard Street final. With only three runs to post the highest-scoring attempt, the finalists had to send it when it counted… or lose their shot at X Games medal fame right away.

NERVES OF STEEL: When it comes to putting it down when it counts, few skateboarders do it better than 30-year-old Kelvin Hoefler from São Paulo, Brazil. His back against the wall, the Olympic silver medalist found the magic formula 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. “Shoutout to all Monster guys. It’s my dream come true to ride for Monster Energy and every day I’m glad to be riding for the team!”

Hoefler now owns seven X Games medals (two gold, three silver, two bronze).

PACIFICO SKATEBOARD VERT BEST TRICK: SHIBATA CLAIMS SILVER, DAMESTOY THROWS NEW AERIAL FOR BRONZE

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST: As the grand finale of the weekend, the Pacifico Skateboard Vert Best Trick session brought out ten of the best halfpipe riders including skateboard icon Tony Hawk. Cheered on by the energetic crowd in Ventura, riders did not hesitate to send their most innovative and history-making tricks. “This is the best Vert Best Trick contest I’ve ever seen!” said X Games commentator Brandon Graham. And he was right!

A NIGHT OF NBD’S: As the grand finale of X Games California, the contest saw the landing of several never-been-done moves added to the annals of vertical skateboarding. Highlights included Brazil's Gui Khury throwing a Judo 900 aerial for first place, as well as Monster Energy’s Tom Schaar finessing an alley-oop 5-0 grind fakie on the surfboard deck above the coping. Also, Great Britain’s Paul-Luc Ronchetti with a 540 double kickflip Indy, as well as two Monster Energy riders scoring medals.

SHIBATA TAKES SILVER: After looking to secure the landing on earlier attempts, 27-year-old Moto Shibata from Osaka, Japan finally 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 for 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, one bronze).

DAMESTOY THROWS NBD: The raw willpower and force behind the next was off the charts: Before the contest, 26-year-old Monster Energy rider Edouard Damestoy from Bordeaux, France announced a never-been-done (NBD) aerial for the contest. And on his last attempt of the entire X Games, Damestoy put it down perfectly: His powerful frontside rodeo 720 aerial sent shockwaves across the globe and earned the Frenchman the bronze medal. 

“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!”

Damestoy now owns four X Games medals (three gold, one bronze).

And that’s a wrap for X Games California 2023! Congratulations again to all Monster Energy athletes on 23 medals and history-making performances 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 in front of live crowds. It was special!