X Games Osaka 2025 - Day 1 Highlights

Let’s get those W’s!!! Monster Energy riders started X Games Osaka 2025 with record-setting victories and podium finishes in key disciplines. 

In the fourth edition of X Games Japan, the team claimed a total of 8 medals (2 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze) across five contest events inside Kyocera Dome stadium. 

The Women’s Skateboard Vert final saw 15-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia, take the gold medal with a dominant performance to claim her sixth gold at X Games, now tying the record for most gold in women’s skateboarding. In the innovative Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick final, 30-year-old Ryan Williams from Sunshine Coast, Australia, claimed the gold medal with a mind-bending move. Read the full story below! 

Here’s how the action unfolded at X Games Osaka 2025 on Saturday:

WOMEN’S SKATEBOARD VERT

RECORD-SETTING ARISA TREW RAISES THE BAR ON VICTORY LAP

NEW FORMAT, SAME DOMINANCE! 
X Games Osaka 2025 launched with a high-stakes twist in Women’s Skateboard Vert: just two runs to make the Top 4, followed by two more to battle for medals. No room for error. No second chances.

UNTOUCHABLE FROM START TO FINISH 
Global skateboarding sensation Arisa Trew dominated from the first drop-in, holding the top spot from the playoffs through the finals. She secured gold with her opening final run, landing two 540 variations and a series of technical lip tricks for a commanding 84.66 points.

VICTORY LAP? NOT FOR TREW. 
With gold already in hand, most riders would coast. Not Trew. She turned up the intensity and delivered a show-stopping second run: alley-oop McTwist, backside Judo air, frontside stalefish, backside 540 melon, kickflip Indy, Madonna, Indy 360 fakie, switch McTwist, Cab frontside 360 stalefish, frontside crooked fakie, and a frontside Half Cab noseslide revert—earning a jaw-dropping 87.66.

“I’m just so happy. Skating with all the girls was super fun. Everyone is pushing it to the next level. And just being in the final with those girls was amazing,” said Trew after making history.

RECORD BREAKER 
With her sixth X Games gold, Trew now ties Brazil’s Leticia Bufoni for the most gold medals in women’s skateboarding history. And she’s not done yet—Trew returns Sunday to defend her title in Women’s Skateboard Park. The record chase continues. She now own 6 X Games Gold Medals.

OSAKA’S OWN SHINES WITH SILVER:
The hometown crowd roared as 18-year-old Asahi Kaihara delivered a breakout performance in Women’s Skateboard Vert. Raised in Osaka’s iconic vert scene and mentored by Monster team rider Moto Shibata, Kaihara brought style, power, and poise to her biggest stage yet.

HIGH STAKES, HIGH STYLE:
After a fall in her first finals run, everything came down to one last shot. With the pressure on and the entire stadium watching, Kaihara rose to the occasion.

She threw down a fearless, high-impact run featuring: frontside body varial benihana, Madonna, backside Saran Wrap, kickflip Indy, backside method air, frontside nosegrind lipslide, frontside noseblunt, feeble grind fakie, fakie frontside pop shove-it stalefish, frontside body varial tailgrab, and a lien tailslide—earning 79.00 points and the silver medal.

A STAR ON THE RISE:
This marks Kaihara’s third X Games medal (1 silver, 2 bronze), and at just 18, she’s only getting started.

DAVE MIRRA BMX PARK BEST TRICK 
RYAN WILLIAMS STRIKES GOLD, KEVIN PERAZA LANDS BRONZE WITH A NEVER-BEEN-DONE TRICK

DIRT LEGEND DOMINATES THE PARK: 
Known worldwide as a BMX Dirt powerhouse, Ryan “R Willy” Williams came to Osaka with something to prove in the park. The 30-year-old from Sunshine Coast, Australia, had only one BMX Park Best Trick gold to his name—until now.

THE CROWD EXPECTED A DOUBLE: 
Fans packed into the sold-out Kyocera Dome were hoping to see Williams land his signature double backflip fakie on the quarter pipe—a trick he nearly nailed at the last X Games. But R Willy had a surprise in store.

Instead of the expected, he delivered the extraordinary: a frontflip flair tailwhip on the quarter pipe. The crowd erupted as the technical masterpiece earned him his second BMX Park Best Trick gold.

“From the start to the finish, I was trying to get my trick, but all the boys just started throwing down left and right. Everyone just kept sending it, and I thought, there's no way I'm going to be able to hang on to this. So stoked it worked out!” said Williams.

Williams now holds 11 X Games medals (9 gold, 2 silver), with golds in four different BMX disciplines—a rare and remarkable feat.

PERAZA BOUNCES BACK FOR BRONZE: 
After missing the podium in Saturday’s BMX Park final, Kevin Peraza came into Best Trick hungry for redemption—and he delivered.

ROLLING THE DICE: 
With X Games Salt Lake City just a week away, many riders played it safe. Not Peraza. The 30-year-old from Tucson, Arizona, went all-in with a never-before-seen trick.

Launching off the massive centerpiece box, Peraza landed a flair downwhip to fakie—an ultra-technical move that had never been landed in competition. The crowd exploded as he stomped the trick and secured bronze.

“It’s crazy. Most of us came into this knowing we have another major X Games next week in the States. Should we roll the dice? Should we stay safe? But the course was perfect, so why not get it done now? The crowd was so good, and the energy was great!” said Peraza.

Peraza now owns 12 X Games medals (7 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), and continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible on a BMX bike.

MOTO X BEST TRICK: YOUNG GUN BEN RICHARDS SHOCKS THE FIELD

MAJOR UPSET ON DAY ONE:
X Games Osaka wrapped up its opening day with a jaw-dropping surprise in Moto X Best Trick. In a field stacked with legends and multi-time champions, the youngest rider stole the spotlight.

FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM:
After three X Games appearances without a medal, 24-year-old Ben Richards from Wagga Wagga, Australia, finally broke through. And he did it in spectacular fashion.

Richards landed an ultra-rare handlebar hop variation known as the Special Flip—a 360 body varial performed while seated mid-air. The crowd exploded as he scored 91.00 points, earning silver and his first-ever X Games medal. The youngest rider in the lineup just schooled the veterans.

WHEN LEGENDS TAKE BRONZE:
That’s how fierce the competition was—Moto X Best Trick’s most decorated athlete, Jackson Strong, had to settle for third. But the 33-year-old from Lockhart, Australia, still delivered a world-class performance.

Strong nailed a frontflip seat grab Indy on his first run, scoring 90.00 points and adding yet another medal to his legendary resume. With 18 X Games medals (8 gold, 6 silver, 4 bronze), “Jacko” remains one of the most dominant forces in X Games history.

HOMETOWN HERO GOES BIG:
Japanese fan favorite Taka Higashino gave it everything he had for the Osaka crowd. The veteran landed a clean Rock Solid Indy Flip for 86.66 points, just missing the podium in fourth place.

LEGEND STATUS SECURED:
With six X Games medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), Higashino proved once again that legends never stop pushing—especially on home soil.

MEN’S SKATEBOARD VERT: TOM SCHAAR ADDS TO LEGENDARY MEDAL HAUL

PODIUM FAVORITE DELIVERS UNDER PRESSURE:
The energy inside Kyocera Dome was electric as Tom Schaar stepped up for Men’s Skateboard Vert. The 25-year-old from Malibu, California, came in as a podium favorite—but after qualifying second in a stacked playoff round, he had to dig deep in the final. No problem for the seasoned veteran.

TECHNICAL MASTERCLASS EARNS BRONZE:
Schaar delivered a high-difficulty, high-style run that included: kickflip Indy fakie, fakie backside 720 tailgrab, backside 540 melon, backside 540 tailgrab, alley-oop heelflip Indy, frontside nosegrind, kickflip body varial McTwist, backside lipslide, frontside 360 tailgrab, and an alley-oop Caballerial backside lipslide.

He was on pace for a higher score, but a missed blunt kickflip fakie at the end of his run cost him. Still, his 83.00-point performance was enough to lock in the bronze.

LEGEND STATUS CONFIRMED:
Schaar now owns 15 X Games medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 8 bronze), cementing his place among the sport’s elite. And he’s not done yet—he’ll be back in action Sunday in both Men’s Skateboard Park and Skateboard Vert Best Trick. The medal hunt continues!

BMX PARK: ANTHONY JEANJEAN BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST X GAMES MEDAL

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM: 
Anthony Jeanjean had done it all—multiple-time BMX Park World Champion, Olympic bronze medalist—but one thing was missing: an X Games medal. After two previous attempts, the 27-year-old from Béziers, France, came to Osaka determined to change that.

HIGH STAKES, HIGH REWARD: 
With everything riding on his second and final run, Jeanjean had no margin for error. The pressure was on—and he delivered.

Jeanjean threw down a flawless run packed with technical precision and amplitude: 720 barspin, double tailwhip, barspin, opposite tailwhip, flair barspin, superman seat grab, 360 downside tailwhip, flair double tailwhip, and an alley-oop 540 flair. The judges rewarded him with 82.00 points and the bronze medal—his first at X Games.

“The course was fun, and the level was crazy today! I’m so happy about my riding and my first X Games medal here in Osaka at my third X Games. I’m so stoked!” said Jeanjean.

TROPHY CASE COMPLETE: 
World Champion? ✅ 
Olympic Medalist? ✅ 
X Games Medalist? ✅

Jeanjean’s BMX résumé is now complete—and the French star is just getting started.

Stay tuned as X Games Osaka 2025 continues Sunday with more BMX and Skateboard action. Catch it all live on the official X Games YouTube channel!