Monster Energy Athletes Claim Nine Medals on Saturday at X Games California 2023

Monster Energy’s Jose Torres Wins Gold and Teammate Kevin Peraza Takes Silver in BMX Park at X Games California 2023 in Ventura, California

“Thank you so much; I feel so happy. It’s difficult believing this, my first gold medal. It’s a dream come true.” – Jose Torres

VENTURA, Calif. (PRWEB)
July 23, 2023

The busiest day of X Games California 2023 is in the books! Monster Energy congratulates its BMX, Moto X, and skateboard athletes on a strong performance at X Games California 2023 on Saturday. In a packed schedule of nine medal competitions inside Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center, Monster Energy athletes claimed a total of nine medals, including three gold in front of a sold-out live audience.

In the BMX Dirt final, 20-year-old Monster Army rider Brady Baker from Toms River, New Jersey, caused an upset by claiming the gold medal as an X Games rookie. The Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Park contest saw 23-year-old Tom Schaar from Malibu, California, claim bronze in an elite field. In the BMX Dirt Best Trick final, 19-year-old Monster Army Rider Kaden Stone from Corona, California, took the silver medal.

In the history-making Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert contest, 13-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia, took the gold medal with an unprecedented performance. She was joined on the podium by 16-year-old Monster Army recruit Asahi Kaihara from Osaka, Japan, taking the bronze medal.

The spectacular BMX Park final ended with 28-year-old Jose Torres from Cordoba, Argentina, claiming the gold medal, ahead of 28-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, in the silver-medal position. In the highly competitive Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick final, 28-year-old Nyjah Huston clinched the bronze medal with a technical trick. As the final event of the day, Moto X Best Whip ended with 27-year-old Julien Vanstippen from Ophain, Belgium taking the bronze medal.

Supported by Monster Energy as the official energy drink partner, X Games California 2023 marks 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 features 135 elite athletes from 20 countries competing in 21 medal events for 63 medals across BMX, motocross, and skateboarding disciplines.

Here’s how Saturday at X Games California 2023 unfolded for Team Monster Energy:

BMX Dirt: Monster Army’s Brady Baker Clinches Gold Medal as a Rookie in X Games Debut

The highly anticipated BMX Dirt final challenged riders with a complex course composed of four jumps. The eight qualified finalists each received three runs to post the highest-scoring routine across the gaps ranging from 17 to 25 feet in size.

Heading into the final, 20-year-old Monster Army rider Brady Baker from Toms River, New Jersey, emerged from the grueling elimination round as the top qualifier. But as the finals heated up with more riders posting perfect runs, the X Games rookie found himself bumped to third place right before his final attempt of the day.

Rising to the challenge, Baker pulled out a show-stopping last run of the contest to claim the win: Putting together a triple tailwhip backflip, barspin cashroll, truck driver while spinning the bars the long way, and cash roll downwhip on the last hit earned Baker 93.00 points and the gold medal in his X Games debut.

“This is an unreal moment. I’ve been working for this for so long and to be on my first X Games and get it done… it’s unreal. This has been my lifelong goal getting an X Games gold medal, so to have this around my neck right now is insane!” said Baker upon winning BMX Dirt gold at X Games California 2023. “Shoutout to the Monster family for all the support and taking me to all these events that qualified me for X Games. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to be here and get this gold medal, so I’m super grateful.”

Saturday’s BMX Dirt gold marks Baker’s first X Games medal. He will also compete in BMX Dirt Best Trick and BMX Park Best Trick in Ventura.

Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Park Final: Tom Schaar Earns Bronze Medal in Heated Final

The Monster Energy team’s medal run continued in the Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Park contest. Mixing elements of park and vertical skateboarding, the course challenged riders with a combination of ramps, bowls, wall rides, handrails, and kicker ramps.

In the jam session scored on best runs, the twelve riders were divided into two heats at six riders each. With only six riders advancing to the final, the stakes were high to post a flawless run – and several podium favorites found themselves eliminated in the process.

Maintaining his momentum under pressure, 23-year-old Tom Schaar from Malibu, California, advanced to the final six with big airs and technical tricks, including a Barley grind transfer up the vert extension. Dropping into the final, Schaar posted a flawless run on his first attempt combining a transfer from the mini ramp into the vert bowl, gap transfer to rock fakie the vert wall, fakie 5-0 grind channel, kickflip Indy the kicker, frontside blunt the extension, backside 360 nosegrab the kicker, head-high backside 540 the deep end, backside Smith grind, transfer to frontside Smith grind the vert corner, kickflip Indy fakie, Caballerial disaster revert, and half-Cab blunt for 85.33 points and the bronze medal.

After already claiming bronze in the Skateboard MegaPark event at X Games California 2023, Schaar now owns 11 X Games medals (one gold, four silver, six bronze). Also, watch for Schaar in the Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick discipline on Sunday.

BMX Dirt Best Trick: Monster Army’s Kaden Stone Claims Silver Medal as Youngest Competitor

For the progressive BMX Dirt Best Trick event, riders received free reign to post their most advanced tricks on any of the four massive jumps on the course. Fueled by the energetic crowd in Ventura, the 35-minute progression saw several never-been-done tricks and groundbreaking aerials added to X Games history.

Although dropping as the youngest BMX rider on the X Games California roster, 19-year-old Monster Army Rider Kaden Stone from Corona, California, held his own in a progression session for the books.

On his third attempt, Stone broke into the top three and wrote history by throwing down a never-been-done trick: A massive 1440 rotation over the first jump earned Stone the silver medal.

“I’m feeling amazing, I landed a 720 the other day at Pat’s, and he told me to try a 1440 because I over-rotated. So, I came here wanting to do it, and I stomped it for Pat Casey. RIP Pat! Everything is for you!” said Stone upon claiming silver in BMX Dirt Best Trick.

Saturday’s BMX Dirt Best Trick silver marks Stone’s first X Games medal in his second appearance.

Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert: Monster Energy’s Arisa Trew Takes Gold on Final Run of Contest

Next, on Saturday, the Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert contest returned for the first time since 2011. In front of the sold-out crowd at the Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center, the ten qualified athletes showcased the elite level of female halfpipe skateboarding.

One of the main drivers of this progression is 13-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia. Only weeks before X Games, the newly minted Monster Energy rider made history by landing the first 720 aerial by a woman skater at Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert in Salt Lake City. But the question of the night was: Could Trew be the first rider to pull the trick in a run?

Locked into second place after two runs, Trew pulled the historic feat on the final run of the competition: In her third run, Trew put together a huge alley-oop backside air, McTwist, frontside nosebone, body varial McTwist, lien varial air, backside air to fakie, switch frontside air, fakie frontside 360, air to fakie and the never-been-landed in competition fakie 720 mute aerial for 90.33 points and the gold medal.

“I feel amazing because I really just wanted to do my seven in my run, and I did it!” said Monster Energy’s Trew upon winning Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert.

Women’s Skateboard Vert gold is Trew’s first X Games medal.

Trew was joined on the podium by another new addition to Monster Energy’s female skateboard squad: 16-year-old Monster Army recruit Asahi Kaihara from Osaka, Japan. Fresh off a second place in the Tony Hawk Vert Alert competition, she was ready for her first X Games podium.

Kaihara found the way to the podium by posting a huge method air, frontside benihana, Madonna, saran-wrap air, kickflip Indy, air to fakie, fakie pop shove-it stalefish, body varial tailgrab, frontside nosegrind, and forntside noseblunt for 83.66 points and the bronze medal. Saturday’s bronze in Women’s Skateboard Vert marks Kaihara’s first X Games medal.

BMX Park: Jose Torres Claims Career-First Gold Medal, Kevin Peraza Brings Home Silver

The stakes were high in the BMX Park contest on Saturday. The twelve qualified riders had to endure a harsh semifinal, cutting the field to only six finalists with a shot at the win. With creative transfers and boundary-pushing runs early in the contest, several high-profile competitors ended up missing the cut into the top six.

Holding his own in a field of A-listers, 28-year-old Jose Torres from Cordoba, Argentina, remained at the top of the field with runs that combined high amplitude execution and technical difficulty. When final runs rolled around, Torres was sitting in second place behind Monster Energy teammate Kevin Peraza routine but had even bigger things in store for the final attempt.

On the last run of the final, Torres blasted high airs and tech transfers, including tailwhip out of mini ramp onto the roof, barspin drop in the off roof, superman seatgrab, triple tailwhip, 720 whip, flip whip to barspin for 95.33 points and the gold medal.

“Thank you so much, I feel so happy. It’s difficult believing this, my first gold medal. It’s a dream come true. Maybe I need to arrive at my home in Argentina so I can start believing I got this gold medal!” said Torres upon claiming BMX Park gold at X Games California 2023. “Thank you so much, Monster Energy, I’m so happy for this.”

Torres now owns two X Games medals (one gold, one bronze).

After being leapfrogged by Torres, Kevin Peraza took home the silver medal with a performance that rocked the crowd in Ventura on the strength of creativity and course usage. In his highest-scoring run, Peraza popped onto the pergola then to switch tailwhip off, followed by 360 nose manual, nose wheelie 450 on the mini ramp, and then tailwhip high to low, 360 downside whip to turndown over the rail, 360 downwhip to look back for 93.33 points and second place.

The gold medal in Friday’s BMX Street event raises Peraza’s count to seven X Games medals (four gold, two silver, one bronze).

Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick: Nyjah Huston Clinches Bronze in Competitive Final

The crowd was treated to the most progressive moves on the circuit in the Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick final. Eight qualified riders received 20 minutes to post their most innovative tricks on the street course.

Most of the action focused on the large volcano centerpiece featuring a ledge in the center of the street course. This is where 28-year-old Nyjah Huston from Laguna Beach, California came through with a tech trick otherwise seen in video parts: A clean backside kickflip to nosegrind on the grind box above the volcano earned Huston the bronze medal in the no-holds-barred session.

“Feeling good and stoked to get something out here by putting down a trick. I was really stoked because I tried that trick for an hour in practice and didn’t even come that close. Sometimes you just need to get the contest motivation to make it happen,” said Huston upon taking Best Trick bronze. “Tomorrow, we get to send some more, so I’m stoked!”

Huston now owns 21 X Games medals (13 gold, five silver, three bronze). The Team USA skater will also be competing in Sunday’s Men’s Skateboard Street final and has the chance to tie Bob Burnquist for most X Games gold medals earned in skateboarding at 14 gold medals. Stay tuned to find out?

Moto X Best Whip: Belgian Team Rider Julien Vanstippen Clinches Bronze

As the final event of the day, Moto X Best Whip put stylish motocross aerials front and center. Eight riders took turns on the motocross jump to send the most contorted ‘whip’ aerials over the distance.

While performing a whip, Moto X riders travel through the air practically facing backward, only reversing direction right before landing to ride away clean. Variations and personal touches make Best Whip one of the most treasured events in freestyle motocross.

When all was said and done in Ventura, defending gold medalist Julien Vanstippen from Ophain rose to the podium once again. On final attempts, Vanstippen once again proved his altitude and style with some of the biggest turndown whips of the contest to earn the bronze medal in Ventura.

“I’m a little bit disappointed but very happy to be on the podium. I think I need to work on this new ramp, and next time I will be ready,” said Vanstippen upon taking bronze in Moto X Best Whip. “I need more distance in the jump. I overshot the landing, so I need more distance in the gap.”

Vanstippen now owns three X Games medals (one gold, two bronze), all from Moto X Best Whip.

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Here’s how to watch: ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC will televise a combined 15.5 hours of live X Games California 2023. In addition, @XGames YouTube serves as the premium streaming channel for all X Games events, supplemented by interactive content and a watch-a-long hosted by Jack Mitrani and athlete guests on Twitch.

Visit http://www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates 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.