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Returning to the City of Trees and the legendary Rhodes Skate Park for the third edition of the Road to X Games: Boise Qualifier, the world’s top skateboard and BMX athletes competed to secure their invitations to Minneapolis. More than 10,000 fans witnessed six Men’s Skateboard and BMX athletes and five Women’s Skateboarders qualify for X Games Minneapolis through a new jam session format.
The BMX, Men’s and Women’s Park competitions each began with a 21-athlete qualifier, where each athlete completed as many 40-second runs as possible within the 18-minute jam session. After the initial qualifier, 12 athletes moved onto Saturday’s elimination and again competed in 18-minute jam sessions. Three riders from each heat advanced to the final and also qualified for X Games. Those riders then competed in one final heat to determine final ranking.
After the qualifier round of competition on Friday afternoon, Saturday kicked off with BMX Park, where the youngest rider in the field, Marcus Christopher (16), took the top spot. Brandon Loupos, defending X Games Minneapolis 2018 BMX Dirt gold medalist, came in second. Christopher’s runs included twisted lookbacks, flair whips at height and a speed-focused approach to the Rhodes Skatepark course. The other riders qualifying for X Games Minneapolis were Jose Torres, Kevin Peraza, Rim Nakamura and Pat Casey.
Next up, Japanese skater Misugu Okamoto doubled down on her recent win at The Dew Tour Long Beach and took the top spot in Women’s Skateboard Park. Very few women have landed McTwist 540s in competition, and Okamoto’s are enormous, several feet above the lip. Japan dominated in Boise, with second and third place earned by 10-year-old Cocona Hiraki and Kihana Ogawa. By qualifying, Hiraki (10 years old) will be the youngest competitor ever at the X Games, a title previously held by Jagger Eaton who was 11 years, 4 months when he competed in Skateboard Big Air. Bryce Wettstein, Kody Tamanaha and Poppy Starr Olsen also qualified for X Games Minneapolis.
In the final competition of the day, Hawaiian skater Heimana Reynolds placed first in Men’s Skateboard Park. Reynolds has competed at the Qualifier both years in Boise, taking 4th and 3rd previously, and has since moved from Honolulu to Encinitas, California to train at the California Training Facility during contest season. Reynolds’ repertoire has grown since his rookie appearance two years ago, with this year’s run including a 360 flip tail grab along with his signature invert. Cory Juneau, Ivan Federico, Keegan Palmer, Luiz Francisco and Jake Wooten trailed him and also qualified for X Games Minneapolis.
Fans can catch Boise Park Qualifier recap coverage as part of the World of X Games content series July 13 on ABC, as well as on demand across X Games digital and social platforms. To watch the full Road to X Games: Boise Qualifier shows on demand, visit youtube.com/XGames.
The Road to X Games Boise Park Qualifier is part of the World of X Games content series, which features a variety of X Games and athlete-focused content. For the most updated schedule and information on World of X Games, go to XGames.com and follow along X Games social channels.
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Media Contacts:
Grace Coryell ESPN Communications, 818-585-3696, [email protected]
Olivia Wilson ESPN Communications, 904-303-3538, [email protected]
Video Content
ESPN will make available the full broadcast for each final competition in each discipline at the Road to X Games: Boise Park Qualifier. The footage will be posted approximately two hours after the conclusion of the final competition is for EDITORIAL/NEWS USE ONLY. Footage is NOT for commercial use. To access the content, visit the link (no password required):
https://espnned.sharefile.com/d-s1edf2cf6fc84e479
Results
BMX Park
- Marcus Christopher (USA)
- Brandon Loupos (AUS)
- Jose Torres (ARG)
- Kevin Peraza (USA)
- Rim Nakamura (JPN)
- Pat Casey (USA)
Women’s Skateboard Park
- Misugu Okamoto (JPN)
- Cocona Hiraki (JPN)
- Kihana Ogawa (JPN)
- Bryce Wettstein (USA)
- Kody Tamanaha (USA)
- Poppy Starr Olsen (AUS)
Men’s Skateboard Park
- Heimana Reynolds (USA)
- Cory Juneau (USA)
- Ivan Federico (ITA)
- Keegan Palmer (AUS)
- Luiz Francisco (BRA)
- Jake Wooten (USA)
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