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X Games Minneapolis continued Saturday as fans came through the gates at U.S. Bank Stadium to watch the most talented action sports athletes in the world compete in a wide range of events including fan-favorites Monster Energy Skateboard Street and Moto X Best Trick.
First up, Australian Logan Martin took the top spot in what some call the most competitive discipline at X Games, BMX Park. Martin defended his gold, ending a streak of nine different riders taking the last nine gold medals at the X Games. Martin threw down multiple runs with tricks including a flip with transfer over the rail of the box jump. Japanese rider and X Games rookie Rim Nakamura took silver and Argentinian Jose Torres took his first X Games medal with bronze.
David Rinaldo dethroned the most successful Moto X Best Trick competitor in X Games history, Jackson Strong, and took his first X Games medal in Moto X Best Trick. Rinaldo’s trick was a backflip body varial, and he became the first European to take gold in the discipline. Rounding out the podium were Aussies Jackson Strong and Josh Sheehan, marking only the second time in nine events an Australian did not take gold in the discipline.
History was made over on the mega ramp during The Real Cost Skateboard Big Air, where Elliot Sloan took back gold and Mitchie Brusco became the first skater ever to land a 1260 in competition. Brusco landed the trick on his last run, but Sloan came right back with an indie 720 over the gap and a tail 900 on the quarterpipe, the same run he won the event with at X Games Minneapolis 2017. Rony Gomes took bronze, his third medal in the discipline.
Soon after, Skateboard Park Adaptive kicked off for the first time in X Games history. It was the first adaptive medaled contest at an X Games summer event since Los Angeles 2010 with Moto X Racing Adaptive. Brazilian skater Vinicios Sardi topped the podium in his first visit to X Games, and as he told the crowd in an emotional interview, first time to North America. Fellow Brazilian Felipe Nunes took silver and American Mike Minor took bronze.
Over on the street course, Yuto Horigome took his first gold medal at X Games in Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Street. Horigome took the lead from Nyjah Huston with a run that included a nollie 180 50-50 grind 180 out, nollie backside noseblunt downrail, bluntslide, 360 kickflip, nollie 270 backside noseslide, and a nollie 270 switch back lipslide. After winning the past three Men’s Skateboard Street medals, Huston just missed the top and took silver, marking his 16th consecutive medal in the discipline. X Games rookie and top scorer in yesterday’s elimination Sora Shirai took bronze.
Over on the gaming stage, a winner was crowned at the EXP Invitational – Apex Legends with TSM. Players ImperialHal, Albralelie and Reps took home a gold medal in the first major offline tournament held for Apex Legends.
Once again it was Garrett Reynolds who took the top spot in BMX Street, marking his 14th total medal in the discipline and 11th gold. Reynolds’ run included a switch 180 lookback, double barspin aerial on the quarterpipe, 360 toboggan and switch tailwhip bunny hop to beat out Matt Ray and Chad Kerley. Ray took silver in his second X Games appearance, three years after his debut at X Games Austin 2016.
Breaking the streak of a different winner every year of BMX Dirt, Logan Martin became the first athlete to win back-to-back gold in the discipline since it returned to the X Games lineup. Martin also etched his name into the history books by becoming only the third rider to win gold in BMX Park and Dirt at the same X Games. Fellow Aussie Brandon Loupos took home silver and Dawid Godziek earned bronze.
To close out competition, Tyler Bereman took the top spot away from the favorite for gold, Aussie Jarryd McNeil, in Moto X Best Whip. This marked Bereman’s first gold in the discipline. Afterward, fans headed to The Armory to see a performance by three-time Grammy Award winner Diplo. The final day of X Games Minneapolis continues tomorrow with Harley-Davidson Hooligan Racing, Skateboard Street Best Trick, Men’s Skateboard Park, Women’s Skateboard Street and Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick. In addition to action sports, fans can catch futuristic surf rock trio, The Blind Shake, and iconic multi-platform rock band, Incubus, back at The Armory.
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