Day 1 at the X Games in Ventura is in the books, and Day 2 has arrived with more epic skateboarding, BMX and Moto X.
Star reporters and photographers will be at the event at the Ventura County Fairgrounds throughout the weekend.
- Find all things X Games from how to get there to who to watch here.
- No parking at the X Games: Headed to the Games? You won’t find any on-site parking this year but free shuttles will take people to the fairgrounds from these spots in Ventura and Oxnard. Or, people can skip traffic and take the train, bus or ride a bike.
- What changes to expect: Designers doubled the footprint for the three days of skateboarding, BMX aerobatics and high flying Moto X dirt bikes.
X Games: ‘Nerves are what keep (Jackson Strong) focused’
Australian Jackson Strong finished first in the Moto X Best Trick on Saturday at the X Games Ventura. It was a sweep for the Aussies.
Strong, of Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia won the gold medal on his last of two jumps with a 97.66. The competition takes the best score of two jump attempts.
“My first one was what I expected but I just dug super deep and got the second one, as much extension as I could, and it paid off when I executed the trick well,” Strong said afterward.
He said he gets afraid before any Moto X competition. He has won the gold medal in the X Games eight times before.
“It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” Strong said. “The nerves are what keep me focused I guess.”
Strong defeated fellow Aussie Rob Adelberg, who finished second for a silver medal with a jump of 96.
“The biggest thing is staying alive, getting through the event and not crashing,” said Adelberg, of Benalla, Victoria, Australia. “It was challenging but we got there.”
Harry Bink, of Canberra, Australia finished third with a score of 91.
Machine Gun Kelly makes a suprise X Games appearance
Machine Gun Kelly was announced as the special musical guest on Saturday afternoon at the X Games in Ventura.
“How you doing X Games? he asked, but he was forced to repeat his first two songs for technical difficulties.
At one point, he said he’d turn the performance into a meet-and-greet and walked out to the crowd. Kelly, real name Colson Baker, walked off the stage and could be seen talking to officials on the side.
He was able to perform “drunk face” and dedicated his set to Pat Casey, an X Games gold medalist in BMX who died in 2023. His DJ was forced to play other songs while trying to fix the issues.
He said he is going to go live again around 3:30 p.m.
“Act like you’re seeing Jesus for the first time, alright?”
Kelly returned to the stage with “BMXXing,” rededicating the song the Casey. And that was it.
Palmer, Huston grab skateboarding gold
Nyjah Huston made history Saturday in Ventura.
Huston won the men’s skateboarding best trick competition Saturday afternoon. His 14th X Games gold medal pulls him even with Bob Burnquist for the X Games record for most skateboarding golds.
Huston is now one gold away from the X Games all-time record shared by Shaun White and Garrett Reynolds.
“I loved going to Ventura last year and being able to bring my friends and having all the Cali fans come,” Huston told XGames.com prior to the games. “I’m sure this year is only going to be that much better. I’m hyped to be able to pack up the SUV with all the homies and come out and have a good, good time.”
The men’s kkateboarding park competition Saturday was a showdown of past champions.
Keegan Palmer took the gold with a 93.00. It’s the third straight medal in the event at the X Games for 21-year-old Australian, who is also the defending Olympic gold medalist.
Alex Sorgente, the 2017 and 2018 Park gold medalist, was second with a 91.33. Brazlian Pedro Barros — who is the most decorated skater in the event with six golds and 10 total medals — was third at 90.33.
Serious Moto X crash
One of the X Games Moto X riders suffered what looked like a serious crash during Moto X Quarterpipe High Air practice Saturday afternoon in Ventura.
The event, which features riders soaring straight up into the air, resembles a motorized high jump competition.
The crash occurred during a landing onto the dirt. The rider seemed to lose control of the bike and crashed into the barriers that separate the competition spacefrom the fans.
Emergency personnel from multiple agencies on scene worked on the rider, who appeared to be Tyler Bereman of Templeton.
Bereman earned a bronze medal in the Moto X Best Whip Friday night.
– Joe Curley
Crowds grow at X Games Saturday
The bleachers were far from full for the morning’s first final — women’s street skateboard — at 10:30 a.m. But as the weekend’s busiest day heads into afternoon, the bleachers and crowds are getting more and more packed.
By 1 p.m., the gray marine layer was just beginning to fray along the edges, giving way to blue.
– Isaiah Murtaugh
X Games Japanese sweep women’s skateboarding street
X Games rookie Miyu Ito led a Japanese sweep of the Women’s Skateboarding Street medals Saturday morning.
Ito, ranked No. 11 in the world, came from behind to relegate favorite Liz Akama to silver for the second straight year in Ventura.
Yumeka Oda took third.
Japan is dominant in the event, at the moment. Five of the top six finishers in the Olympic qualifying series were Japanese. Including Oda (second), Akama (fourth) and Ito (six).
Need Ventura-themed X Games merch?
Ventura is splashed all over the hats, patches, skateboard decks and other gear filling the X Games merch store, including this T-shirt that features a modified version of the iconic “Historic San Buenaventura” sign that welcomes visitors exiting Highway 101 at California Street.
If you can’t make the event but still want the swag, organizers are selling the same gear online at shop.xgames.com.
Not going but want to Watch the X Games? Here’s how
Competitions will be live-streamed on YouTube and Twitch. ABC/ESPN2 also are expected to broadcast during specific times. For a schedule, visit xgames.com/events/x-games-ventura-2024/how-to-watch.
X Games lines start forming around 9 a.m.
A couple dozen early birds waited outside the X Games front gate at 9 a.m. Gates officially open at 10 a.m. and today’s schedule kicks off with the women’s skateboard park final at 10:15 a.m.
So far, it’s overcast. While temperatures inland are expected to ratchet up Saturday, the coast is cool as a clam. Bring layers if you’re heading to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. A few X Games athletes competing late Friday shivered as they waited for their chance to get in the game.
Nate Leland, 49, and daughter Quincy, 8, joined the growing early line Saturday after riding the train in from their home in Thousand Oaks.It’s their second year at the X Games after catching the Saturday session last year as well. Quincy, herself a skater, loved the women’s street competition and went home with a shoe from skateboard park bronze medalist Grace Marhoefer.“I was so happy they had it here two years in a row,” the elder Leland said. “It’s amazing.”
– Isaiah Murtaugh
Saturday’s X Game schedule at your fingertips
- 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.: Monster Energy Women’s Skateboard Street Final
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Men’s Skateboard Park Final on the SONIC Park Course
- 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.: Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick
- 2 – 3 p.m.: Cinnamon Toast Crunch BMX Dirt Final
- 3:15 – 3:45 p.m.: Monster Energy Women’s Skateboard Street Best Trick
- 4 – 4:30 p.m.: Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick
- 5 – 5:30 p.m.: Pacifico Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick
- 5:45 – 7 p.m.: Men’s BMX Park Final on the SONIC Park Course
- 7:15 – 8 p.m.: Best Trick Monster Energy Moto X Best Trick
ICYMI: Wiz Khalifa closes out Friday’s X Games
Hip-hop artist Wiz Khalifa easily drew the largest crowd of the musical acts on Friday night at the X Games Music Stage.
The 30-minute set began with “The Thrill” which samples Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream.” Khalifa also performed his biggest hits like “Black and Yellow,” “See You Again” and “Young, Wild & Free” which turned the performance into a gigantic singalong from the crowd. He wrapped up the night with “Young, Wild & Free.”
“I want to encourage you guys to do what the (expletive) you do best, which is exactly what you want to do,” he said before exiting the stage. “Keep setting goals and reaching them.”
Before Khalifa performed, the group AG Club took the stage. Their energetic set, which featured member Joey Fontaine frequently jumping into the crowd, included “Memphis,” “Mr. Put it On” and “Bodega Bandit.”
Saturday will feature electronic artist Kaskade headlining the music stage at 9 p.m. Emo Nite will kick off the musical performances at noon.
– Wes Woods II
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