X Games California 2023: Everything you need to know from competitions to how to watch
The X Games returns to Southern California this week for the first time in 10 years.
The gnarliest tricks and flips on bikes and skateboards will be showcased at the Ventura County Fairgrounds & Events Center. The event used to be held in Los Angeles each summer but has not been back since 2013.
Some of the most famous athletes to participate in the X Games will make their returns, including Nyjah Houston, who is competing in Men’s Skateboard Street. Houston is in the middle of a comeback after tearing his ACL last fall. At 55 years old, legendary skater Tony Hawk will be in the broadcast booth for ESPN.
Here’s everything you need to know about the X Games, ranging from the many competitions to how to watch.
What are the X Games?
Created in 1993, the X Games are action events held throughout the year that include skateboarding and BMX biking. There are also winter X Games with skiing and snowboarding events. This year’s X Games includes competitions with BMX bikes, skateboards and Moto X or off-road motorcycles.
The X Games bring together the top action athletes in the world to participate in various competitions. Participants can win bronze, silver and gold medals.
Shaun White and Garrett Reynolds are tied for the most X Games gold medals at 15. Reynolds can surpass that total this weekend as he participates in the Men’s BMX Street and Real BMX Best Trick events.
When are the X Games?
Competitions will be held from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23.
Events run from 1:30 p.m. ET to 11:30 p.m. ET on Friday, 1 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET on Saturday and 12 p.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
How can you watch the X Games?
The X Games will be broadcasted across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 for a combined 15.5 hours of live competition. Streaming is also available on the X Games' YouTube channel and Twitch. The streaming service Caffeine is also broadcasting various events.
What competitions will be held?
BMX – Dirt, Dirt Best Trick, Monster Energy MegaPark, Park, Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick, Street.
Skateboard – Park (Men’s & Women’s), Street (Men’s & Women’s), Street Best Trick (Men’s & Women’s), Monster Energy MegaPark, Pacifico Vert (Men’s & Women’s), Vert Best Trick.
Moto X – Best Trick, Best Whip, QuarterPipe High Air.
Each competition has their own way of determining winners.
Events with 10 or less participants are ranked by their highest scores during a specific number of runs or time limit.
For example, the BMX Dirt has a 20-min jam run for eight athletes where the riders have as many attempts as possible to land their best trick within that time limit. The athlete with the best score is the winner. Only the Moto X Best Whip competition, which has eight participants, has two rounds similar to larger events.
Events with 11 or more participants go through “heats” or semifinals with a specific number of runs or time limit to determine who can move on to the final round.
For example, the men’s and women’s skateboard park event has 12 participants. Two heats of six skaters take as many runs as possible within 18-minute jam sessions. The best scores move on to the finals.
Who are notable athletes participating in X Games California?
All-time X Games gold medalist Garrett Reynolds will have the chance to make history while defending his 2022 medal in BMX Street. Seven-time gold medalist Rob Adelberg is back after winning two gold medals last year in Moto X Best Trick and Freestyle.
There are four skateboarders from California under the age of 20 who will participate in the men’s or women’s skateboarding events – Gavin Bottger (16), Raphae Ueda (16), Minna Stress (17) and Bryce Wettstein (19), highlighting the Games' younger side.
Legendary skateboarder Nyjah Houston continues his journey back from a torn ACL. One of the best skateboarders in the world, Pedro Barros, will compete in the men’s skateboard park event. In 2014, Barros became the second athlete in X Games history with at least seven consecutive gold or silver medals in the same event.
The list of all the athletes invited to the games can be found here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: X Games California 2023: How to watch, top action athletes competing
