Here’s how Friday at X Games Ventura 2024 unfolded for Team Monster Energy:
BMX Street: Full Podium Sweep for Team Monster Energy Headed by Kevin Peraza in 1st Place
The most heated competition of the day unfolded in the BMX Street final, where previous year’s gold medalist Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, dropped in to defend the gold medal. Adding to the challenge, this year’s competition format scored riders on a new scoring system: Half of the 100-point score was earned from the highest-scoring of two runs, with another maximum of 50 points to be earned from two best trick attempts.
Dropping into the competition as the defending gold medalist, Peraza worked the course with creative moves and explosive pop. Highlights such as 270 downside tailwhip over toothpick down the rail, double peg up the rail to hard 360 out, huge flair on the small quarter, bonk 360 off the side of a ledge, and 180 tailwhip over the sunglasses earned Peraza 36.33 points.
When the action moved into Best Tricks, Peraza found himself outside of podium contention because of his Run store. Rising to the challenge, the Olympic athlete pulled out the highest-scoring trick of the session by landing a pegs to hardway 180 downside tailwhip off the VW bus roof rack rail for 44.33 points and a winning score of 80.66 to claim the gold.
“To start out my weekend at X Games with another gold medal in BMX Street again, I’m speechless!” said Peraza upon taking gold at X Games Ventura 2024, adding: “BMX is really an incredible community with the best athletes in the world and it’s the best family in the world I recently became a father, and that was the most insane and special moment of my life.”
The win marks Peraza’s second consecutive gold in BMX Street at X Games. He now owns nine X Games medals, including six gold and will also be competing in BMX Park and BMX Park Best Trick. Stay tuned!
Peraza’s fiercest competitor proved to be 28-year-old Jordan Godwin from Cardiff, Wales. On his first run, Godwin edged into first place and commanded the top spot with 41.33 points for technical tricks such as toothpick hanger, pegs hard 360, unlucky grind to 180, pole jam 180, switch footed toothpick hanger drop pedal to 180. In Best Trick, Godwin put down a crooked up to crooked grind to 180 icepick peg bonk up the rail for 37.33 points. On the strength of 78.66 points total, Godwin earned silver as his first X Games medal. He also became the first athlete representing Wales to medal at X Games.
Completing the podium sweep for Team Monster Energy, 26-year-old Lewis Mills from Terrey Hills, Australia, impressed the judges by landing a perfect run, including icepick grind the entire 40-feet rainbow rail, barspin icepick grind to hop over, toothpick hanger, cab 360 over the chain, over peg grind to hard 180 out and a manual 180 line for 36.66 points. He followed up his performance with a technical Best Trick: A switch ice pick to tailwhip up the rail earned Mills 38.66 points and a total score of 75.32 points for bronze.
Friday’s bronze marks the third X Games medal for Mills (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
Men’s Skateboard Vert: Tom Schaar Clinches Gold on Final Run
The big story of the day was the Men’s Skateboard Vert final. With heavy winds gusting over the 14-foot-tall halfpipe, riders in the 36-minute jam session struggled to put down a complete run. But when it all came down to the wire, 24-year-old Tom Schaar from Malibu, California, landed a full pull on his final attempt to secure the victory.
On his fourth run of the final, Schaar put together alley-oop backside 540 melon, backside 540 tailgrab, alley-oop heelflip Indy nosebone, frontside nosegrind, kickflip Indy to fakie, Cab 720 tailgrab, alley-oop backside lipslide, kickflip body varial, McTwist bigspin backside lipslide, and 360 tailgrab fakie for 92.00 points and the gold medal.
“The wind definitely wasn’t helping at all. But everyone absolutely killed it. That was an insane contest. That was crazy! I’m just happy I made a run,” said Monster Energy’s Schaar upon claiming gold at X Games Ventura 2024.
The win marks Schaar’s twelfth X Games medal and second gold medal. It’s also the first X Games gold in Skateboard Vert for the athlete who will represent Team USA at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Schaar’s closest competition came from last year’s bronze medalist, 28-year-old Moto Shibata from Osaka, Japan. Like most riders in the final, Shibata had difficulty stringing together a perfect run. Until his final attempt! A stylish combination of alley-oop front foot impossible lien air, alley-oop McTwist, kickflip McTwist, mute tweak to fakie, fakie 540 nosegrab, fakie 540 mute grab, frontside Cab Madonna, sugar cane grind, Indy nosebone to fakie, and signature Kamikaze Air (frontside Cab front foot impossible air) earned Shibata a score of 89.66 points and the silver medal.
Watch out for Schaar and Shibata in the progressive Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick event on Saturday.
Women’s BMX Park: Kim Lea Mueller Takes Bronze Medal in the Discipline’s Debut at X Games
Earlier in the day, competitions at X Games Ventura 2024 kicked off with a brand-new medal event never contested at X Games: The Women’s BMX Park final saw ten athletes from six countries take on the massive bowl course with its pool corners, quarter pipes, and table sections looking to post the highest-scoring run.
Dropping into the debut of this women’s medal discipline, 22-year-old Kim Lea Mueller from Remscheid, Germany, secured her spot on the podium by earning the bronze medal in her first run out of three.
Working the entire course with speed and technical tricks, Mueller put down a huge 360 can-can over the tall jump box, air on the deep end wall, can-can on the quarter pipe, tailwhip in the corner, foot plant on the Sonic sign sub ledge, one-hand air over the jump box, alley-oop 270 over the hip, and bar spin on the quarter pipe for 84.00 points. Mueller won the bronze medal in the first Women’s BMX Park event at X Games.
“I’m so happy! The atmosphere is crazy, and I can’t believe we are here with all the girls. It’s so cool to be here at this contest,” said Mueller at X Games Ventura 2024.
On the strength of the bronze-medal finish, Mueller is the third female athlete from Germany to earn a medal in a summer X Games contest in any discipline. Mueller is the reigning German Champion in the BMX Park discipline and took second place in the European Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Moto X Best Whip: Monster Energy’s Julien Vanstippen Claims Silver on Final Attempt
The Moto X Best Whip event was contested in a party atmosphere under the spotlights. Eight riders battled for medals by landing the most contorted aerials, called ‘whips,’ over the massive gap. A veteran of the discipline, 28-year-old Julien Vanstippen from Ophain, Belgium, dropped in as a podium contender after claiming bronze at X Games California 2023.
When the field of riders was cut from eight to the final four, Vanstippen put down stylish seat bounce whips to make the cut. In the ensuing fight for medals, Vanstippen demonstrated his signature style of inverted whips, flying backwards through the air with the front wheel elevated, before turning back into riding direction closely before the landing.
The massive surprise: After sitting in bronze position for the entire session, Vanstippen pulled an extra stylish whip on his last attempt to clinch the silver medal in Moto X Best Whip at X Games Ventura 2024. Boom!
Vanstippen now owns four X Games medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze). Vanstippen’s gold medal at X Games 2022 was the first by a Belgian athlete in X Games history.
Next up, follow the action on Saturday at X Games Ventura 2024 when the Monster Energy team steps up, ready to Unleash the Beast! Also, look forward to special live episodes of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo, Danny, and Brittney, Fueled by Monster Energy, streamed on Twitch from behind the scenes at X Games Ventura on June 29 from 11 a.m. to noon PT, and June 30 from noon to 1 p.m. PT.
Visit http://www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates from X Games Ventura 2024, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
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.
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Dinesh Karthik named RCB batting coach and mentor:
“Coaching at a professional level is incredibly exciting for me and is something I’m truly passionate about as a new chapter in my life. Hopefully, the breadth of my experiences as a player can contribute to the development of the group and added value,” Karthik was quoted via a press release.
“I believe that cricket success hinges not only on technical proficiency but also on match intelligence and composure. I am eager to coach and mentor our batting group, helping them to not only refine their method but also to develop the keen match awareness needed to excel under pressure. It’s also great that I can continue my association with RCB as the franchise continues to move from strength to strength.”
“DK is an excellent addition to our coaching group,” Bobat said. “He was thrilling to watch on the field, and I’m sure he will be just as impactful as a coach. His longevity and track record as a player speaks volumes about his skill and dedication. I know he will bring that same quality and commitment to this new professional chapter.”
Karthik is just one of seven players to have featured in every edition of the IPL since 2008. He represented six IPL teams in all, starting with Delhi Daredevils, before moving to Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders and RCB.
Overall, he played 257 matches in the tournament and scored 4842 runs while averaging 26.31 and striking at 135.36 with 22 fifties. As a keeper, Karthik is second on the list (174) behind MS Dhoni (190) in overall dismissals.
Karthik also played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 60 T20Is for India having first turned out for the country in an ODI against England in 2004.
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James Wharton cements Yorkshire dominance after Vishwa Fernando’s five:
Yorkshire 283 for 5 (Wharton 116*, Tattersall 41*) lead Derbyshire 76 (Fernando 5-30, Thompson 4-31) by 207 runs
When bad light ended play, Wharton was 116 not out and Johnny Tattersall unbeaten on 41 with Yorkshire 283 for 5, a commanding lead of 207.
Derbyshire’s decision to bat first on a green pitch under cloud cover was questionable and the hosts soon had reason to regret it as Yorkshire’s seamers ran through them.
Ben Coad celebrated his return from a back injury by removing Mitch Wagstaff lbw with a full length ball in his first over and there were signs of what was to come as he and Fernando repeatedly beat the bat.
Luis Reece and Brooke Guest managed to survive for the best part of 14 overs but once Reece edged Fernando low to first slip, Derbyshire fell apart.
Although there was enough in the pitch for Fernando and Thompson to exploit, it was a feeble batting display with only four players making double figures.
Thompson beat Guest’s defensive push, Fernando removed Wayme Madsen with an inswinging yorker and then trapped Aneurin Donald on the crease with his next ball.
Ross Whiteley survived the hat-trick but when David Lloyd was lbw playing across the line at Thompson, Derbyshire had lost five wickets for 10 runs in 23 balls.
Rain provided Derbyshire with some respite but after lunch was taken early, the procession continued.
Whiteley was brilliantly caught one handed at gully by Thompson who then had Alex Thomson taken low down at third slip before Fernando plucked out Sam Conners middle stump with another inswinging yorker.
Zak Chappell struck some defiant blows, including a straight driven six off Thompson who had the last word by having him caught at second slip.
Derbyshire’s total was the lowest at Chesterfield since they were bowled out for 57 by Leicestershire in 1989 and to have any chance of staying in the game, they needed early wickets.
Yorkshire’s attack had reaped the benefits of maintaining a consistent,probing line but Derbyshire lacked the same discipline, bowling too short or too full.
By the time Reece had Fin Bean lbw, Yorkshire had reached 61 in the 13th over and although Adam Lyth drove back a return catch to Reece, the visitors steadily pressed home their advantage.
Shan Masood produced some elegant strokes before he played across the line at Daryn Dupavillon and after George Hill and Matthew Revis went cheaply, Wharton grew in confidence to dominate the bowling.
After reaching 50 off 63 balls, he pulled Dupavillon for six and launched Thomson over wide long on for another before driving Reece for his 18th four to reach three figures.
With Tattersall, he took the game further away from Derbyshire as the pair shared an unbroken stand of 118 on a day of total Yorkshire dominance.
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