X Games Summer 2022: Preview, schedule, stars to watch
Sky Brown headlines a number of Olympic medallists invited to compete in the summer edition of the extreme sports competition. With street and park skate contests and BMX Freestyle on the menu here's what you need to know.
It’s back.
After making its debut earlier this year in Chiba, Japan the X Games are returning this time in Southern California, USA.
From 20-24 July multiple venues will hold an array of skateboarding, BMX and Moto X competitions, and a host Olympic stars are set to attend.
Unlike Chiba where fans were able to get a slice of X Games action this event will be closed to the public.
X Games Summer 2022: Olympic champs dominate skateboarding line-ups
Five Olympic champions and 11 Olympic medallists will be touching down over the next few days at the CA Training Facility (CATF) in Vista ready to bring their best to Summer X Games 2022.
In the women’s street contest the full Olympic podium, including gold-medal winning Nishiya Momiji, Rayssa Leal and Nakayama Funa, have all been invited to compete.
Recent Street League Skateboarding (SLS) Jacksonville winner Leal and victor of the World Street Skateboard in Rome Nakayama will arrive as the women to beat in a stacked line-up where any of the 10 selected to attend could seize the hour.
Look out in particular for world number one Pamela Rosa and Australia's Chloe Covell.
After struggling to gain traction in Italy the Brazilian picked up third-place at SLS last weekend and will be looking to use her fresh podium finish to reassert her dominance over the field.
Meanwhile 12-year-old Covell will be hoping to tap into the form that saw her won bronze in her first X Games and international skateboarding contest in Japan back in April.
In the men’s street competition Olympic gold and silver medallists Horigome Yuto and Kelvin Hoefler spearhead a line-up jammed-pack with US skating talent.
A total of six Americans make up the 10 invitees including superstar street skater Nyjah Huston who emerged as the king in Rome at the recent Paris 2024 qualifier.
Rounding off the pack will be the established Shane O’Neill of Australia and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Vincent Milou of France.
All those going will no doubt have the Japanese Olympic champ Horigome in their sights after he clinched his fifth SLS title in Jacksonville.
23-year-old Horigome dropped three 9 clubs in-a-row to seal the win in emphatic fashion and will be looking for more of the same in Vista.
READ: Street League Skateboarding Jacksonville 2022: Olympic champion Horigome Yuto wins title
Over in park, Sky Brown and fellow Olympic medallists Yosozumi Sakura and Hiraki Kokona are expected to battle it out in another loaded contest.
The gold and silver medallists from Japan are two of five Japanese skaters invited to Vista underlining once more the nation’s credentials as a skateboarding powerhouse.
Back on home soil in Chiba, 20-year-old Yosozumi took the win at the last X Games with Hiraki hot on her heels in second place.
A trio of Americans including Tokyo 2020 Olympian Bryce Wettstein and the legendary Lizzie Armanto will make up the rest of the field.
LOOK BACK: Olympic champs Yosozumi Sakura and Logan Martin take X Games Chiba crowns
Olympic champion Keegan Palmer will be the sole medallist in the men’s park competition with Cory Juneau and Pedro Barros not invited and American Jagger Eaton out injured.
Palmer faces competition in his fellow countryman Kieran Woolley, who finished fifth in the final at Tokyo, and took bronze at the last X Games, as well as six Americans and 21-year-old hot-shot Luiz Francisco of Brazil.
X Games BMX Freestyle Park: Logan Martin leads the way
Olympic gold medallist and four-time X Games champion Logan Martin will be launching his bid for a fifth crown in California.
The 28-year-old Australian, who is the first male Olympic champ in BMX Freestyle, will have to navigate a tough field if he hopes to clinch another title including fellow podium-finisher Declan Brooks of Team GB and Japan's promising Nakamura Rim.
X Games Summer 2022: Schedule
Here is the full schedule for X Games Summer 2022. All times listed are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
Wednesday 20 July
10:30 Skate Vert
12:00 Skate Vert BT
15:50 BMX MegaPark
17:30 Skateboard MegaPark
Thursday 21 July
10:00 Moto X Freestyle
12:00 Moto X Best Whip
13:30 BMX Dirt
15:00 Moto X 110s
16:30 Moto X Best Trick
18:15 Moto X QuarterPipe High Air
Friday 22 July
19:00 BMX Street
Saturday 23 July
10:00 Women’s Skateboard Park
12:00 BMX Park
14:00 Men’s Skateboard Street
15:30 Skateboard Street Best Trick
17:00 BMX Park Best Trick
Sunday 24 July
12:00 Women’s Skateboard Street
14:00 Men’s Skateboard Park
X Games Summer 2022: How to watch
Action from Summer X Games 2022 will be available to stream live on X Games Youtube.
