May 2, 2023
X Games Japan 2023
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk makes his return to the X Games
By Metropolis
The X Games will return to Japan for the second time running this May 13 – 14, featuring 11 events across three action sports including skateboarding, BMX and motocross. Held at ZOZOMARINE STADIUM in Chiba across two days plus a live-streamed day of qualifying rounds, the world’s top extreme sports athletes, including skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and Olympic gold medalists Momiji Nishiya, Sakura Yosozumi and Keegan Palmer will descend on Chiba for a massive three days of action sports, live music and breakdancing.
Starting in Rhode Island in 1995, the X Games has since expanded to 12 countries worldwide, making its Japanese debut in 2022. Japanese skaters dominated the podium in the 2022 games, with Olympic gold medalists Yuto Horigome and Sakura Yosozumi taking out their respective street and park events. This year, nearly 70 skaters will compete in both mens and womens events in street, park and vert skating, as well as the recently-announced mens best trick competition which will feature the godfather of modern vert skating, Tony Hawk, making only his second X Games appearance in 20 years. After an almost career-ending injury last year, this will be a rare opportunity to see the almost 55-year-old skater competing at an event of this scale. 2023 also marks 24 years since Tony Hawk landed the groundbreaking 900 (two and a half full rotations on a skateboard) at 1999’s Summer X Games San Francisco.
BMX will also be making a return to ZOZOMARINE STADIUM across three disciplines of street, park and flatland. Street and park competitions will be held throughout the day on Saturday with Australians Lewis Mills and Logan Martin returning to defend their respective X Games Japan titles. On Sunday, the BMX flatland competition will see eight athletes from four countries battling it out for the gold. Ski-Hi, rapper and member of the J-pop group AAA, is also set to make an appearance on the live music stage on Saturday.
Not to be missed, Sunday is another huge day of action spanning the mens park skating final, BMX flatland, mens skating best trick competition and mens street skating final. Rounding out the event will be the show stopping motocross best trick competition featuring six of the world’s most death-defying motocross riders including Belgian Tyler Vanstippen who took out third place in last year’s competition. In addition, Sunday features a breakdancing showcase, a highlight of last year’s event, as well as a live performance from JP The Wavy, a Kanagawa-born rapper who has been attracting international attention in recent years.
A truly historic event, tickets for X Games Japan 2023 are selling fast, tickets are available via the official website and in English via E Plus. More information in English regarding purchasing tickets as well as a useful tourist guide are available via this link.
