February 28, 2022
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Inaugural X Games Chiba Reveals Invited Athletes, Park and Street Course Designs
More than 100 World-Class Athletes Set to Compete April 22 – 24 at ZOZOMARINE STADIUM
X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo, the first X Games event scheduled to take place in Japan, revealed more than 100 invited athletes at a press conference today in Chiba City. The event’s Park and Street course designs were also unveiled, highlighting a colorful and unique course design inspired by Japanese origami.
The inaugural X Games Chiba event is set to debut April 22-24, 2022, featuring Skateboard, BMX and Moto X competitions over three days at ZOZOMARINE STADIUM. Along with world-class action sports competition and athletes, X Games Chiba Presented by Yogibo will feature live musical performances, art installations, food and festival experience.
Among the invited athletes are several top action sports stars from Japan and around the world, including:
- Nyjah Huston (Laguna Beach, California, USA) – Arguably the most dominant competitive street skateboarder of all time, Nyjah owns the most Skateboard Street medals and Street gold in X Games history, landing on the podium in his 16 most recent X Games starts – winning 10 gold, four silver and two bronze medals.
- Yuto Horigome (Tokyo, Japan) – Yuto’s first gold medal, at X Games Minneapolis 2019, came as a surprise to exactly no one. Horigome took bronze at X Games Shanghai 2019 — his first podium — and has been lighting up the contest scene everywhere else, including multiple Street League wins. Yuto’s consistency, confidence and comfort on big features along with extremely technical tricks means he’s always a threat to win, as evidenced by his winning the first-ever Olympic Skateboard Street gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
- Leticia Bufoni (Sao Paulo, Brazil) – Leticia has become one of the best known and most influential action sports athletes in the world. Her 12 total X Games medals are the most of any woman from traditional X Games summer Bufoni’s Skateboard Street title at X Games 2021 broke her tie with legend Elissa Steamer for most gold in the discipline (five), and Leticia will no doubt be aiming to add to her record count in Japan.
- Momiji Nishiya (Osaka, Japan) – Momiji was just 11 years old when she earned a silver medal at X Games Minneapolis 2019. That podium made her the youngest Skateboard Street medalist in X Games history as well as the second-youngest medalist overall. She went on to take the first women’s Olympic Skateboard Street gold in front of her home-country fans at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Now 14, Momiji will be a threat for gold at X Games Chiba.
- Sky Brown (Miyazaki, Japan) – Turning pro at just 10 years old, Sky became the youngest pro skateboarder in the world. Making her X Games debut in 2019, she finished off the podium, but made history becoming the first woman to land a frontside 540. Returning to X Games 2021, after X Games Minneapolis 2020 was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Brown won her first X Games gold medal in Skateboard Park – just nine days after her 13th Sky also became the youngest Olympian ever to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal.
- Pedro Barros (Florianopolis, Brazil) – Barros’ Park gold as a rookie at X Games Los Angeles 2010 was a harbinger of things to come: he earned medals in his first nine X Games Park starts (six gold, three silver). His podium streak finally was snapped when he finished 4th at X Games Minneapolis 2018, but he looks to start another one at Chiba. Barros also won the inaugural men’s Skateboard Park silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
- Logan Martin (Logan Reserve, Australia) – Australia’s Martin might be the hottest BMX Park rider in the world. The 28 year old scored gold in both Park and Dirt at X Games Minneapolis 2019, and he now has seven total X Games medals – including from all four of his Park starts. Martin also claimed gold in the Olympic debut of BMX Park at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
- Chad Kerley (San Diego, California, USA) – Kerley interrupted Garrett Reynolds’ X Games BMX Street dominance by taking gold in the discipline at X Games Los Angeles 2013. Kerley added another Street title in 2018, and he now has seven X Games medals overall. The popular San Diego, California, native has more than 400,000 followers on Instagram and will be a contender in Chiba.
- Elliot Sloan (New York City, New York, USA) – Known for going big, four-time X Games Big Air gold medalist Elliot Sloan now owns 13 total X Games medals in 16 appearances. After winning two silver medals in Skateboard Vert and Skateboard Vert Best Trick at X Games 2021, Sloan will no doubt be resetting his sights on gold this April in Chiba. For the first time at X Games, Elliot will ride for Monster Energy after recently announcing his joining their team.
*PLEASE NOTE: The invited athlete list is regularly updated and is subject to change.
The full list of athletes invited to compete at X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo is available at XGames.com.
X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo: Skateboard and BMX Park Course
X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo: Skateboard and BMX Street Course
The full competition and viewing schedule for X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo will be announced in the near future. Additional information on all X Games events will be forthcoming on XGames.com for fans or on ESPNPressroom.com for media only. Photos for editorial use can be accessed at ESPNImages.com.
Media Contacts:
Danny Chi, ESPN Communications +1 213-405-4400; danny.c.chi@espn.com
Grace Coryell, ESPN Communications +1 213-405-4402; grace.s.coryell@espn.com
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