It's the final day of X Games Ventura 2024.
Visitors came by the thousands to the Ventura County Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday to experience action-packed days with skateboarding, BMX and Moto X. They stayed for the music and other demonstrations.
Star reporters and photographers will be at the event at the Ventura County Fairgrounds throughout the weekend.
- Find all things X Games from how to get there to who to watch here.
- No parking at the X Games: Headed to the Games? You won't find any on-site parking this year but free shuttles will take people to the fairgrounds from these spots in Ventura and Oxnard. Or, people can skip traffic and take the train , bus or ride a bike.
- What changes to expect: Designers doubled the footprint for the three days of skateboarding, BMX aerobatics and high flying Moto X dirt bikes.
Fever 333’s Jason Aalon Butler dramatically ended his band’s set on Sunday at the X Games Ventura after he climbed to the top of the sound tent and kept screaming into the microphone.
Butler jumped off the stage, ran into the audience, and went toward the tent as his band kept playing "Hunting Season." When he got on the tent, he kept repeating the lyrics "No, you can't keep us under your thumb."
The end was fitting as the four-member group played with non-stop energy from start to finish. The band's sound mixe s hip-hop, West Coast rap, punk and hardcore metal.
Other songs included “Prey For Me/3,” “One Of Us” and “New West Order.”
Corey Creed, an Australian from the Gold Coast, won gold in Moto X High Air Sunday.
Santa Paula resident Paris Ramirez is competing Sunday in the Battle 805 Skateshop Jam Finals on the Pro Skateboard Street Course.
The 19-year-old is representing BlackHole Skate Shop in Ventura and is among 15 skateboarders who made it to the finals. The skaters are representing six local skate shops: BlackHole, Ceremony, Icon, Rapid, Lighthouse and Revolution.
Pink and black skateboard in hand, Ramirez said it is “really hard being one of the only girls.” There are two other girls, Sophia Vicente and Summer Skinner, who competed and advanced to the finals.
“It’s really tough, especially trying to go to the skatepark is very intimidating, but I persevered and it’s a lot of fun.” she said. “I just hope I land a few tricks.”
Ramirez said this is her first time at the X Games, and she became friends with several skaters at the event.
Orange County resident Bella Drake, 19, gave children their first-ever skate lessons at the X Fest Skatepark at the X Games. She's a volunteer for nonprofit Exposure Skate that helps women, girls, transgender and non-binary people through skateboarding.
Drake has been skating for four years and first started giving lessons two years ago in her hometown, Grass Valley.
“It’s the best feeling ever,” Drake said. “Watching that spark ignite in the kids' eyes when they step on the skateboard for the first time is magical.”
She has been giving lessons every day of the event and has taught about 25 children herself, with a handful of other instructors.
Skyler Jakobson, a Somis resident, was at the event with his 5-year-old son Cohen Jakobson.
“He usually rides bikes so this is new for him but he was ripping,” Skyler said.
Cohen said he loved being at the X Games and the cinnamon toast crunch that he got at the event. He wants to continue to learn skateboarding.
“It was good,” Cohen said. “I think I liked it when I was doing it by myself.”
Competing in the women’s skateboard park finals on the SONIC Park Course are skateboarders Yurin Fujii, Hinano Kusaki, Lilly Stoephasius, Mizuho Hasegawa, Lilly Erickson, Kokona Hiraki, Ruby Trew and Arisa Trew.
Defending gold medalist and top qualifier for the finals, Arisa Trew is going up against some Japanese heavy-hitters this year, the X Games commentator said.
At 13, Mizuho Hasegawa is the youngest female competitor with a silver medal from last year.
“These girls absolutely rip,” the X Games host said.
Emotions ran high during the third and final run of the competition with bleacher stomps from the audience and competitors hugging each other between perfect runs.
Ruby Trew won the bronze medal with her first X Games appearance. Hinano Kusaki won silver and Arisa Trew won gold.
“It feels really good to have the gold around my neck,” Arisa Trew said.
She said she was also excited for her friends in the competition, especially Ruby Trew who medaled in her first X Games appearance. Arisa and Ruby Trew are not related.
– Dua Anjum
The final day of X Games Ventura started with pea soup fog that is expected to burn off. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. Lots happening today including jaw-dropping jumps in Moto X High Air at 2:15 p.m.
– Tom Kisken
10:15 - 11:15 a.m.: Women's Skateboard Park Final on the SONIC Park Course
11:30 a.m. - noon: Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick on the SONIC Park Course
Noon - 1 p.m.: Monster Energy Men's Skateboard Street Final
1:15 - 2 p.m.: Women's Skateboard Vert Final
2:15 - 3 p.m.: Samsung Galaxy Moto X QuarterPipe High Air
3:15 - 3:45 p.m.: Cinnamon Toast Crunch BMX Dirt Best Trick
Headliner electronic artist Kaskade showcased his up-tempo house music on Saturday night at the X Games Ventura.
“Ventura, how you feeling?” the DJ asked early on in his set to cheers at the X Games Musical Stage.
Kaskade’s set was marked by colorful lights, smoke and changing images behind him. He drew a large crowd that thinned out over his 30-minute set.
Kaskade, who's real name is Ryan Gary Raddon, began his performance with the house song “Eyes” from his 2011 album “Fire & Ice.” Images of eyes were splashed on a large screen behind him.
Other songs included “Atmosphere,” “Disarm You” and a house remix of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know.”
– Wes Woods II
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: X Games Sunday: Aussie takes gold in Moto X high air event
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