Announcement Marks 50 Days Out from X Games Minneapolis
X Games Minneapolis revealed today the first wave of invited athletes for its 2018 event on XGames.com. The world’s premier action sports competition returns in just 50 days for its second year in the Twin Cities July 19-22 at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
In addition to sports and an interactive youth culture festival, X Fest, world-class musical performances from Kaskade, Brother Ali, Ice Cube and Zedd will also be part of the event. All four musical performances will take place at The Armory, a historic venue located just outside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Tickets are available now starting at $20 for general admission at www.xgames.com/tickets. Multi-day admission, several levels of hospitality, suites and travel packages are also available for purchase. For an up-close and personal experience, limited floor access will be made available, offering guests the opportunity to get as close to the action as the athletes without actually competing.
Aori Nishimura competing in Women’s Skateboard Street during X Games Minneapolis 2017 (Photo by Matt Morning / ESPN Images)
The first wave of X Games Minneapolis 2018 invited athletes includes:
- Kyle Baldock (Gold Coast, Australia) – The first BMX rider to win two gold medals at the same X Games event since BMX legend Kevin Robinson in 2006, Baldock has taken six total X Games gold medals, including the Golden Pedal in the inaugural and second Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick competition. He also produced a heavy video part for World of X Games, titled “The Kyle Baldock Project.”
- Elliot Sloan (New York City, New York, USA) – Defending Big Air gold medalist Elliot Sloan owns nine X Games medals in 12 appearances. Rocking on his guitar and rolling on ramps, Sloan is known for doing both in his “Metal & Mayhem” video part, where he pulled a 360 on a mega ramp with a guitar in his hand. Sloan has also hosted the Highland Showdown contest for the past two years at his home, where he has an extra-large vert ramp in his backyard.
- Kelvin Hoefler (Sao Paolo, Brazil) – Kelvin Hoefler won Skateboard Street gold as rookie at X Games Minneapolis 2017, but he’s no rookie. The Brazilian skater has been killing contests around the world, including wins at Street League, Dew Tour and the Kimberly Diamond Cup and most recently, an additional gold at X Games Norway 2018.
- Brighton Zeuner (Encinitas, California, USA) – Despite braces on her teeth and girly stickers on her board, Brighton – who turned 13 the day before taking home gold in Women’s Skateboard Park at X Games Minneapolis 2017 – is a fearless ripper. The youngest gold medalist in X Games history, she just missed the podium as an 11-year-old rookie at X Games Austin 2016.
- Aori Nishimura (Tokyo, Japan) – Aori Nishimura finished 8th at her first X Games, where she was technically still an amateur and competed as an alternate in 2016. She followed that up with Women’s Skateboard Street gold at the inaugural X Games Minneapolis.
- Levi Sherwood (Palmerston North, New Zealand) – Ticketed for freestyle greatness since his mid-teens, Sherwood is a double gold medalist and three-time silver medalist at X Games. The son of a former speedway racer, he was on the path to become a motocross racer but got serious about freestyle at the early age of 13. He’s known for his flexibility, huge extensions and double-flip variations.
- Tom Schaar (Cardiff, California, USA) – Five-time X Games Big Air medalist and 17-year old skateboard prodigy, Tom Schaar started competing at X Games in 2012, and he’s in the record books. He was the first to land a 1080 on a skateboard (March 2012), and the first to land it in a contest. At X Games Austin 2014, he became the youngest Big Air gold medalist of all time at 14-years-old. He took home silver in both Skateboard Park and Skateboard Big Air at the inaugural X Games Minneapolis last summer and looks to dominate in his return.
*PLEASE NOTE: The invited athlete list is constantly being updated and is subject to change.
The full list of first wave athletes invited to compete at X Games Minneapolis 2018 is available at XGames.com.
As part of the Road to X Games content series, X Games will also host top athletes in a Boise Park Qualifier event on Saturday, June 16, as they compete to secure their invitation to X Games Minneapolis. Streamed live from Rhodes Skatepark in Boise, Idaho, the Boise Park Qualifier will feature three disciplines – Men’s Skateboard Park, Women’s Skateboard Park and BMX Park. The top six athletes in each discipline will also receive invites to Minneapolis.
Additional information on all X Games Minneapolis 2018 events will be forthcoming on www.xgames.com for fans or on www.espnmediazone.com for media only.
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Media Contacts:
Olivia Wilson, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4145, olivia.wilson@espn.com
Grace Coryell, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4402, grace.s.coryell@espn.com
Danny Chi, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4400, danny.c.chi@espn.com
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