XC New York Takes First X Games League Championship

The X Games League (XGL), a newly formed organization comprised of regional X Games Clubs that select teams of athletes across X Games sports disciplines, has officially crowned its first-ever league champion. 

Over the weekend, the XGL held its final championship event in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the world’s best skateboarders, BMX riders, and motocross riders competing for a championship. In the end, it was XC New York, one of the XGL’s inaugural teams, claiming victory, taking home the trophy and $500,000.

XC New York came into the event with a mere 20-point lead over XC Tokyo, with the championship coming down to the final event: men’s BMX park. In the event, an injured Daniel Sandoval, despite riding with torn ligaments, gave his club the performance it needed. He finished in sixth place, earning XC New York just enough points to lift them over XC Tokyo.

XC New York finished with 2,640 points, just ahead of XC Tokyo’s 2,630. XC Los Angeles took third place with 2,380 points, and XC São Paulo finished with 2,350.

“I felt like we won the draft,” XC New York General Manager Steve Rodriguez said in a Crescent City Sports article. “I always believed in this team. This group of individuals was always into it from the start. They always showed up, always hung out, always performed, and they always had each other’s backs.”

• Related: X Games League Scheduled for First-Ever Winter Draft

XGL’s First MVP

In addition to the championship trophy, XGL awarded a most valuable player (MVP) honor to the athlete who performed best during its three-stop season. Japan’s 15-year-old vert skater Mizuho Hasegawa went on to win the league’s first MVP after earning 680 points for XC Tokyo, far more points than any other athlete. She finished the season with eight medals (two gold, five silver, and one bronze) in just nine events. No previous athlete had won even six medals in the same calendar year.

“I’m really happy that I was able to get the MVP, but of course I’m really bummed about XC Tokyo not winning the whole thing,” Hasegawa told Crescent City Sports. “This would have never happened without the support of everyone and my teammates. I’m really happy. Thank you to all the athletes who competed and all the teams who competed. Thanks to everyone.”

XGL’s First Season in the Books

With the New Orleans championship now completed, XGL has officially wrapped up its first season of competition. Looking back on the season, X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom praised his athletes for their performances across each event. Before the league format, the X Games held one or two events each summer. This year’s three events asked for more from the league’s athletes, but they were ready for the challenge.

“The first championship in any league becomes part of its history forever, and this one will be remembered for the extraordinary grit of these athletes,” Bloom said in Crescent City Sports‘ article. “I’ve never seen so many competitors refuse to let injuries define them. They kept showing up, kept dropping in, and kept putting everything on the line for their teammates. That’s the culture we wanted to build with the X Games League, not just world-class competition, but teams that fight for each other until the very last run. You couldn’t have written a better ending to our inaugural season.”

Looking Ahead

Now, XGL turns its attention to the quickly approaching winter season, with its draft scheduled for Sept. 16. At that time, 40 athletes will be drafted into four clubs to compete for an XGL winter championship. The league has not yet released the home cities for its clubs, but it is expected to do so in the weeks leading up to the draft.

The winter season will feature the biggest names in skiing and snowboarding, including Eileen Gu, Mark McMorris, and Scotty James. 

If the winter season is anything like the summer, intense competition will culminate in a dramatic championship that leaves fans excited for the future of action sports leagues.

• Related: The Moonpay X Games League Is Returning To Aspen Snowmass

Full X Games New Orleans Results

Women’s Skateboard Street:

• Gold: Chloe Covell (XC New York), Tweed Heads, Australia
• Silver: Momiji Nishiya (XC New York), Osaka, Japan
• Bronze: Yumeka Oda (XC Tokyo), Nagoya, Japan

Women’s Skateboard Street Best Trick:

• Gold: Momiji Nishiya (XC New York), Osaka, Japan
• Silver: Yumeka Oda (XC Tokyo), Nagoya, Japan
• Bronze: Coco Yoshizawa (XC Tokyo), Sagamihara, Japan

Men’s Skateboard Street:

• Gold: Ginwoo Onodera (XC New York), Yokohama, Japan
• Silver: Toa Sasaki (XC Tokyo), Yangsan, Korea
• Bronze: Juni Kang (Free Agent), Mie, Japan

Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick:

• Gold: Juni Kang (Free Agent), Seoul, South Korea
• Silver: Braden Hoban (Free Agent), Encinitas, California
• Bronze: Julian Agliardi (XC New York), Long Beach, California

Women’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick:

• Gold: Mia Kretzer (XC Los Angeles), Baldivis, Australia
• Silver: Asahi Kaihara (Free Agent), Osaka, Japan
• Bronze: Mizuho Hasegawa (XC Tokyo), Ibaraki, Japan

Men’s Skateboard Vert:

• Gold: Tom Schaar (XC Los Angeles), Malibu, CA, USA
• Silver: Soya Inomata (Free Agent), Chigasaki, Japan
• Bronze: Luigi Cini (XC São Paulo), Curitiba, Brazil

Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick:

• Gold: Gui Khury (XC São Paulo), Curitiba, Brazil
• Silver: Tom Schaar (XC Los Angeles), Malibu, CA, USA
• Bronze: JD Sanchez (Free Agent), Waianae, HI, USA

Women’s Skateboard Park:

• Gold: Sky Brown (XC São Paulo), Miyazaki, Japan
• Silver: Mizuho Hasegawa (XC Tokyo), Ibaraki, Japan
• Bronze: Helli Sirvio (XC New York), Gold Coast, Australia

Men’s Skateboard Park:

• Gold: Tom Schaar (XC Los Angeles), Malibu, CA, USA
• Silver:  Keegan Palmer (Free Agent), Currumbin, Australia
• Bronze: Egoitz Bijueska (Free Agent), Bilbao, Spain

Men’s Skateboard Park Best Trick:

• Gold: Tom Schaar (XC Los Angeles), Malibu, CA, USA
• Silver: Keefer Wilson (Free Agent), Nyora, Victoria, Australia
• Bronze: Luigi Cini (São Paulo), Curitiba, Brazil

Women’s BMX Park:

• Gold: Miharu Ozawa (XC Tokyo), Gifu, Japan
• Silver: Kim Mueller (Free Agent), Remscheid, Germany
• Bronze: Hannah Roberts (XC New York), Buchanan, MI, USA

Men’s BMX Park:

• Gold: Justin Dowell (Free Agent), Virginia Beach, VA, USA
• Silver: Kieran Reilly (Free Agent), Newcastle, Great Britain
• Bronze: Marcus Christopher (XC Los Angeles), Hartville, OH, USA

Men’s BMX Park Best Trick

• Gold: Ryan Williams (XC São Paulo), Sunshine Coast, Australia
• Silver: Justin Dowell (Free Agent), Virginia Beach, VA, USA
• Bronze: Kieran Reilly (Free Agent), Newcastle, Great Britain

Men’s BMX Street:

• Gold: Garrett Reynold (XC São Paulo), Toms River, NJ, USA
• Silver: Devon Smillie (Free Agent), Suwanee, GA, USA
• Bronze: Boyd Hilder (Free Agent), Gold Coast, Australia

Men’s BMX Dirt:

• Gold: Brady Baker (XC Los Angeles), Toms River, NJ, USA
• Silver: Mike Varga (Free Agent), Oshawa, Canada
• Bronze: Ryan Williams (XC São Paulo), Sunshine Coast, Australia

Motocross Best Trick:

• Gold: José Canosa, A Coruña, Spain
• Silver: Rob Adelberg, Benalla, Australia
• Bronze: Patrick Evans, Huntington Beach, CA, USA