Only one week after X Games Osaka wrapped up, the world's best street skaters found themselves battling it out once again, this time under the Utah sky. And if you thought jet lag might slow anyone down, Yuto Horigome had other plans.
The Japanese phenom put on an absolute clinic, landing three of the competition's six highest-scoring runs. But it was his final run, the very last attempt of the entire contest, that sealed the deal. In peak clutch fashion, Yuto dropped in knowing he needed something special, and delivered exactly that. The crowd erupted as his score flashed on the screen, pushing him past Nyjah Huston for gold.
The record book will have to wait
For Nyjah, it had to sting. The seven-time X Games gold medalist was sitting pretty until those final moments, so close to tying Garrett Reynolds' record for most X Games gold medals in history. Instead, he walked away with silver, his second podium finish in as many weeks, but not the one he came for. You could see the frustration mixed with respect as he congratulated Yuto. The record chase continues...
Feel-good stories
One of the weekend's stories came in the form of Ryan Sheckler's return to X Games competition after a six-year absence. The last time Sheckler competed here was 2019, pre-pandemic, a different era entirely. Since then, he's gotten married and welcomed two kids into the world. Now 35 years old, watching him drop in brought back memories of his first X Games victory in 2003, when he was just 13 years old. While he didn't land on the podium this time around, seeing the veteran back in competition mode was a reminder of his enduring influence on the sport.
Chris Joslin had a rough go of it in the finals, struggling to put together a clean run and failing to crack the 25-point threshold on any attempt. The pressure might have been compounded by what's happening off the course, his wife is on the verge of giving birth to their second child. It's hard to focus when you're one phone call away from rushing to the hospital, and it showed in his performance.
Mota's Denies Nyjah Again in Best Trick
If losing street gold in the final moments wasn't enough, Nyjah Huston watched another medal slip away in the Best Trick competition on the next day. Filipe Mota stole the show, and the gold, with a NBD (never-been-done) that left the crowd stunned and judges scrambling for their scorecards.
It was Mota's moment to shine, landing a trick that had never been stomped in competition before while Yuto had nothing left in the tank after yesterday, not managing to land a single trick. For Nyjah, it meant another silver medal and another case of "so close" in what turned out to be a bittersweet weekend in Utah...
As the dust settles in Salt Lake City and skaters pack their boards for the next stop, one thing is crystal clear: Yuto Horigome continues to prove why he's one of the most dangerous competitors in street skating.
When the pressure peaks, Yuto doesn't fold, he flies.
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