Streets don't lie: X Games Real Street 2024 puts the team based video format on display

Real Street is unlike anything else in competitive skateboarding. No live crowd, no judges on the side of the course, no runs under pressure — just six riders, six filmers, and a video part to make the case.

The X Games Real Series format is as pure as it gets: film your best street skating, let the industry decide, let the public vote. This year's edition brought together a field that ranged from established names to relative unknowns, and the results surprised nobody who watched the parts closely.

The judges and the host

Three veterans evaluated the parts: Jamie Thomas — The Chief himself, founder of Zero Skateboards and one of the most influential street skaters of all time — alongside Jason Rothmeyer, ex-pro turned industry lifer and longtime contest judge, and Vern Laird, Love Park legend and one of the most recognizable voices on the competition circuit. Ryan Sheckler hosted the show. The credibility in that room was not in question.

Six parts, six approaches

Felipe Gustavo took a different approach to his entry, filming mostly in Portugal to add some aesthetic distance from the usual spots while John Shanahan filmed entirely on the East Coast, repping Pennsylvania in typical fashion. Carlos Ribeiro went the NBD route, hunting spot-specific tricks with the intensity he's known for and Braden Hoban, electric in both contests and street skating over the last couple of years, came in with something to prove on a bigger stage.

Ben Lawrie came in as the self-described least-known name in the field — and promptly made sure that wouldn't be true for long.

The results

When the dust settled, Braden Hoban took gold — a breakthrough moment for a rider who has been building momentum for a while and clearly put everything into his part. Felipe Gustavo earned silver and the Fan Favorite award, a double that speaks to how well his Portuguese-filmed entry connected with the wider audience. Carlos Ribeiro rounded out the podium with bronze.

One of the more credible Real Street editions in recent memory. Good judges, good format, and a diverse field.