Monster Energy Athletes Bring the Heat on Day 1 of X Games Sacramento 2026

• Women's Skateboard Park: 16-Year-Old Arisa Trew from Australia Claims Gold, Monster Army's Raicca Ventura from Brazil Takes Bronze
• Moto X Best Whip: 30-Year-Old Julien Vanstippen from Ophain, Belgium, Defends Gold Medal
• Men's BMX Park: 31-Year-Old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, Claims Bronze Medal

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Way to bring the heat on Day 1 of Summer X Games! Monster Energy congratulates its team of action sports athletes on a strong performance on the first day of X Games Sacramento 2026. On Friday, Monster Energy riders claimed a total of four medals (two gold and two bronze) across three contest events in front of a high-energy crowd at Cal Expo.

The Women's Skateboard Park final saw 16-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia, claim the gold medal with a dominant performance. Trew was joined on the podium by 19-year-old Monster Army rider Raicca Ventura from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in bronze medal position.

In the Moto X Best Whip competition, 30-year-old Julien Vanstippen from Ophain, Belgium, defended his gold medal from the previous edition of X Games. The Men's BMX Park competition concluded with 31-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, claiming the bronze medal.

From June 26–28, MoonPay X Games Sacramento 2026 marks the first official event of the new MoonPay X Games League (XGL) 2026 Summer Season. Supported by Monster Energy as an X Games League Founding Partner, XGL is the world's first year-round, team-based, co-ed league in action sports, where city-based clubs and individual athletes rack up points across the season for a shot at the championship.

Here's how the action unfolded for team Monster Energy on day one of X Games Sacramento 2026:

Women's Skateboard Park: Arisa Trew Claims Gold Medal, Raicca Ventura Takes Bronze

The team earned the first victory of the weekend in the spectacular Women's Skateboard Park event, where Arisa Trew took the gold medal on the strength of a next-level performance. After missing the podium at X Games Salt Lake City 2025, the innovative trailblazer came to Sacramento hungry. Trew rose to the top of the leaderboard with 86.66 points on her first attempt and from there continued to build her lead.

Earning the highest score in the field on her second attempt, Trew put together a technical run including McTwist on the vert wall, 50-50 gap transfer the deep end hip, frontside tailslide, backside 360 the volcano, backside 540 melon the door gap, backside lipslide the quarterpipe, frontside crooked to fakie, switch McTwist the deep end, switch backside air, and Half Cab up the box for 92.66 points and the gold medal.

"This is the highest level of girl skateboarding. Everyone here is pushing me. And it's super cool because it makes me go harder!" said Monster Energy's Trew upon claiming the victory at X Games Sacramento 2026.

Trew now owns ten X Games medals (nine gold, one silver). Stay tuned as Trew battles to make history this weekend: At nine X Games gold medals, Trew is only one more victory away from matching the record for most gold of any woman in X Games history – and she has two more competitions to make it happen.

Trew was joined on the podium by Monster Army rider Raicca Ventura, taking third place. Rising to the podium on Run 1, the former Women's Skateboard Park World Champion put together a perfect run featuring kickflip Indy on the vert wall, backside Smith grind the corner, frontside feeble the deep end, backside 360 the volcano, frontside Smith the deep end, gap to frontside lipslide the extension, and frontside 50-50 the rainbow rail for 81.00 points and bronze as her first X Games medal.

Moto X Best Whip: Julien Vanstippen Defends Gold Medal with Stylish Aerials
The first day of X Games Sacramento concluded with a showcase of stylish dirt bike airs in the Moto X Best Whip event. In the contest scored on the most contorted aerials, called "whips," Julien Vanstippen dropped in as the defending gold medalist from X Games Salt Lake City 2025 – and successfully held on to his gold!

Blazing through the qualifier round with massive whips over the 75-foot gap, Vanstippen qualified into the final round of five athletes in first place. Cranking up the heat when it counted, Vanstippen sent a fully tweaked whip across the gap, soaring backward through the air and reversing at the last moment. On attempt two, he upped the ante with a high-flying whip in full inverted style.

Finding himself in second-place position on the last attempt, Vanstippen posted a massive turn-down whip over the channel that convinced the judges to award him first place for the second consecutive year.

"Every time I come here, it's great riding in front of the American crowd. I'm super happy, everyone really loves motocross. If you told me a few years ago, I would get three gold medals at X Games, I would not have believed it!" said Monster Energy's Vanstippen upon claiming the Moto X Best Whip gold in Sacramento.

Asked about saving the biggest trick for his last attempt, Vanstippen said: "Sometimes I get scared after pulling a big one. So I try to save the best one for last, so nothing can happen. This is another dream come true!"

Vanstippen now owns seven X Games medals (three gold, two silver, two bronze).

Men's BMX Park: Kevin Peraza Claims Bronze Medal

In the first BMX event of X Games Sacramento 2026, eight of the world's best riders competed in the Men's BMX Park final. Qualified athletes included previous X Games gold medalists and Olympic athletes, representing Argentina, Australia, France, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. In this elite field, Kevin Peraza claimed the bronze medal in a down-to-the-wire session.

Dropping in hungry for a medal after finishing outside the Men's BMX Park podium at Summer X Games 2025, Peraza set the bar high by popping all the way into third place on his first run. Raising the trick difficulty on his third and final attempt, Peraza put together a perfect line featuring can-can one-handed tire grab, Superman seat grab, barspin transfer to wallride toboggan, 360 double downside tail whip, big alley-oop air in the pocket, no-handed pocket air, flair, truckdriver to tabletop, peg grind over the wagon wheel, and a show-stopping flair tailwhip to fakie over the box jump for 94.00 points and third place.

Peraza now owns 14 X Games medals (eight gold, three silver, three bronze). Also watch for Peraza this weekend in the BMX Park Best Trick and BMX Street competitions.

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Stay tuned for more X Games Sacramento 2026!

Visit www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates from X Games Sacramento 2026, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser.

About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: [email protected]
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SOURCE Monster Energy