Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick: FULL COMPETITION | X Games Salt Lake City 2025

Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick: FULL COMPETITION | X Games Salt Lake City 2025

a gorgeous Utah afternoon sets the stage for day three here at XGame Salt Lake City and we come to you from arguably the most iconic contest in all of action sports it’s now time for men’s skateboard vert best trick you know it’s 30 years of X Games going all the way back to 1995 and we are celebrating some of the greatest moments in our platforms history and do you remember where you were when perhaps the Miracle Run the greatest of all time in skateboard vert went down in Philly once upon a time bob Burnquist needs a 955 to overtake first the fire [Applause] I can’t even stop we have lost our minds a 98 that was incredible i think because the most decorated athlete in XG Games history Bob Vernquist who joins us in the booth thank you sir we watched that Brandon Graham along with Corbin Harris i’ve watched that probably a million times i’m sure you have too does it still give you chills the way it does for me
man you know I just remember it it was just like one of those not supposed to happens and then the universe aligned and I and I was skating and then all of a sudden the run was done you know it was kind of this glitch and yeah I remember and I remember when I half flipped the board and and and made it I’m like okay I remember the thought was I’m not falling off my board cuz if I didn’t fall there you know and I felt like anything I tried was was just going to happen
and here we are 24 years later and another Brazilian taking X Games by storm one Ge Curry who just continues to rewrite the record books bob I remember you and I were calling his very first X games in Minneapolis once upon a time how surprised I’m sure not at all his success that he’s having out here
well he is amazing i mean he’s really consistent you know and there’s two different ver uh formats too back in 01 to what you see now you know you pack more tricks in a short time you know I had more time back then so you really have to set up your power to power to power movement he had it all it was amazing
corbin we’ve got eight skaters here in a 20 minute jam session and certainly Ghee staring a double gold in the face but you can never count out a guy like Tom Sharp
you can’t Yes you cannot count him out whatsoever and I think he’s got a little surprise he’s uh he’s got a little inspiration from Bob Burnquist i remember when he did the uh Fakey50 flip in back in 2000 and he’s got some inspiration from that but Moto there’s so many who is your pick to take home gold scan the code or visit nextbs.com/playxg to see what sportsbooks are available in your state claim bonuses and make your picks so we’re excited to set this one off here at the inaugural XGame Salt Lake City the crowds on hand for every event have been absolutely incredible but this one is special and before we set it off
let’s look at another memorable moment in XG Games history just a few years ago gee Curry winning his first career XG Games gold medal
bob what’s it like growing up and and watching him grow up from such a small little kid now to like owning the man that he is
man you know he came to visit Dreamland you know he was like I don’t know eight and and there was already so much power he wanted like the skate mega i was like “All right let me see you skate bird.” You know and then he dropped in and I was like “Oh yeah you’ll be able to skate mega soon.” So you know and and he’s growing into his power you see that was 2021 that not that long ago and here we are and he’s like this building you know
the best is history
yeah absolutely and that was a special best trick contest because Tony Hawk came out of retirement for that one if you remember and we kick it off though with 20-year-old Reef Orlando reef gets tech on the best trick i mean everyone’s got their own style here and Reef’s going to go for the tray flip bringing the streets to the vert and I like to see that just a different scene [Music] we move on to 10year-old Emma Kawakami and I ask you Bob do you see parallels obviously given his age given his size to a young Ge Curry once upon a time
oh most definitely i mean you can tell I mean when he’s when he’s pumping for speed he’s putting his hands on his knees you see that like that it’s just cuz he doesn’t have the leg power there he has the willpower you know and he he brings it in you know and he’s going for tricks that you need power like looks like he’s going to be spinning a lot here
yeah so he’s Oh my god 80 i Yeah definitely i He was winding up for that one and that’s incredible man just like that
i I’ve seen you in some positions like that over the years when you’re just holding on for dear life how did he do that that is squat power you got to talk to Tony Hawk on that one too like cuz if you spin that much you have to have that squat power and Emma incredible you hear what I’m saying that he doesn’t have leg power
he just basically sits on his board spins as hard as he can he’s already kind of look like he sat on his board that’s no leg power that’s And that’s like you have to be flexible
did you Did you see his knee it was touching the ramp
his back knee was on
i was grabbing my knees the kid comes correct on his very first attempt here in best trick
he was just trying it over practice there and just kind of looking at it and you know he did it when it had to be done
wow
so we move on to Elliot Sloan he no stranger to this contest Bob he’s won this three times before
yeah elliot’s Let’s see what Elliott’s going to get into oh oh wow that’s That’s a That’s a ollie seven i haven’t seen that one done before i mean I’ve tried it a couple times i know people have tried that one and maybe Tony tried it a few times i don’t think it’s been done that’s in the your NBD category there 16 career XG games medals for Elliot Sloan here now Soya Inamata
okay Soya man really turning into one of my favorites here look
so he’s going for the kick flip varial uh what is it land like stalefish backside in that was like I have to see that again i love that I don’t get what’s going on
that was tech
it makes me feel a little
Yeah and so you see Soya’s power the way he skates that’s ammo when he grows up he’ll have that power
here’s Moto [Applause] okay he’s going for his front can you get any closer than what Moto just did right there Paul
wow that’s just incredible that’s a front foot impossible lean 540 i mean the lean 540 on its own is hard the front foot impossible is hard
corbin four silver medals for Moto in this event he’s been so close
i mean he’s undeniably one of the best out there here’s JD Sanchez oh my gosh oh it just amazing with the double kick flip Indie 540
wow
i don’t think he’s done that before
his dad His dad told me earlier that he was going to try that one
he has not done it before clean i mean that was really clean
that was perfect
that was Look right there double flip look in it that extra flip delays the 54
it doesn’t get any better than that
and the tuck knee he tucks the knee in the style is perfect
so clean stomped and that 16-year-old JD Sanchez who went silver in Osaka last week silver a couple of nights ago in medal position already here now though Tom
now we got Tom on TV
oh
oh wow he’s going for the uh 180 fakey grind flip out i saw a flip on that see that’s getting that’s a whole another See the different styles of best tricks that’s what I like about ver best trick you know you do have your spins you have your flip spins and then you have your lip tricks and you got a TV on the ramp
yeah if you watched on Friday night in our vert contest that was not there it is here for best here now he’s got a plan
and that’s a good landing on the setup
wow that is good
oh my gosh man
are you kidding me right out the gate geek Curry
amazing
how high he landed how perfectly executed
it’s all about that setup he’s been having a hard time with the setups and even with the hard setups look at that just flip body barrel once he put his feet on his board it’s like he’s like “Oh I know this.” Bob you knew it soon as he landed on that setup
no the setup going to be Yeah and I I was watching him in practice just kind of you know putting it there but when it was time he did it you know and that’s to the fact that that was done first try is just insane the 16-year-old Ge Curry on a quest for an eighth career goal double gold this weekend but here’s Ree Orlando’s second attempt
the Trey flip down
nice
stomping that but not able to roll away
mhm
yeah but that’s that’s going down right there it’s a nice nice choice of a trick with the myths of tricks going on here
so Bob Emma’s up next where does he go from here is he trying Did he try and clean that one up or is there another trick in here
it looks like he’s going to go for something else oh he does that no that looked like uh a body jar nine it looked like that’s what he was trying and if he’s trying that and if he isn’t let me run over there and tell him to try it cuz that right there is like an amazing Emma already sitting in that bronze medal spot here though elliot Sloan in his 24th XGame appearance
i really I I I really like Elliot’s choice and trick here with the obvious that’s going to be tricky that’s going to be a little tough but that first attempt kind of showed us it was possible
he’s going to have to not spin all the way just kind of bring it in kick turn last minute if you can soya here okay so it’s all about this setup here if you get a good setup that was a good setup oh that is it man
this trick this best trick contest is really heating up where wow where’s the XGames AI agent to call this trick that was amazing
he calls it the Raine which is named for the god of thunder in Japanese
okay well he lands rose beef there
in Buddhist mythology i’m sure you
in technical in technical terms
it’s like kickflip burial yeah back very five
and it’s got a roast non flip trick wow
so Soya getting that trick the regime all the way up into silver medal spot but here now Moto
Moto’s the legend Japanese vert skater here going for the That might be a that might be a roll or a spray i mean that was bad right there oh that’s a that’s an issue with that tricky to to bring it in he’s going to squat you know and that could if your foot comes off that’s a roll
ooh
so hopefully
hopefully it’s not bad we’ll see him again
yeah x Games medical quickly getting over there you saw him get off gingerly
hope he’s okay
yeah see it’s commitment when it’s best trick and everyone’s landing their tricks and there’s no like let me just see if it works you know it’s like you’re going to put down even something that doesn’t feel right what does JD do already a make under his belt
yeah oh I like that i like that he went for that kick double kick flip five and then now he’s trying to get tech a little no grab flip
corbin I’m blown away by JD Sanchez i mean he burst on the scene last summer and the consistency we’re watching him on this ramp here now tom Shar
on TV
oh all right tom Sh man with an amazing video part as of recent inspiring the whole vert field
and you know getting in the best trick
Bob he he obviously and and I’ve spoken about this with Tom he’s he was inspired by Denny Way he was inspired by you the dreamland part like what’s what’s that like for you it must be pretty special to see a new generation coming through and skating the stuff that you did and pioneering no it’s incredible man it’s inspiring so here’s Ghee with the kick flip back tail on TV ghee sick
but Tom also represents a throwback as far as just being that allterrain vehicle you skated so many different disciplines to see him in park to see him invert and best trick
yeah and it takes time you know it takes time he started out on Omega with us
you know and gold out there
we got the train flip
all right that’s happening that coping kind of got in the way a little bit he’s got to pop that tail before he hits the coping reef getting closer emma Kawakami now outside of podium position can he put this down
okay Emma that’s a 900 body jar i’m going to run out of cars now you can see on the knee slide what like what it took to squat that 1080 out it’s cuz how flexible he is on that knee slide if you if you take take a look at his knee slides you’ll see he just sits on it wraps his knees around that’s flexibility
under 12 minutes here in best trick Elliot Sloan
it’s a lot of yoga
hey it helps oh so close
wow man i mean that that is way possible we’ve we’ve watched Elliot over the years one of the most technically gifted skaters of all time but he will it’s get rich or I try on a trick and and whether it’s a B contest or best trick
he does not audible
yeah and this is what you’re seeing here is not normal it’s not normal to be that consistent with this amount of technical tricks so if you see Elliot bailing a few times and Reefer like you know bailing a few times like it’s like
it’s because the trick is
it is not easy man
well Moto went down after that last trick attempt let’s head up to the fourth member of our team AJ McCord with a report on Moto we are waiting for Moto to make his way back up to the top of the ramp he is not up here yet and instead JD Sanchez dropping in
all right so we will see if Moto gets back in the mix
see that’s what happens when you land your double kick flip indie5 and now he’s like “What do I do?”
He’s lost get creative improvise
tom hasn’t had a real good crack at this yet and again like the first one got a kick flip out yeah that’s incredible i think that TV is a little bit on the high side and he’s having a hard time getting up there for speed but
I mean clearly this was put in place for Tom to do this
yes and it’s heavy i don’t know what XGames crew did that but hats off that thing’s a beast here we go currently in gold medal position ge Curry
kick flip back tail we’re under 10 minutes to skate with here in vert best trick at xame Salt Lake City ghee Soya and JD Sanchez currently in the podium spots but a lot can change if some of these guys can put these down here now reef Orlando absolutely Ree oh nice that is going down in the mix of what happened i don’t think that’s going to go into that top three um but I’d like to see the street tricks on the vert here and I think that Elliot uh with his cab 7 five could could be in the mix cuz that’s
in metal contention
in metal contention emma let’s see a little like wipe the grip tape 900 nose grab kind of judoish kind of there was a
I want to run out there and tell him to do a 900 body jar
we can let you go
my gosh what 900 body jar how do you say that in is it the same i think it’s the same is this it now Elliot so close on the last attempt oh man yeah that’s a tough one and I the third one in really got close
and
it’s really so difficult cuz he’s not grabbing the board at all right yeah see Tony was the first one to do the Olli five back in the day and that was incredible still is you see Jimmy throwing in his runs but the seven ollie five that’s another beast
here’s Soya wow okay well they got their crazy wild spin tricks and they’re going for some tech let’s head back up to AJ McCord aj what do you have for us i just just checked in with Moto as he made his way back to the top of the ramp he says he’s going to try that same trick he’s good to go love to see it
oh yeah i’m glad he didn’t roll his foot that was
You love to see it here’s Moto Shabbat
come on Moto so it’s a setup guys so like you get a good setup we’ll see it oh yeah that was a good setup yeah that that’ll that’s a mental game there once you committed and you almost got really hurt and Corbin some of the greatest performances happen after the vert best trick contest happens i think about last summer with Moto
yes it was it was an incredible performance but we had Tony jump I think Tony jumped out out of the booth and nearly over the fence
right as Gee was getting his gold medal
here’s JD Sanchez oh
nice
there’s one thing with JD it seems like sometimes that he he doesn’t have it and then he’s like tweaks it and pulls it in right at the last minute there’s so much board control
i like the improv
the three tricks he tried were completely different tom Tom going for the front side 180 faky grind and wow wow amazing
yeah that’s not a that’s not an easy feat just to get speed to get up up there is a trick on its own
the riskreward of this trick yeah i mean just the air awareness to be able to get out of it so Ge Curry currently sitting in that gold medal spot he’s doing air setups for the the lip trick oh nice that was nice proper pop flick catch we’re already closing in on attempt number five here
as we’re touching on the six-minute mark
this bird best trick final flying by gentlemen
yeah this is a trick that Reef has pretty good so it’s taken him a little bit to get it
oh man the coping is keeping that flick sometimes it’s a waiting game in in best tricks uh but I I always wanted to go for about an hour and a half i could I can see Yeah that’s what you know having time you know
having time is a big thing these are organized jams you know when we It’s We had it all while people snaking each other you know so this is good everyone gets the same amount of runs emma okay a little put his foot out a little bit
and the knee slide
about best trick Bob too is unlike you know your traditional vert contest and run format you’re keeping tabs on the other competitors it’s really you verse you as a rider out there
yeah you kind because you know you you probably have something in mind you’re going to try like these guys you know had their tricks and landed them and now they’re just trying to come up with something else elliot has this in mind and that’s a fake seven that was amazing that was really close as close as Elliot has gotten on that Corbin here today
making us believe he seems focused he seems locked in he wants it
well he found a good trick to be in the mix with everything that’s going on you know this is
Soya wasting no time already sitting in that silver medal spot moto Shabata fourto medals in this one
went through a lot quicker so he’s a little warmer let’s get it come on Moto
the setup here let’s go
front foot impossible man
he’s he’s really favoring that right that right side
yeah there’s a moment when you’re in these best tricks there’s alignment of your energy at a certain time you know and he put it out in the first the first one was really close the second one was like the one to half and he almost got hurt so it’s hard to bring that back around jd with the cab heel to body jar nice jd lining up a second XG Games medal potentially here in Salt Lake City after earning silver in Bert on Friday night tom Sharp trying to put this down
so he’s got to get a lot of speed just to get his grind in so nice that was a a really good attempt i feel like if he just gets a really a really good one in he’s going to he’s going to try and throw it down
yeah the key the key to that is just being solid set on the grind before you flip out you know obviously he’s trying to flip cuz you know try and make it happen but it’s you’ll see it when he’s got a good grind you know
G Curry
just like a setup if you’re going
yeah you got to be you got to be up there i like the backside air setup for the kick flip back tail oh there it was he got the kick back well we’ve talked so much about the back and forth medal count between Ghee Curry and Orisa True and we are fortunate enough to have Orisa in the mix aj with Orisa True
that’s right no one enjoying the show more than Orisa you and Gee have been talking back and forth what has been the conversation
well he’s basically going to beat me in medals medals I’m guessing and he’s We’re on tie right now but I think he’s going to beat me but I’m still stoked for him and because he just skated so good this weekend
and you’re still walking away with some hardware just how has that gold medal sunk in since yesterday
i’m really happy about how I skated yesterday and I just can’t wait for the next comps
we cannot wait to see you thanks for being up here
thank you love that they’re both metal watching each other what a battle between those two teenagers
well we said it yesterday tony could be in that mix bob could definitely be in that mix
do you and Tony text each other about the medals the medals i never counted medals and they started counting for me
oh wow
the guy with more medals than anyone in the history of X count how convenient
there was a time there it just was
no I just I never realized how many I had and then when Dave Meer’s uh uh record it was like 24 and then they told me “Hey you’re about to beat Dave’s record.” And then it was like “Oh okay now I’m counting.” But
30 medals for Bob Bergus now am
Oh yeah getting close that was incredible but no I mean it’s you know looking back it’s incredible it’s just so many years and and and the level and every year the progression you know and you would think like every best trick you’re like okay how else it’s going to be you know progressed and then here we are at 2025 and then incredible progression still going elliot progressing with the
Let’s get it Elliot only seven oh that set that takeoff is is key bob what what are your thoughts on obviously Vert I feel like now more than ever is is is making a comeback and there is so many young skateboarders around the world that that must be a good feeling for you to to watch and see you know it really come back strong
yeah it’s good it’s good to see a new generation really bringing the power
you know and and and keeping that alive yeah look Mom i’m on TV doing homeless variations
literally on TV the roar of the Salt Lake Brazil keeping it fun
i’m glad it was well built literally on TV
but you know to to touch on what Corbin brought up you know you see the eras of Vert from Tony and yourself to Bucky then the the run that Jimmy Wilkins have it just feels like GE’s going on a run right now where it’s just it feels like a race for second place sometimes
yeah you know with the level of tech and what goes down I mean it is you know but it’s like you know to be able to pull that off consistently is just out of this world
so Moto Shabana an injury on run number two but here he is on what should be his final attempt got to shake off that trauma which is not easy to do let’s go Moto yeah that’s a [Applause] It’s really shaking him up
no it’s the alignment man i mean it was the first two and then that that that slam was not He’s limping and I know he’s hurting you know they sat on his foot there and he’s really trying to you know keep it going for everyone but you could tell
did you have moments like that where you’ve just pulled yourself back up and got back on the ramp yeah you can pull yourself back up but but there’s a time I mean when it when it’s a slam like that and you get hurt it comes out you know you go out and get out of your rhythm oh all right c heel body jar
but yeah remarkable how close JD has gotten there but what a showing for JD Sanchez who’s currently in that bronze medal spot lot of Hall of Famers out here for 30 years of X Games let’s go back up to AJ who’s with a special guest
i am with Lindsay who has the helmet on you guys we are going to see her get a chance to take on the bird here at XGame 30th anniversary no better way to do it how are you feeling any nerves i’m feeling good i mean it it’s kind of warm out here but uh I’m just pumped to have the opportunity to skate the ramp and yeah it feels good to be out here and pumped to watch these tricks go down it feels like an alternate universe kind of like what are these tricks it’s like what is actually happening
well I cannot wait to see what you throw down bob’s in the booth you want to throw down a challenge
yeah you going to come skate or what i got to make
I’ll let you answer that you don’t have to ask Bob
oh man fun ramp amazing compound there that’s going to be
Lindsy Pastana and and women’s ver go hand in hand
as you said I don’t know if for all the fans out there Lindsay Pastana she’s got a brand new vert ramp uh she’s been loving it as we go in for Tom let’s get it Tom
oh that was a good one
oh that might have been the closest he’s been
yeah that he was on that grind really good so he got a pop out but that’s the thing i mean that’s he’s going for that one every time and you know sometimes it goes down sometimes it doesn’t so this should be Ge Curry’s final run see Andy Mack
andy’s like out there getting this run yeah Andy’s like got his headphones on they’re like “Dude you got to
Andy the comp’s not over sir.”
Of course legends everywhere here in Salt Lake City and this should be a victory lap for GE Curry who’s going to go double gold here at Salt Lake City
and this is the first time and only time you’ll ever see two airs set up for electric oh nice
all right
you heard it from the manquist and he is going to do it
and we can officially say it it’s a triple double for Ge Curry going vert and vert best trick gold for the third consecutive X games incredible performance by Dury just on another level
15 career X Games medals let’s take a look at the trick of the day [Music] gear left no doubt about it
and straight out of the gate he did that that was run number one right first shot
yeah that was it that’s what you need you only need one and he’s got that dialed that’s That was incredible
all these years i just should have done it the first try huh
yeah that’s it that’s all you need really so the 16-year-old Ghee Curry earns a ninth career X Games gold medal wow so congratulations to our entire podium soya with the silver and JD Sanchez earning another XG Games medal out here this weekend but good to see the legends hitting the course andy Maddie I think Bob’s gonna get out there
but thank you Bob Burnquist thank you Corbin Harris such a fun time one of our favorites gee Curry was the favorite and at the end of the day he’s the one who skates away with gold here at Skateboard best trick what a day we’ve got brewing here on the third and final day of X Game Salt Lake City [Music] [Music] you know

Watch the full Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick competition from X Games Salt Lake City 2025!

In this jam-format event, skaters take turns dropping into the vert ramp to land their gnarliest, most technical tricks. With no run structure, it’s all about sending it and landing the biggest trick possible in front of the crowd.

Featuring: Soya Inomata, Ema Kawakami, Gui Khury, Reef Orlando, JD Sanchez, Tom Schaar, Moto Shibata, Elliot Sloan

#XGames #XGamesSLC #Skateboarding