SAN DIEGO – More than a dozen athletes with ties to the San Diego area are competing in Summer X Games 2022 with many having a home-field advantage as the event plays out throughout North County.
From natives to transplants, the region is expected to be well represented in the annual ESPN showcase held July 20-24 and airing on the network’s family of platforms. Like last year, this year’s X Games will feature prominent area venues: Moto X rider Axell Hodges’ “Slayground” in Encinitas, the elite skateboarding venue known as CA Training Facility in Vista and new this year is BMX rider Elliot Sloan’s Vista-based “SloanYard.”
No fans will be in attendance once again this year, but those watching on ABC, ESPN and elsewhere are sure to be treated to a spectacle with highly decorated local names.
Hodges, an Encinitas native, and Sloan, who lives at the “SloanYard” property, headline a crop of more than 100 invited athletes vying to land on the medal stand against some of the world’s top competitors. For his career, Sloan is a 13-time X Games medalist, including five golds, while Hodges has won nine medals at the games, including three golds, the most recent of which came last year.
Perhaps the biggest local name is 10-time X Games gold medalist and skateboarding legend Bucky Lasek, a Baltimore native who has called the San Diego region home for more than a decade.
See a full list of local athletes planning to compete in the games below:
DES MOINES, IOWA – MAY 23: Gavin Rune Bottger competes during the Men’s Park Final at the Dew Tour on May 23, 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA – MAY 22: Tate Carew competes in the Men’s Park Semi-Final at the Dew Tour on May 22, 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 04: Bryce Wettstein of Team United States competes during the Women’s Skateboarding Park Preliminary Heat 4 on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on August 04, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Ramona, CA – July 15, 2021 – Slayground: Kohl Denney competing in Monster Energy Moto X QuarterPipe High Air during X Games Summer 2021.
(Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)
Ramona, CA – July 15, 2021 – Slayground: Axell Hodges competing in Monster Energy Moto X QuarterPipe High Air during X Games Summer 2021.
(Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JULY 22: Dennis Enarson competes in the BMX Park Final during the ESPN X Games at U.S. Bank Stadium on July 22, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Enarson finished in second place. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Transplants
Skateboarder Elliot Sloan (New York native who now lives in Vista)
VISTA, CA – AUGUST 11: Elliot Sloan competes in the Men’s Vert Final at the Nitro World Games on August 11, 2018 in Vista, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Skateboarder Sky Brown (British-Japanese skater who lives in San Diego)
Britain’s Sky Brown competes in the women’s park final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park Skateboarding in Tokyo on August 04, 2021. (Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)
Skateboarder Bucky Lasek (Maryland native who lives in Vista area)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Bucky Lasek attends Hilarity For Charity’s County Fair hosted by Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller Rogen at The Row on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Hilarity for Charity)
Skateboarder Clay Kreiner (South Carolina native who lives in San Diego)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JULY 18: Clay Kriener competes during the Men’s Skateboard Vert Qualifier at U.S. Bank Stadium on July 18, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Skateboarder Jimmy Wilkins (Ohio native who lives in Vista)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – AUGUST 01: Jimmy Wilkins competes in the Skateboard Vert at the X Games Minneapolis 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 01, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Skateboarder Mitchie Brusco (Washington native who lives in Vista)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – AUGUST 03: Mitchie Brusco practices prior to the Skateboard Big Air Final at the X Games Minneapolis 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 03, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
BMX rider Kevin Peraza (Arizona native who lives in San Diego area)
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – AUGUST 03: Kevin Peraza celebrates after his ride to take the lead during the Vans BMX Pro Cup Men’s Semifinal at the Vans Pro Park on August 3, 2018 in Huntington Beach, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
To see more information on Summer X Games 2022, click or tap here.
