NEW ORLEANS (July 25, 2026) — The inaugural MoonPay X Games New Orleans 2026 Championship has reached a fever pitch. With only one day of competition remaining, the landscape of the newly minted MoonPay X Games League (XGL) has been fundamentally altered. In a stunning display of poise and technical mastery, XC New York’s top draft pick, Chloe Covell, delivered a gold-medal performance in the final event of the day, vaulting her club into the coveted top spot of the XGL championship standings.
As the Superdome lights dimmed on Saturday night, the atmosphere was thick with the tension of a historic league title race. XC New York now sits at the summit with 2,280 points, narrowly edging out XC Tokyo, which holds 2,260 points. With XC São Paulo (2,120) and XC Los Angeles (2,050) still within striking distance, Sunday’s final showdown promises to be the most consequential day in the history of modern action sports.
A League Defined by Competitive Parity
The MoonPay X Games League has revolutionized the sport by shifting the focus from individual glory to club-based prestige. This geographic and team-centric model has added a layer of strategic depth that was previously unseen in the sport. The intensity of the rivalry was palpable throughout Saturday’s eight-event marathon, which spanned the disciplines of skateboard vert, street, park, BMX, and Moto X.
The race for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award has mirrored the team standings in its intensity. Mizuho Hasegawa of XC Tokyo currently leads the individual points race with 600, while Gui Khury of XC São Paulo trails closely with 550. The championship math for Sunday is unforgiving: should Khury secure gold in the Men’s Skateboard Vert, he will finish with 650 points, forcing Hasegawa to secure at least a bronze in the Women’s Skateboard Park to maintain her lead. If Khury falters and claims silver, Hasegawa’s path to the crown becomes significantly easier, requiring only a fourth-place finish or better.
Chronology of a High-Stakes Saturday
Saturday’s competition was a relentless display of progression, featuring eight distinct finals that tested the absolute limits of human physics.
Morning Session: The Rise of the Next Generation
The day commenced with the MoonPay Women’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick, a competition defined by its youthful vigor. With an average age of just 16, the field showcased the future of the sport. Eleven-year-old Mia Kretzer (XC Los Angeles) proved that age is merely a number, securing her fourth career X Games gold and her fifth medal of the 2026 season. Her "never-been-done" (NBD) fakie body varial 720 was the definitive highlight of the morning, cementing her status as the "steal of the draft"—the 39th of 40 total picks who is currently responsible for 26% of XC Los Angeles’ total points.
Mid-Day Intensity: BMX and Vert Dominance
The Stake Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick saw the legendary Ryan Williams (XC São Paulo) reclaim his throne. With an alley-oop frontflip 540 flair—dubbed "The Oliver Twist" in honor of his late friend Oliver Tree—Williams secured his 14th career X Games gold medal.
Simultaneously, the MoonPay Men’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick continued the reign of Gui Khury. By executing his signature kickflip body varial 900, Khury secured his eighth consecutive gold in the discipline. His dominance is statistically staggering, as he now holds the most gold and total medals of any teenager in the history of the X Games.
Afternoon & Evening: The Street and Moto X Spectacle
The Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Street competition witnessed Ginwoo Onodera (XC New York) complete a "hat trick" of three consecutive gold medals in the event. His final trick—a technical kickflip front blunt fakie down the rail—was a masterclass in precision that no other competitor could replicate.
In the Moto X Best Trick, Jose Canosa of Spain emerged as the dark horse. The 23-year-old landed a massive frontflip double seatgrab Indian air to score a 97.00 on his final run. His victory served as a reminder of the rapid evolution of freestyle motocross, where the margin between a podium finish and a crash is measured in fractions of a second.
The Stake Men’s BMX Dirt event saw Brady Baker (XC Los Angeles) carve his name into the history books as the first four-time gold medalist in the discipline. Baker’s technical run, featuring a Twister tailwhip and a cash roll to tail windshield wiper, showcased a level of consistency that few in the sport can match.
Supporting Data: The Statistical Landscape
The statistical breakdown of the New Orleans event underscores the depth of the talent pool in the XGL:
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Club Standings:
- XC New York: 2,280 points (1st)
- XC Tokyo: 2,260 points (2nd)
- XC São Paulo: 2,120 points (3rd)
- XC Los Angeles: 2,050 points (4th)
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Key Individual Milestones:
- Chloe Covell: Tied Leticia Bufoni’s record of 12 career medals in summer disciplines.
- Tom Schaar: Secured his 22nd overall medal, moving into the top four for all-time skateboard medals.
- Ryan Williams: Increased his career medal tally to 18, the most by any athlete currently competing in the XGL.
Official Athlete Responses
The sentiment following the events was one of profound camaraderie coupled with intense professional rivalry.
"I went back home for a week after Chiba and I was trying to find a big trick to throw down for the championship," said Mia Kretzer following her historic win. "I was training to get the Fakie 540, but I just kept spinning, and eventually, I got the 720."
For Chloe Covell, the focus remained on the team dynamic. "I’m so stoked, so happy to do it for my team, especially. We were so close to getting into the number one spot and Momiji and I did so good. It’s so crazy—I don’t even think about things like [tying Bufoni] until I’m told. Leticia means so much to the sport and I’ve been hanging out with her all weekend."
Tom Schaar, reflecting on his third gold in the Men’s Skateboard Park, noted the unique pressure of the team format: "The team is great. I mean, I finished my run. I come over to the LA booth and they’re all cheering me on. It makes you feel like a fan, honestly."
Implications for the Future of Action Sports
The inaugural MoonPay X Games League has proven that the team-based structure is not merely a novelty; it is a catalyst for higher-level performance. By providing athletes with a club identity, the XGL has fostered deeper fan engagement and a more sustainable career path for competitors.
As the XGL moves into its final day in New Orleans, the implications are clear: the sport is no longer just about the individual athlete’s capacity for risk, but their ability to contribute to a collective legacy. With MSP Sports Capital backing the league, the institutional support for these athletes is at an all-time high.
The battle for the inaugural championship is now a two-horse race between New York and Tokyo. If Covell and her squad can maintain their momentum, they will etch their names into history as the first winners of the MoonPay X Games League. However, in a sport where the slightest shift in weight or timing can result in an NBD trick or a devastating fall, nothing is guaranteed. Sunday’s finale is set to be the defining moment for the next generation of action sports.
Fans can catch the conclusion of this historic event on ABC, ESPN, the ESPN App, and Disney+. Global streaming is available on the Roku Sports Channel, X Games YouTube, Kick, and Amazon FAST.
