Live: On third day of X Games Tony Hawk to compete in Skateboard Vert Best Trick

Skateboarding is in the spotlight as X Games completes its three-day weekend in Ventura on Sunday. Four of the five events left are skateboarding events, which begin at 9 a.m. with the Women's Skateboarding Street Best Trick competition. Medals for Women's Skateboarding Park, Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick, Men’s Skateboard Street and Skateboard Vert Best Trick will also be won. Total weekend attendance can break 50,000 if the event draws a crowd similar to Friday.

Refresh for the latest news and photos.

• Day 2 coverage: Saturday's massive second day drew more than 23,000 people to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Young Aussies Chloe Covell and Arisa Trew put their mark on the Games by grabbing gold in Women's Skateboarding Street and Vert, respectively. The Star's Isaiah Murtaugh watched the games through the eyes of a local teenage skateboarder Ashley Kaller.

• Day 1 coverage: Friday's opening day included a memorable performance from Brady Baker, who sometimes practices at Sapwi Bike Park in Thousand Oaks, in BMX Dirt Eliminations, an appearance from X Games legend Tony Hawk commentating on Men's Skateboarding Vert. The Star's Isaiah Murtaugh shared what it was like hit the rails and to take the Amtrak Surfliner into Ventura for the Games.

• Avoid traffic jams: The strategy includes trains, buses, off-site parking, traffic text alerts and even roadside assistance on the 101 Freeway. Here are more tips to know before heading to Ventura.

• What’s at stake: It's rare for cities to make money on big sporting events, but economists say Ventura could more than recover its $250,000 subsidy for the X Games.

Video: Tony Hawk on Skateboard Vert Best Trick

From the top of the ramp: Tony Hawk

The name synonymous with skateboarding warmed up with the rest of the field at the X Games Skateboard Vert Best Trick Sunday afternoon. Tony Hawk received a bellowing welcome from announcer Brad J and raucous applause from the crowd below.

"And a man who needs no introduction whatsoever, but we're going to give it to him anyway," Brad J announced, "the living legend of skateboarding, 55 years young: Tonnnnny Hawk."

From the top of the ramp, Hawk waved to the crowd and held up his skateboard before dropping in.

Tony Hawk to compete in Skateboard Vert Best Trick

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has been officially announced as a competitor for Skateboard Vert Best Trick at the X Games.

He will skate last, or tenth, in the competition with Gui Khury, Jimmy Wilkins, Moto Shibata and more at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

— Wes Woods II

Celebrities at X Games includes Bert Kreischer, Lil Wayne

Hip-hop artist Lil Wayne and comedian Bert Kreischer were among the confirmed celebrities at the X Games.

Wayne was at the Men’s Skateboard Street Best Trick on Saturday. Kreischer was at the Games on Sunday on television and mingling in the crowd.

Skateboarder and television personality Bam Margera was also at the X Games on Saturday.

— Wes Woods II, Joe Curley

X Games three-day attendance announced

Over three days, attendance for the X Games was 52,000 people.

The figure was announced on the Sunday YouTube broadcast.

On Saturday, 23,151 people attended the event at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. On Friday, 12,627 people attended.

— Wes Woods II, Tom Kisken

X Games crowd confused by Oxnard nickname

Brad Jay, the X Games announcer, had to explain to the crowd Oxnard's nickname on Sunday.

X Games fans watch, try out obstacle course

Hector Robles, 43, of the Bay Area was at the X Games on Sunday watching his 5-year-old grandson on the Exposure skateboard course at the X Games inside the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Kids of all ages could be seen on skateboards and bicycles trying out Exposure's small halfpipe and ramps. The youths had to sign waivers before participating. Robles grandson, nicknamed Jojo, was on a skateboard clearly enjoying the ride.

"It's really good how he progressed on the skateboard so this is why I was like, 'It's time to invest in you and see what you can do with it,'" said Robles, of Discovery Bay.

— Wes Woods II

General admission bleacher viewing full

The bleacher viewing at general admission is full, according to an X Games alert.

The alert requests people onsite to watch X Games competitions on the nearby jumbo screens.

— Wes Woods II

Photos: See Women's Skateboard Street Best Trick competitors

X Games athletes Mariah Duran, Liz Akama, Chloe Covell and Rayssa Leal competed Sunday in the Women’s Skateboard Street Best Trick.

Duran placed first, Akama took second and Covell finished third.

Check out Taya Gray's event photo gallery here.

Hardflip leads Mariah Duran to X Games gold

The master of the hardflip used her bread and butter for more glory Sunday morning.

American skater Mariah Duran earned her first X Games gold medal in five years by winning the Women’s Skateboard Park Best Trick on Sunday morning.

The hardflip is described by xgames.com as “the combination of a frontside pop shove-it and kickflip.”

“That’s kind of the trick that I’m like known for,” Duran said. “I was like, ‘I might as well just try it’ … and see what happens. Made it happen.”

The gold was the first for the Albuquerque, New Mexico native since Sydney in 2018. She now has three golds, a silver and two bronze medals in her eight-year X Games career.

— Joe Curley

X Games parking sold out

X Games parking on Sunday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds is officially sold out, a spokesperson confirmed.

A message was sent to people who signed up for the X Games text messages.

— Wes Woods II

Women skaters in the X Games house

Some of the heaviest hitters in women’s skateboarding have arrived for the last day of the X Games in Ventura. Brazil’s Rayssa Leal competed in Women’s Street Best Trick and Japan’s Cocona Hiraki has the early lead in Women’s Park.

— Joe Curley

So what do X Games athletes think of Ventura?

Japanese skater Liz Akama (through a translator) on Ventura“I’ve never been here before, so I was really curious what the city looked like. As it turns out, it’s really beautiful, illustrated by the beach. The air is really fresh and beautiful, so I’d really like to come back again, maybe for another X Games.”

New Mexican skater Mariah Duran after winning Women’s Skateboarding Street Best Trick this morning weighed in on Ventura as an X Games venue.

“I love how it’s just right by the beach, you can just jump in the ocean. I’m a desert kid, so I don’t go that far. But it’s super nice. My mom has been enjoying it, waking up at like 6 in the morning, walking the beach and then coming back for breakfast. She loves it. It’s been really special for sure."

And would she like to see X Games come back to Ventura?

“100%," Duran says. "And I’m sure all my friends and family would want to come, too.”

Of course, motocross rider Colby Raha chimed in Saturday: "Ventura is rad."

— Joe Curley

Big attendance leads to some frustration

Some general admission ticket holders expressed frustration that their tickets didn't didn't give them access to some events.

An X Games spokesperson said Sunday morning that the seats had been restricted to VIPs on Saturday only due to the sellout, and that some would be reopened to GA ticket-holders on Sunday on a first-come, first-serve basis.

By the time of the men's park final, Kaller had been joined by friend Sage O'Neil. The pair found seats on the asphalt below the large screen broadcasting live video feed of the event a few hundred yards away.

X Games officials said 35,778 people attended the first two days of the X Games at the Ventura County Fair.

On Saturday, 23,151 people attended, almost twice the 12,627 attendance on Friday.

Punk rock art for sale at X Games

Prints and original artwork from skateboarders like Steve Caballero and musicians like Ventura's Jason Cruz of punk rock band Strung Out are available at the Punk Rock and Paintbrushes booth at the X Games.

Prints range from $300-$600 and original pieces are $1,000-$2,000, said Punk Rock Art founder and owner Emily Nielsen.

For more information, head to punkrockart.com

X Games final day

The Women's Skateboard Street Best Trick contest kicked off at 9 a.m. at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

YouTube live stream can be found here and Twitch live stream can be found here.

Sunday's schedule

• 8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. Women’s Skateboard Street Best Trick Warm Up

• 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Women’s Skateboard Street Best Trick

• 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Women’s Skateboard Park Warm Up

• 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Women’s Skateboard Park

• 12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick Warm Up

• 12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Dave Mirra’s BMX Park Best Trick

• 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Men’s Skateboard Street Warm Up

• 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Men’s Skateboard Street

• 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Skateboard Vert Best Trick Warm Up

• 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Skateboard Vert Best Trick

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Live: On third day of X Games Tony Hawk to compete in Vert Best Trick