This past weekend at the 2019 X Games in Minneapolis, pro skater, diehard metalhead and Revolver homie Elliot Sloan took gold in Big Air on the MegaRamp with a score of 91.66 in his fifth and final run courtesy of an Indy 720 over the gap into a tailgrab 900. He narrowly edged out Mitchie Brusco, who made history by successfully landing the first 1260 in skateboarding history. Sloan's X Games win earned him a $25,000 prize purse, plus he'll receive another $35,000 from his sponsors (Rockstar Energy and Weed Maps). But the real prize for him was the whole X Games experience, which included DJing before Diplo!
HOW DID YOU PREPARE DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR FROM PRIOR CONTESTS?
ELLIOT SLOAN I had way more confidence going into this one and I wasn't as stressed. I've been meditating and going to a sports psychologist and really getting my head straight. It's all about confidence. It's incredible how your nerves can mess with you in a competition like that.
.@Elliotsloan wins gold in The Real Cost Skateboard Big Air at #XGames Minneapolis 2019! pic.twitter.com/xEAEopwROk
— X Games (@XGames) August 3, 2019
WHAT WAS YOUR GAME PLAN GOING INTO THIS CONTEST?
My game plan was to land that final run I made, but earlier, so I was have a few more runs to get creative with some other stuff I'd been working on. And in preparation for this year, I actually did a lot more 900s during practice at home and also during practice at the event, which I've never tried.
THE FORMAT CHANGED THIS YEAR. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT WAS DIFFERENT AND HOW THAT AFFECTED YOU?
This year, the MegaRamp competition was a 15-minute jam session, so it was a little more loose and you didn't have to awkwardly wait at the top for someone to tell you to go. Also, I actually thought I had more time after my last run, so I was still pretty confident and not stressed. If I knew it was my last run, that could have messed with my head.
MITCHIE BRUSCO LANDED A 1260, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. HOW DID YOU FEEL THEY WOULD SCORE THIS?
I thought it was close, but they score both tricks, not just the second one. And he went off the smaller jump and did a switchback 180. I did Indy 720 and then a 900 tailgrab and I guess that was enough.
YOU LEFT WITH THE GOLD MEDAL AND DJ'D A SET OPENING FOR DIPLO AFTER? HOW WAS THAT?
It was so sick. I've been skating my ass off the last six weeks and haven't had a drink, so it felt good to let loose after the win. The venue is amazing and the sound is incredible. It was a perfect way to end the night. We raged until six in the morning.
Below, watch Elliot Sloan and skateboard pioneer Steve Caballero jam together and discuss their love of music:
