Monster Energy Hosts Street League Skateboarding "Unsanctioned 3" Pro Skateboarding Contest at Skatebird Skatepark in Miami
Street League Skateboarding (SLS) and Monster Energy present SLS Unsanctioned for the third edition with a hand-picked roster of ten pro skaters battling for the title of Unsanctioned Champion at Skatebird Skatepark in Miami.
MIAMI, Dec. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Street League Skateboarding (SLS) and Monster Energy present a special treat for the holidays: SLS Unsanctioned, the invitational contest presented by Monster Energy, returns for the third edition with a hand-picked roster of ten pro skaters battling for the title of Unsanctioned Champion at Skatebird Skatepark in Miami.
Presented by SLS broadcast commentator Andrew Cannon, the television showcase premiered on ESPN2 yesterday. For the replay, fans can watch the 47-minute video featuring all the action from the SLS Unsanctioned 3 event on the SLS YouTube Channel here. The action-packed broadcast was produced by Thrill One Sports and Entertainment, the world's largest independent action sports company.
The SLS Unsanctioned event series started in 2020 in response to the pandemic lockdown on skateboarding competitions. When the virus forced Street League Skateboarding to pause its renowned World Tour series, organizers wanted to keep bringing world-class skate competitions to fans.
The first installment of SLS Unsanctioned was contested inside pro skater Nyjah Huston's private skatepark facility in December 2020 with Monster Energy as the presenting sponsor. The series continued in April 2021 with Unsanctioned 2 at Volcom Skatepark in Costa Mesa, with Monster Energy's Ishod Wair clinching the win.
The year 2021 marked the return of the SLS World Championship Tour and SLS Super Crown World Championship in front of live audiences. But as a special treat to close out the year, SLS and Monster Energy present Unsanctioned 3 with the same formula that resonated with fans: Ten hand-picked pro skateboarders battling it out in a private setting according to SLS competition rules to crown a winner.
For Unsanctioned 3, the cast of pros included previous Unsanctioned Champion Dashawn Jordan, Brazil's Carlos Ribeiro, as well as Monster Energy's Kelvin Hoefler and Gabriel Fortunato. Calling the shots, a high-profile panel of judges watched the action closely: The all-female judges cast of proven SLS pros included Leticia Bufoni, Rayssa Leal, and Aori Nishimura.
As the action got underway, the invited pros brought world-class skateboarding to the recently finished public skatepark in Miami. In the 45-second Line Section, 23-year-old Gabriel Fortunato from São Paulo, Brazil, finessed an almost perfect run: nollie crooked grind into the quarterpipe, frontside bluntslide the flat rail, fakie backside lipslide the handrail, nollie boardslide the tall rail, backside Smith grind and nollie frontside boardslide the handrail and a closely missed hardflip down the stair set scored the rookie 18.5 points.
Putting together one of the day's strongest Line scores, 28-year-old Kelvin Hoefler from São Paulo, Brazil attacked the course with a switch frontside tailslide the ledge into the bank, nollie frontside nosegrind the flat rail, switch frontside bluntslide and switch backside bluntslide the handrail, backside lipslide the tall rail, kickflip into the bank, frontside 360 over the hip, and a kickflip backside lipslide the rail for 24.00 points and an early lead.
When the tight contest proceeded into Single Trick attempts, Fortunato tried to up the ante with a nollie backside bluntslide down the big rail but could not stick the landing. On his last attempt, the Brazilian upstart redeemed himself with a perfect hardflip over the hubba for a 9 Club score of 27.00 points but did not earn enough points to advance to the final.
Hoefler kept his momentum going in Single Tricks with a Caballerial backside lipslide down the big rail for 25.00 points. But on his next attempts, the Olympic silver medalist could not stick the landing on a highly technical sugarcane grind the big rail and found himself out of the cut for the Super Final.
When all was said and done, neither Fortunato nor Hoefler could clinch a podium spot or unseat the SLS Unsanctioned 3 Champion. But no spoilers! To learn which skateboarder wowed the judges and claimed the coveted title at Skatebird Miami, make sure to watch the full broadcast on the SLS YouTube Channel here.
Thanks to Street League Skateboarding and Thrill One Sports and Entertainment for making this exclusive event happen to end the year that saw skateboarding return to live competitions. Also stay tuned for the reveal of the 2022 SLS World Championship Tour stops and dates. More soon!
For more on Kelvin Hoefler, Gabriel Fortunato and the Monster Energy skateboard team visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Also follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive updates from the 2021 skateboarding season.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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SOURCE Monster Energy
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