Brazil native Kelvin Hoefler wins 2017 Dew Tour Long Beach skateboarding title

LONG BEACH >> For the second time in his career, Kelvin Hoefler of Sao Paulo, Brazil, won a Dew Tour event in Southern California on Sunday after he captured the 2017 Dew Tour Long Beach skateboarding title with 95.40 points. Hoefler won the 2015 contest in Los Angeles.

“I can’t describe my performance,” Hoefler said. “I train so hard to put it all out there.”

Orange County’s Nyjah Huston finished in second with 93.00 points while 18-year old rookie Yuto Horigome of Tokyo, Japan, finished in third with 91.40 points.

“This is my first Dew Tour,” Horigome said. “I am leaving with a great performance and I am happy.”

Twelve pro competitors competed in the semifinals with two heats each on the tech, rail, and gap courses. The top six advanced to final round, where Hoefler put down run after run with tricks that brought oohs and ahhs from the fans who packed the Long Beach Arena.

“It was pretty dope,” Hoefler said. “I liked (the three different courses) a lot.”

Horigome gained praise from his fellow competitors after the newcomer surprised fans and skaters with his poise on the big stage. Horigome, who had to skate three days in a row — qualifying on Friday, team competition on Saturday, and finals on Sunday — showed little fatigue in his final rounds as he brought energy with his bag of tricks.

“He put it out there,” Hoefler said. “That guy is the future.”

“I skated with a lot of these competitors before at street league,” Horigome said. “They are awesome.”

Salt Lake City, Utah native Tyson Bowerbank won the amateur competition in the morning with a score of 249.60.