USA Slalom Team Rider, Judi Oyama - Photo Tim Stahl

We are really excited to watch this event go down and we love that it’s LIVE - the USA women have dominated for years (Lynn Kramer and Judi Oyama) but we hear that some other countries are coming for the USA women hard and fast - so this should be the ultimate showdown!

This is a BIG deal!! They are expecting over 100 Racers at the World Championships of Slalom Skateboarding. This crown jewel of the 2023 global racing season, will take place September 29 - October 1, 2023 at Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem, Oregon.

USA Team Rider, Lynn Kramer - Photo Tim Stahl

The impressive roster of women’s racers ranges from young up and coming juniors - to the 16-Tme Women’s World Champion, Lynn Kramer – to legendary skateboarder and Skateboard Hall of Fame inductee, Judi Oyama

– and MANY more! This is going to an event for the record books with over 100 racers from 11 different countries and Women from 5 countries around the world.

Maggie Harrison is a USA Junior you should keep your eye on- she is making her mark! Photo Tim Stahl

The 2023 Slalom Skateboard World Championships is not only a huge step for Women’s Slalom Skateboarding, but also slalom skateboarding as a whole.

Current World Rankings as of August 2023

Key Event Details:

•  Date: September 29, 2023 – October 1, 2023

•  Location: Bush’s Pasture Park – 600 Mission Street SE, Salem, OR 97302

•  Schedule:

Friday September 29 – Giant Slalom (8am-6:30pm) – Finals 10:45am-2:00pm

Saturday September 30 – Hybrid Slalom (8am-6:30pm) – Finals 10:00am-2:00pm

Sunday October 1 – Tight Slalom (8am-5:30pm) – Finals 10:00am-2:00pm

*Note: The full schedule is posted on the usaslalomskateboarding.com website. Peak ac<on for viewing/media coverage is during Finals, which are noted in the schedule above.

You can watch the women compete LIVE on the official World Skate Channel (worldskate.tv) as well as other partner portals.

This three-day multi-camera “show” and will offer color commentary throughout to make sure the audience knows what they are seeing, who they are seeing and how everything works together.

Poster via N-Men The Movie

Get ready for a great documentary film featuring the men and women who paved the way!

“In 1975 the Z-Boys came to life in Dogtown. That same year in Northern California, the N-Men were formed. The Z-Boys only lasted 3 years. The N-Men and women have never stopped and have had a global impact on the world of skateboarding. Their story has never been told. Until now.”

We love that three of our Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word sponsored skaters over the years are featured in this film - congrats to Beverly Flood, Kat Folsom and Judi Oyama!

This film by James Sweigert was eleven years in the making and just won the LAFA film award here in Los Angeles - so you don’t want to miss this!

See the film and meet some of the N-Men (and women) in Sacramento when the film shows at The Crest Theater on June 2nd and 3rd!

We are happy that on International Women’s Day this video of our BFF, Judi Oyama, has dropped!

Meet Judi Oyama, a 63-year-old skateboarder who has been ripping the streets and skateparks for decades. As a pioneer of the sport, Judi was there for the inception of Independent Trucks and helped recruit many notable names to the Santa Cruz Skateboards team.

But Judi's love for skateboarding doesn't stop there. To this day, she still competes in slalom competitions, and is even a member of the US Slalom Skateboarding team.

In addition, Judi holds onto a treasure trove of skateboarding memorabilia, including rare boards, vintage magazines, and more.

Join us as we dive into the inspiring story of this skateboarding legend and learn how she continues to push the limits and break barriers in the world of skateboarding, while preserving its rich history for future generations to enjoy.

Pro Tip: keep your eyes out for a guest appearance by our Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team rider, Minna Stess

Leo Baker’s essay in Four Wheels and a Board

A new coffee table book about the history of skateboarding, the skaters, board graphics, and pivotal moments in skateboarding drops today.

Four Wheels and a Board, edited by Jane Rogers and Betsy Gordon, designed by Elise Crigar and Alex Barnes, and published by Smithsonian Books, chronicles skateboarding from its early surf roots to the recent 2020 Olympics.

Judi Oyama’s interview for Four Wheels and a Board

With essays and interviews from well know female and LGBTQ skaters throughout history, this is a book that every non-traditional skater should buy and read. Never before have these stories been told all in one place by the girls, women, and LGBTQ community that lived them.

At times the stories are very direct, and all are inspiring, coming from a marginalized group who forged their own way in a male-dominated industry. The essays and interviews are a factual look at the evolution of these non-traditional skateboarders. The book is filled with visual examples of these skaters’ history, and the layouts are stunning.

The cover of Four Wheels and a Board published by Smithsonian Books

You can order a copy of Four Wheels and a Board HERE

First off, we want to wish our bestie, Judi Oyama, a very Happy Birthday! She turns 63 years young on Saturday, and as many of you know from previous posts, Judi qualified to for Team USA to compete at the World Skate Games 2022 in Argentina in Slalom Racing.

There are no age divisions in men’s or women’s slalom racing at this level, so this is a kick-ass story that everyone should get behind!

Judi racing in her teens - photo Richard Oyama

Judi has been skateboarding since she was a pre-teen and has kept up with slalom throughout her life. She tells us she was floored when this came up and was told that she had enough points to be one of the USA Team to go to Argentina this month to compete.

Her first idea was to give her spot up to someone younger. But that’s not how this works - you earned it - you got it! So the more she thought about it and listened to friends and family, she came to the conclusion that she would go and she’d gear up and hopefully win a medal for Team USA when it’s all said and done.

But she didn’t stop there. Judi reached out to younger women in slalom and taught them skills to help them train more efficiently - even the women who lived all the way across the country. Her goal is to help the newest generation enjoy slalom the way she does and for more women to continue this rich skateboarding tradition.

Judi also single-handily designed the USA Team t-shirts for herself and her fellow racers, she designed and ordered stickers and more - all to get everyone on the same page so they’d look and feel like a co-cohesive team.

Team USA Slalom stickers Judi Designed and made for her teammates

** Slalom is not an Olympic Discipline (yet), so there is no funding - each racer must pay their own way, and there are no team uniforms provided by the country you are racing for - someone needed to do it, and Judi stepped up and did. She also showed other team members how to fundraise by reaching out to sponsors, asking for donations, and showing why telling people what you are doing and asking for what you want/need is important.

Today is Judi Oyama’s 63rd birthday, and we’d like to wish her not only a very Happy Birthday, all the best when she heads to Argentina next week to compete.

Judi is an inspiration to so many in skateboarding, and we can’t wait to see this Badass Skate Mom shred that hill!

GO JUDI!!

If you want to help support her journey or send Judi a little Happy Birthday gift - you can do so through LaCosta Racing Team, which is non-profit, and you can donate tax-free to support her via this LINK.

Please make sure you put JUDI OYAMA in the notes so the funds will go to her fundraising account.

Judi’s sponsors include:

NHS - her original sponsor in her professional skate career starting 4 decades ago!

Santa Cruz Skateboards

Bronson Bearings

Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Movement

Lenz Arts

Rip Tide Sports

Catto's Graphics

Roe Racing

Aptos Sports Foundation

N-Men

Jeff Traugott Guitars

Foy Construction

Santa Cruz Paving

Diamond D Concrete

CrossFit Aptos

Product Sponsors :

Giro Helmets

187 Killer Pads

Mob Grip Tape

Old Bones Therapy

Sk8Kings - Turbo Wheels

Vans

LifeAid Beverages

Camelbak

Merge4

Kuhl

Nike

Additional Help:

Laird Superfood

45RPM Vintage

La Costa Racing

Lots of friends and family!

Judi Oyama racing slalom back in the day - Photo Richard Oyama

In case you haven’t heard, Slalom racing has been invited to World Skate Games taking place in October 2022. The women are on fire, and we’d like to introduce you to one of our favorite slalom racers Judi Oyama.

Stepping on a skateboard over 49 years ago, Judi was one of the first Japanese American vert skateboarders. She slalom raced back in the ’70s when skaters did multiple disciplines - park, downhill, and freestyle. But Judi preferred timed events over judged events after a bad vert pool contest experience. From that date forward, Judi swore she’d only compete in timed events. 

Judi competing in Salem, Oregon

Judi had no intention of skateboarding for as long as she has, but now at age 62, Judi is proving that age isn’t a factor, and you can still have fun and compete at a high level - if you stay in shape. Judi just qualified to compete at the World Skate Games 2022 in Argentina (Buenos Aires and San Juan). She graciously offered to give up her well-earned spot for a younger racer, but she was told that her spot would go empty and that each racer had to earn their own spot. As of last month at The Slalom Supreme Race in Salem, Oregon the US team has six women qualified.

The USA team includes - Lynn Kramer, Judi Oyama, Madison Prez, Maggie Ramirez, Isa Ruiz, Lari Rupp and Aliera Soulsby-Monroy.

Some of the members of the USA men’s and women’s Slalom Team

This is the first time Vert, Slalom, and Downhill Skateboarding are going to debut so that one day these disciplines will hopefully be part of the Olympics.

Judi is currently raising the money to go to Worlds to cover her flights, hotels, rentals, and food expenses. The National team does not cover any of these expenses for athletes, so if you want to race, you need to fundraise on your own. She is even selling some of her vast collection of vintage skateboard items, which you can check out HERE.

Judi is also on the LaCosta Racing Team, which is non-profit, and you can donate tax-free to support her via this LINK.

Please make sure you put JUDI OYAMA in the notes so the funds will go to her fundraising account.

Judi’s sponsors include:

NHS - her original sponsor in her professional skate career starting 4 decades ago!

Santa Cruz Skateboards

Bronson Bearings

Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Movement

Lenz Arts

Rip Tide Sports

Catto's Graphics

Product Sponsors Are:

Giro Helmets

187 Killer Pads

Mob Grip Tape

Old Bones Therapy

Sk8Kings - Turbo Wheels


You can read more about the event HERE