Women’s Skate Park, as well as women’s skate street, are happening this weekend at the X Games, and you can watch both LIVE!

Did we also mention that pro skater and Olympian, Amelia Brodka, will be one of the on-air analysts for the X Games? We can’t wait to hear Amelia’s perspective on the women’s events! Make sure you tune in and support!

Saturday, July 23rd - Women’s Skate Park

10:00 AM PT / 1 PM ET

On ABC and ESPN+

Sunday, July 24th - Women’s Skate Street

12:00 PM PT / 3 PM ET

On ABC and ESPN+

The women’s lineup for X Games park and street is looking like a packed field of shredders from all over the globe.

WOMEN’S PARK INVITED ATHLETES (as of 7/12/22)

• Lizzie Armanto

• Sky Brown

• Yurin Fujii

• Cocona Hiraki

• Ruby Lilley

• Kisa Nakamura

• Minna Stess

• Mami Tezuka

• Bryce Wettstein

• Sakura Yosozumi

WOMEN’S STREET INVITED ATHLETES (as of 7/12/22)

• Samarria Brevard

• Leticia Bufoni

• Chloe Covell

• Rayssa Leal

• Funa Nakayama

• Aori Nishimura

• Momiji Nishiya

• Poe Pinson

• Pamela Rosa

• Roos Zwetsloot

Fans can also consume behind-the-scenes X Games content on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. On TikTok, fans can discover and stay tuned in to the X Games action by checking out #XGames and using the hashtag in their own content for a chance to be featured.

In addition to the content on ESPN’s U.S.-based media platforms, X Games 2022 will be televised globally in 192 countries and territories to more than 500 million homes.

Image via SLS - Rayssa Leal 1st, Yumeka Oda 2nd, Pamela Rosa 3rd

The SLS Women’s Comp in Jacksonville, FL was seriously unbelievable - if you missed any portion of the prelims or finals, we have both here.

Watch the SLS women’s prelims that took place on Saturday because all the women seriously ripped! There were some surprises there, too, so it’s definitely worth a watch!

It was also a bonus having OG skater Alex White back doing interviews with the skaters - let’s keep that going!!

In the finals, it was a battle until the end with Rayssa Leal and Yumeka Oda.

Rayssa prevailed on her last trick scoring a 7.5 on her final trick attempt to sail her past Yumeka and into first place. This is the 4th SLS women’s event that Rayssa has won.

It should be noted that there was some interesting confusion when Pamela Rosa got a ZERO score on one of her tricks as the judges said she executed a trick from one of her two runs leading up to the trick section. As of last year, skaters may NOT execute a trick in the best trick portion of the contest that they have done in one of their two runs. Pamela seemed to either be confused or was saying it was a “variation” on a trick she had performed in her run. Either way, her score stayed at Zero for that trick attempt.

Watch the SLS prelims and the finals and see how much women’s street skateboarding has progressed!

RESULTS

1. Rayssa Leal (BRA) - 23.2

2. Oda Yumeka (JPN) - 23.0

3. Pamela Rosa (BRA) - 17.6

4. Nishiya Momiji (JPN) - 17.5

5. Roos Zwetsloot (NED)- 17.1

6. Poe Pinson (USA) - 14.5

7. Gabi Mazetto (BRA) - 12.5

8. Nishimura Aori - 10.4

Past SLS Competition - Image via SLS

Get ready, because SLS is starting this weekend and the women are more than ready! Some are just getting back from competing in Rome at Olympic qualifiers and the heat is ON. Tune in and give your support to all the women skating in SLS this weekend!

Where is SLS Jacksonville taking place?

The competition will be held at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

How do I Watch?

Info via SLS

What time is SLS Jacksonville?

Saturday, July 16 Women's & Men's Prelims

• 12:00 PM - 2:05 PM ET Women's Prelims (2 Runs + 4 Tricks)

Sunday, July 17 Women's & Men's Final 

• 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM ET Women's Final (2 Runs + 4 Tricks + 2 Tricks, 8 skaters)

What is the SLS 2022 schedule?

• Jacksonville, Florida - July 16-17

• Seattle, Washington - August 13-14

• Las Vegas, Nevada - September 8-9

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - November 5-6

Women Competing on SLS 2022 Tour

Rayssa Leal

Aori Nishimura

Marina Gabriela

Candy Jacobs

Pamela Rosa

Samarria Brevard

Funa Nakayama

Vitoria Mendonca

Roos Zwetsloot

Keet Oldenbeuving

Gabriela Mazetto

Momiji Nishiya

Poe Pinson

Yumeka Oda

We thought it was time to revisit this amazing day we witnessed in 2016 at the Vans Pro Skate Series in Huntington Beach, CA. When this “new girl” dropped into the park and started skating, people wrongly assumed that Hanna Zanzi virtually came out of nowhere. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Hanna had been skating since she was a young kid tearing it up at CASL contests and all the other events meant for kids her age. After a few years of winning against the girls, and boys, she quietly slid out of the contest scene, but she still kept skating - for herself.

Hanna Zanzi - - Photo Ian Logan

Coming back and entering the Vans Pro Park Series was fun for her - win or lose, she was out to skate hard, try daring new tricks, and smile no matter what. She had a 100% “go for broke” attitude. Nothing was calculated, there were no specific runs in her head, she just skated. Hard. Girls who had been competing together often were upended by the situation of this “newcomer” in their midst. When she posted a huge score on her first run during the finals, that was it. She had the lead and was poised to win. After the last skater took their run and the scores showed that she was way ahead of the second closest skater, the crowd went wild and the tide turned. Hanna totally shook up the womxn’s competitive skateboarding circuit that day.

Podium - Jordyn Barratt 3rd, Hanna Zanzi 1st, Lizzie Armanto 2nd - Photo Ian Logan

We firmly believe that having open contests like this (as opposed to invite only) only makes womxn’s skateboarding that much stronger and pushes everyone a bit harder.

Know your women’s skate history and the stories that are buried a bit, like Hanna’s - it’s important.

X Games 2022 Returns to Southern California July 20-24 with More than 15 Hours of Live Coverage

• All X Games Competitions to Stream Live on ESPN+ for the First Time Ever
  
  

WOMEN’S SKATE SCHEDULE - TUNE IN!

Saturday, July 23rd - Women’s Skateboard Park

In this Final-only format, the eight to ten athletes will complete as many runs as possible within a 36-minute jam session, with their best run score counting towards final ranking. Competitors will be judged based on aggressive execution of maneuvers, degree of difficulty, variety, continuity of run, originality and style, amplitude (height of airs) and use of the course.

Women’s Competition Format
Final 10 (1 heat of 10) 36-min jam Best score per rider

1 PM ET / 10 AM PT (block of various events - but women’s park should come on first)

On ABC and ESPN+

Sunday, July 24th - Women’s Skateboard Street

The Street competition features a street-inspired course that consists of stair sets, banks, manual pads, ledges, rails and quarterpipes. In this Final-only format, the ten athletes will complete as many runs as possible within a 36-minute jam session, with their best run score counting towards final ranking. Competitors will be scored on degree of difficulty, variety, height, distance and execution of
tricks, along with continuity of run, originality, style and use of the entire course.

Women’s Competition Format

Final 10 (1 heat of 10). 36-min jam Best score per rider

1PM ET / 10 AM PT - (women’s street should come on right after BMX Dirt and Street Best Trick)

On ABC and ESPN+

This event marks the first time X Games content will stream live on ESPN+, in addition to more than 15 hours of the best action sports competition on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC July 20 – 24. X Games will once again collaborate with Instagram and TikTok to bring fans the most extensive coverage on social media.

In addition to the content on ESPN’s U.S.-based media platforms, X Games 2022 will be televised globally in 192 countries and territories to more than 500 million homes.

Social Media & Entertainment Platforms at X Games 2022

With a projected 1000+ posts from July 20-24, @XGames social media will be firing on all cylinders with behind-the-scenes content, viral-potential TikTok’s & Reels and athlete collabs of gold, silver and bronze medal runs. Fans can consume X Games content on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. On TikTok, fans can discover and tune in/watch alongside/stay tuned to the X Games action by checking out #XGames and using the hashtag in their own content for a chance to be featured.

A NEW FEMALE ANALYST JOINS JACK MITRANI!

It also exciting to hear that pro skater Amelia Brodka will be joining the team of play-by-play commentators and analysts! Gary Rogers returns with help from newcomers Renton Millar and Amelia Brodka, covering Skateboard Vert, MegaPark and Women’s events, respectively. Brodka is a two-time X Games competitor and represented Poland at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Announcer for the Bondi Bowlarama and X Games Sydney 2018, Millar’s skateboarding career spanned more than 30 years and all facets of the industry.  

ESPN’s Victoria Arlen provides the week’s sideline reporting.

The women’s lineup for X Games park and street has been updated and it’s looking like a packed field of shredders from all over the globe.

WOMEN’S PARK INVITED ATHLETES (as of 7/12/22)

• Lizzie Armanto

• Sky Brown

• Yurin Fujii

• Cocona Hiraki

• Ruby Lilley

• Kisa Nakamura

• Minna Stess

• Mami Tezuka

• Bryce Wettstein

• Sakura Yosozumi

WOMEN’S STREET INVITED ATHLETES (as of 7/12/22)

• Samarria Brevard

• Leticia Bufoni

• Chloe Covell

• Rayssa Leal

• Funa Nakayama

• Aori Nishimura

• Momiji Nishiya

• Poe Pinson

• Pamela Rosa

• Roos Zwetsloot

Fans gather in the Community Market at the 2019 Vans US Open of Surfing. 
Photo Credit: Brandon Means / Vans US Open of Surfing

 World’s Largest Action Sports Festival Returns to Huntington Beach Showcasing Surf, Skateboarding and BMX Competition, and Southern California Beach Culture from July 30 - August 7; Nine-Day Festival Will Feature Engaging Creative Activities for the Entire Family and Community Events

Huntington Beach, Calif./USA (July 6, 2022) — The 2022 Vans US Open of Surfing (VUSOS) today announced its schedule of events for the nine-day action sports festival including surf, skateboarding and BMX competition as well as a full calendar of engaging creative activities for the entire family to enjoy. The world’s largest action sports festival returns to the southside of the Huntington Beach Pier from July 30 through August 7, 2022. The entire event is free and open to the public from 7:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. every day. Fans can find more details and the full schedule of events at VansUSOpenofSurfing.com.

The theme of this year’s Vans US Open of Surfing is focused on the importance of environmental responsibility. Eco-consciousness is integrated into all Vans activations to showcase the connection of sustainability with surf culture and surf product. This year’s VUSOS also features community events including a two-day youth surf camp experience from August 3-4 with two sessions, where non-profits from around Southern California will bring in youth from underserved communities to experience the US Open. Led by longtime Vans non-profit partner City Surf Project, additional partners for the US Open Vans Surf Camp include Stoked Mentoring, Native Like Water, and the HB Rangers program.

The Vans US Open offers a plethora of live action summer entertainment, including surfboard shaping workshops, art installations, customization workshops, music lessons, movie premieres and much more. Activities and workshops are scheduled every day beginning July 30. Highlights taking place on-site include:

ACTIVITIES

• 9 a.m. - 4p.m. DAILY: Van Doren Village is open daily featuring a multitude of activities, sponsor booths and the Vans Retail Experience, an immersive shopping experience tied directly to the theme of sustainability including:

  • Wetsuit Repair w/Stitchbox - In the spirit of upcycling and sustainability, the event will offer free wetsuit repair for the local community throughout the entire event w/ Buddy Pendergast and his crew at Stitchbox.

  • Duct Tape Shaping Bay - The shaping bay will use eco-friendly materials with Golden State Glassing and Shred Co. Experiences will be available to Vans Family, Athletes, Media, KOL's and social sweepstake winners.

  • Vans Community Market - Featuring vendors such as Vinyl Solution, Costa Mesa Ceramics, Jokers Skateshop, Sustainable Coastlines, OC Coast Keeper and more. Thursday August 4 will also feature a community market board swap with rare and unique surf craft and accessories.

• 12-2 p.m. DAILY: Steve Van Doren BBQ - Vans founder Steve Van Doren will be on the grill serving free lunch to fans every day

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. DAILY: The Vans Retail Store is open daily. 

• August 1 & 2 - Vans Skatepark Sessions (BMX / Skate) - Adding to the DIY skate element, Vans will again host open-to-the-public skate and BMX sessions for the community.

  BMX fans will also experience the brand-new Vans BMX Waffle Cup event, showcasing creative BMX street style and unique BMX obstacles. RSVP to secure your spot at www.vansusopenofsurfing.com. 

• August 3 & 4 - Vans Surf Camp will take place each morning, providing access and resources to learn to surf for all ages. Vans will be partnering with non-profit organizations including Stoked Mentoring and City Surf Project to activate.

Fans watch the action of the surf finals at the 2019 Vans US Open of Surfing. 
Photo Credit: Kenny Morris / World Surf League

COMPETITION

• 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. DAILY: World Surf League’s Challenger Series (Men & Women) - The Vans US Open of Surfing will feature the fourth stop of the WSL Challenger Series with 160 of the world’s best and rising talent who will be competing for Championship Tour qualification. Finals are scheduled to run on August 7.

• July 30 & 31: Vans BMX Waffle Cup (Men & Women) - Named by BMX star Dakota Roche, this competition is where the best in BMX will take center stage and will kick off this year's Vans US Open of Surfing weekend.

• August 2-7: The Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival (Men & Women) - Where culture meets competition. For the first time ever, this year’s competition will be sanctioned by the WSL as part of the World Surf Longboard Tour. Featuring 40 of the world’s best male and female longboarders competing for a total prize purse of $50,000, including previous winner Justin Quintal and world number one, Harrison Roach, WSL Women’s World Longboarding Champion Honolua Blomfield, style maven Karina Rozunko, and more. The Duct Tape Invitational will also highlight four influential names in action sports to create hand-shaped surfboards for the community including Olympic Park Skateboarder Zion Wright, local renowned surfboard shaper Troy Elmore, pro surfer Holly Wawn and three-time X Games BMX medalist Dakota Roche. 

• August 6 & 7: Vans Showdown (Men & Women) -  Anchoring the nine-day festival is the Vans Showdown,  featuring the most relevant street skaters from around the world to celebrate skate culture by bringing together the world’s most exciting and stylish skaters.

  Following the end of the 2022 Vans US Open of Surfing, all build materials will be repurposed through the Skatepark Project to donate towards an current park build in Southern California.

For a complete schedule of events, how to tune into the action and additional information, please visit: VansUSOpenofSurfing.com.

Recognized as the largest professional sports competition and action sports festival in the world, the Vans US Open of Surfing is currently sanctioned by the World Surf League and operated in conjunction with IMG, the event owner. Official partners of this year's event include Vans, 805, BF Goodrich, Flying Embers, Hydro Flask, Pacifico, Sambazon, Shiseido, YouTheory and more.

Photo Ian Logan

Premier Skateboarding Association (PSA) announced last night via Instagram, that they, unfortunately, had to postpone their season opener on July 9th at SoFi Stadium. Looks like more details and a new date are coming - so stay tuned!

Photo In Logan

We are all about this new league and the funds they are infusing into women’s skateboarding! We will be the first to announce when new dates have been set so you can buy a ticket and watch it all go down!

If you haven’t watched Mano A Mano this season - it’s a must!

Ruby Lilley takes on Amelia Brodka in the final game of Mano A Mano 2022. And there is some serious skating going down. Stay tuned and get ready to gen pumped!

What is Mano A Mano? The game brings 24 of the world’s best transition skaters together for a single-elimination Game of S.K.A.T.E. tournament on the iconic Mini Ramp at Woodward West. New for 2022 is an 8-skater women’s division featuring top pros and up-and-coming talent, along with a handful of bonus challenges for cash prizes.

Funa Nakayama ~ Photo via World Skate

The Women’s Skateboarding Street Qualifier today in Rome was insane! We don’t want to give it all away in case you missed it live (we have the full video below) but we will say that Chloe Covell from AU was absolutely killing it! At just twelve years old Chloe solidly held her own with these seasoned competitors. The Japanese skaters were determined to make this a full sweep even with the two Brazilians, Rayssa Leal and Pamela Rosa nipping at their heels. Fierce competition took place and it was anyone’s guess as to who would make it onto the podium.

It also bears noting that the USA did not have any female skaters make it to the quarter-finals or beyond. We really have our work cut out for us. Right now Japan and Brazil are dominating with AU gaining as well.

Last but not least, it was fantastic having OG pro skater Alex White doing commentary during the women’s comp. Her knowledge of tricks, background on each skater, scoring, and more make her our favorite! It’s been a difficult road getting female announcers at women’s comps and the Olympics should be thankful to have Alex on board. Let’s hope she is their select for Paris 2024!

Competition Format:

2 Runs + 5 Trick Attempts (Best Run + 02 Best Tricks Counts)

8 Athletes per heat (2 heats)

Spoiler Alert Below!!

Results:

1. Funa Nakayama - Japan Score: 264.13

2. Momiji Nishiya - Japan Score: 255.64

3. Yumeka Oda - Japan Score: 254.91

4. Rizu Akama - Japan Score: 254.62

5. Rayssa Leal - Brazil Score: 247.69

6. Coco Yoshizawa - Japan Score: 242.51

7. Chloe Covell - Australia Score: 230.59

8. Pamela Rosa - Brazil Score: 205.80

Rayssa Leal ~ Image via Olympic Channel

How To Watch Live

All times below are CEST - Rome is ahead of the USA in the time zone.

Saturday, July 2 Live on Olympics.com

Men's & Women's Semifinal
Competition Format: 2 Runs + 5 Trick Attempts (Best Run + 02 Best Tricks Counts)
8 Athletes per heat (4 heats) - 16 per Gender

4:30 p.m. Women's Semifinal Heat 1 Eastern Time is 10:30 AM / Pacific Time is 7:30 AM
5:55 p.m. Women's Semifinal Heat 2
7:30 p.m. Men's Semifinal Heat 1
8:55 p.m. Men's Semifinal Heat 2

Sunday, July 3 Live on Olympics.com

Men's & Women's Final
Competition Format: 2 Runs + 5 Trick Attempts (Best Run + 02 Best Tricks Counts)
8 Athletes per heat (2 heats) - 8 per Gender

4:55 p.m - 6:30 p.m. Men's & Women's Practice - Eastern Time is 10:55 AM / Pacific Time is 7:55 AM
7:00 p.m. Women’s Final
9:00 p.m. Men’s Final
10:30 p.m. Awards ceremony

Leticia Bufoni for Monarch Project

When Monarch Project announced its arrival just about a year ago, everyone was excited to see Leticia Bufoni and Sky Brown heading up the new brand. Some even thought (including us) that this would be a women’s skateboard brand/skate team. The team does consist of lots of ripping AMs, and for a while, they had 6-year-old Paige Tobin, the AU Instagram sensation on the AM team as well - which made it promising that they’d sign more non-traditional skaters.

But after seeing that Paige left Monarch recently for Ryan Sheckler’s Sandlot Times brand and is promoting his new “Smalls” line, we started wondering what other girls or womxn we’d see on the Monarch Project AM team.

We didn’t have to wait too long - today their new AM video “Hello” dropped, and the only female skateboarders featured in it are, (wait for it) Leticia and Sky. That’s right - the two Monarch Project co-founders. No other non-traditional skaters are featured in the “Hello” video.

We hope that with all the amazing skateboarders (of all ages) out there, we will see more of a balance in their team riders - because if two women with their combined skate power can’t change how skate teams look - we are left shaking our heads.

We are so stoked to see that one of our favorite Olympic skateboarders, Poppy Starr Olsen, has a book coming out and we can’t wait to read it. Poppy is as talented off her board as she is on. She’s done various projects with her artwork over the years (did you know that she used to draw for hours on the long flights from her home in Australia to California for comps?) but this is her very first book and we are so excited for her!

Here are the details on the new book which will have to tide you over until its release date 2 months from now - but pre-order now so you get a copy as soon as it’s released!

A funny and fresh novel for young readers from Australian Olympic skateboarder and creative soul Poppy Starr Olsen. written with Jess Black, author of the bestselling Kaboom Kid series.

My name is Poppy Starr Olsen. I’m twelve. I’m a bit of a dreamer. Okay, a lot of
a dreamer. I love drawing and being creative. I also swim, surf and skate. And, well, this is my story . . .

You’ll meet my family. They’re really loud but I love them to bits. And you’ll meet my friends - they’re so cool.

There’s some drama in my story, too. Think: an awesome skate comp I’m not allowed to enter, but then I am and it’s going to be canceled! I have to figure out how to save the comp and work on my best tricks in the bowl and keep up with my school work and create my art. There’s so much to do! But it’s an epic adventure.

You can pre-order Poppy’s book in AU HERE and if you live in the USA HERE

Pro Tip: While you’re waiting for Poppy’s book to arrive, tune into the movie TALL POPPY, which is an awesome documentary about Poppy’s life as a pro skateboarder that follows her through her younger years, up until the Olympics. We give it a solid 10!

Lulu ~ Photo Mindy Johnson

When we read on Instagram that Lulu (@thejohnsonettes) was planning on doing 30 tricks in 30 days we sat up and took notice. As the days progressed, we could see that Lulu was pretty serious about this challenge that she gave herself and was constantly stepping it up. These weren’t just tricks she already knew how to do, she challenged herself to learn new tricks each day as well!

Lulu ~ Photos Mindy Johnson

We sat down last week with Lulu via zoom to ask how the idea came about, what she learned along the way, her advice for other skater girls, and more.

GN4LW: How old are you Lulu?

Lulu: I’m eight!

GN4LW; How long have you been skateboarding?

Lulu: A year and three months.

Lulu ~ Photo Mindy Johnson

GN4LW: What gave you the idea to do this challenge?

Lulu: We had a really long winter and my dad thought it might be a good idea to help me get my wiggles out. (Lulu lives in Minnesota)

GN4LW: Do you have indoor skateparks there?

Lulu: Yes, and 3rd Lair is my favorite! I like to go crazy in the bowl.

GN4LW: What is your favorite skatepark to skate in the summer?

Lulu: I like Shoreview Skatepark because it has transition skating.

GN4LW: What do you like best about skateboarding?

Lulu: I like that you can be free to do whatever you want and there are no rules!

GN4LW: (We couldn’t agree more!)

GN4LW: Out of the thirty tricks you did - do you have a favorite?

Lulu: Yes, my handplant. I was doing it at Shoreview on about a 4.5 ft quarter pipe

GN4LW: What do you think was the hardest trick for you to get down in those thirty days?

Lulu: I’d have to say my kick-flip flyout, it took me like three hours to get that trick

GN4LW: That’s what skateboarding teaches you right? To keep trying.

Lulu: Yeah!

Lulu ~ Photo Mindy Johnson

GN4LW: Was this a family affair because someone had to drive you, film you, etc?

Lulu: Yes, my mom filmed me, my sisters were the cheerleaders and my dad helped too.

GN4LW: Did you make a list of thirty tricks ahead of time and plan this out day to day?

Lulu: No, it was more like I’d get to the skatepark and depending on my mood I’d pick a trick to try.

GN4LW: Was it frustrating some days?

Lulu: Yeah… and then I’d switch what trick I was doing.

GN4LW: What have you been doing since the challenge ended?

Lulu: Well, yesterday I went to the skatepark and started doing a bunch of the 30 tricks in one run, including a new trick I just learned yesterday!

GN4LW: So, now you are linking tricks - which is great!

Lulu: I went from a FS 50-50 to a Smith grind.

Lulu ~ Photos Mindy Johnson

GN4LW: How did you decide what tricks you wanted to learn or try in the thirty days?

Lulu: My mom would look at Instagram and save videos of tricks she thought I might like and then show them to me after school.

GN4LW: Is there anything you want girls to know about this experience?

Lulu: If you fall don’t give up, just keep going because you only fail when you give up and don’t try again. And the only two things you can control are your attitude and your effort.

GN4LW: Pretty wise advice!

Congrats Lulu - we can’t wait to see what you do next!

Lulu~ Photo Mindy Johnson

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mindy Johnson (@thejohnsonettes)

Here is a list of the THIRTY TRICKS Lulu did in THIRTY days

1- FS smith

2- BS disaster

3- FS disaster

4- drop in on 13 vert

5- 5-0 grind

6- front shuvit

7- 180 fly out

8- BS & FS 180s on flat ground

9- handstand down a ramp

10- 270 feeble to fakie

11- feeble grind

12- late grab BS airs on vert

13- fly out with melon grab (over cone)

14- FS ollie

15- boneless fingerflip

16- rock to fakie in the 9ft end of the bowl

17- invert handplant

18- fakie Ollie with weddle grab

19- fakie Ollie with weddle grab on vert

20: FS alley oop 5050

21: backside air melon grab over the hip

22: no look kickflip

23: BS 180 off a box

24: pop shuvit off a box

25: a frame KICKFLIP

26: tail stall revert

27: Casper stall/flip

28: body varial fly out

29: kickflip flyout

30: kickflip down 2 stair

Image via The Smithsonian Museum of American History

The Smithsonian Museum of American History has a new exhibit, We Belong Here” that highlights the 50th anniversary of Title IX which we feel is super important to know about.

“Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government”.

But Title IX hasn’t been as female-friendly in the sports world as people assumed it would be. While it did help in increasing the numbers of girls and women that played sports there are still many instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry.

In skateboarding, Title IX really hasn’t been active per se because skateboarding is not usually part of school programs that receive funding from the federal government. We have had to forge our own path, speak up, stand up and push for equality. We are getting there, but there is a lot of work to still be done.

We are excited to say that the new Smithsonian Museum of American History exhibit “We Belong Here” includes skateboarders Leo Baker as well as Cher Strauberry. Both of these skateboarders are great examples of non-traditional skateboarders carving a path that will lead to the inclusion of others, as we push forward with the reality that skateboarding is not a male-dominated sport, but is welcoming to everyone.

Finding Leo Baker in the exhibit:

At the right of the case is a larger-than-life cut-out photograph of Leo Baker, a transgender skateboarder who identifies as nonbinary and presents as masculine. They have closely cropped hair and are wearing a black t-shirt and jeans while performing a flip. To the right of the photo cut out is Baker’s white t-shirt that reads: They/Them. Above the photo is a splash of green and a quote by Baker who encourages other trans and nonbinary athlete to find ways to compete in sports traditionally defined by gender: “Your authenticity is your superpower.” A sketch at the lower right of the case shows a person holding a protest sign with hearts that reads: “Trans rights are human rights.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LEO BAKER (@leo_baker)

Big thanks to Jane Rogers, curator at The Smithsonian Museum of American History’s Sports Collections for the images and info - Big congrats to Jane and crew on this amazing exhibit!

Shiloh Catori ~ Image via The Boardr

The Boardr put on a skate event at LES Skatepark in NYC this weekend and the winner in both the men’s and women’s divisions each received $500 and an all-expense trip to Jackalopefest. Second place received $250, and 3rd $150. Awesome right?

Image via The Boardr

In the women’s division, Ricci Tres a 29-year-old non-traditional skater who identifies as female won the contest with her back-to-back tricks and awesome style. Shiloh Catori a 13-year-old powerhouse from Florida claimed second and won $250. 16-year-old Jordan Pascale who competes in these events quite often grabbed third. Points from this contest are added to each skater’s global ranking - which The Boardr keeps track of and you can check out HERE

Ricci - ollie off the ledge

After the contest results were posted on social media the floodgates opened and not-so-supportive comments accumulated on The Boardr Instagram discussing Ricci’s win as well as Shiloh’s Instagram telling her she was the “rightful” winner. Shiloh and The Boardr did not respond to those comments. Fox News also tried to get hold of both parties to weigh in, and to their credit, they both refused to connect.

This morning Shiloh is in Rome where she is trying to focus and compete in the Olympic Qualifiers for Women’s Street and she had this to say about all the drama on social media. (see her Instagram video below)

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A post shared by Shiloh Catori (@shiloh.catori)

Shiloh is a 100% skateboarder and wise beyond her years - we are thankful to have people like her in skateboarding making everyone feel welcome.

Congrats to all the skaters on a great contest!

Photo Elise Crigar

گفته می‌شود این فیلم در #شیراز گرفته شده. اگر درست باشد باید بگوییم شما حضرات خودتان را با هر چی زور زدن و وعده بهشت دادن و ملت اویزان کردن برای #روسری جرواجر کردید، نسل جدید به پاشنه کفشش هم نگرفته است.
دم همه شماها گرم که با زندگی کردن تان #مبارزه می کنید. #جمهوری‌اسلامی pic.twitter.com/bDXr1OdMPf

— Ardavan Roozbeh (@aroozbeh) June 23, 2022

We are feeling for our skate sisters in Iran right now with this awful news that came to light after Go Skateboarding Day…

Iranian state media reported Friday that authorities detained five female skateboarders and the organizers of the Go Skateboarding Day event where dozens of teenagers mixed freely and girls didn't wear headscarves. Both are a no-no under Islamic law, but usually, in larger cities, people look the other way - unfortunately not this time.

A video posted on Twitter of the “Go Skateboarding Day” event that took place on the main street in the city of Shiraz went viral on social media, prompting anger among conservative religious authorities in a country where the wearing of a Muslim hijab is mandatory for all women and teenage girls.

The state TV report said the provincial judiciary was looking into the event, while the state-run IRNA news agency reported that a rally to oppose Western-style gatherings of teenagers would be held after Friday prayers in Shiraz.

Iranian law bans women over the age of 9 from appearing in public without covering their hair with a hijab — a strict dress code imposed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Many have publicly criticized the restrictions and a large number of the females in the video were not wearing headscarves. In recent years, Iranian adolescents have repeatedly challenged the regime's efforts to control various aspects of social life.

To know more about Islam law and better understand how they want Westerns to feel about it please read

Five things you need to know about women in Islam: Implications for advancing women’s rights in the Middle East

Photo via Olympics.com

How to watch the first Olympic Street Qualifier event LIVE!

The road to Paris 2024 starts this week in Rome, Italy where the first street event Olympic qualifier will be held. You’ll find Tokyo2020 medalists, plus some of the best skateboarders in the world, throwing down their best and newest tricks on this course.

The week-long Pro Tour event, running from 26 June to 3 July, is the first of the 2022 season where skateboarders can earn points for their Olympic World Skateboard Ranking (OWSR).

What to Know:

The Tokyo 2020 medallists and top five ranked athletes in the OWSR as of 24 May will skip the open qualifier stage and will be pre-seeded directly into the quarterfinals.

For the women’s competition these are Pamela Rosa (1), Rayssa Leal (2), Nishimura Aori (3), Nishiya Momiji (5) and Nakayama Funa (11).

How To Watch Live

All times below are CEST

Saturday, 2 July Live on Olympics.com

Men's & Women's Semifinal
Competition Format: 2 Runs + 5 Trick Attempts (Best Run + 02 Best Tricks Counts)
8 Athletes per heat (4 heats) - 16 per Gender

4:30 p.m. Women's Semifinal Heat 1 Eastern Time is 10:30 AM / Pacific Time is 7:30 AM
5:55 p.m. Women's Semifinal Heat 2
7:30 p.m. Men's Semifinal Heat 1
8:55 p.m. Men's Semifinal Heat 2

Sunday, 3 July Live on Olympics.com

Men's & Women's Final
Competition Format: 2 Runs + 5 Trick Attempts (Best Run + 02 Best Tricks Counts)
8 Athletes per heat (2 heats) - 8 per Gender

4:55 p.m - 6:30 p.m. Men's & Women's Practice - Eastern Time is 10:55 AM / Pacific Time is 7:55 AM
7:00 p.m. Women’s Final
9:00 p.m. Men’s Final
10:30 p.m. Awards ceremony

Kraft Sports + Entertainment and KAGR hosted the “Equal Play” event at Gillette Stadium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. The event was headlined by tennis icon Billie Jean King and moderated by award-winning sports journalist Jackie MacMullan as they highlight the importance of women in sports.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX here are some things you should know.

The legislation was enacted in 1972 and prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs. It is credited with promoting gender equity in sports and advancing opportunities for millions of American women since then.

But as Billie Jean King has pointed out, the primary beneficiaries of Title IX have been white suburban girls. She pointed to girls of color, girls with disabilities, trans athletes, and all LGBTQ+ youth when she spoke of re-energizing 'focus on strengthening and advancing equity and opportunity for all girls and women.

Listen and learn.

BTW - did you catch Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team rider, Minna Stess, on The Players’ Tribune Instagram speaking about Title IX today? If you missed it, we’ve got it right here. Pretty cool!

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A post shared by The Players' Tribune (@playerstribune)

Hello, World!

Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Team riders - Klara, Kaiya, Quinne, Briel

Happy Go Skateboarding Day!

Get out and skate with friends or roll by yourself - all that matters is that you have fun and skate!

Mazel + Kateyn Double Smiths ~ Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

The Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team was invited to the Oakley “Go Skateboarding Day” event hosted by Eunice Chang on Saturday, and all the girls were on fire!

Evette ~ Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Girls Session with Oakley ~ Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Team riders Briel, Mazel, Evette, Katelyn, sisters Quinne and Kaiya, and their mom, Julie, showed up at noon to get the girl’s sesh rolling along with fellow skaters (and host) Eunice, Jantahvy, Hayden and Erin.

Mazel

Quinne

Julie

Katelyn

Briel

Evette

The girls were pushing each other with no signs of stopping. When the “cash for tricks” portion of the event started - things really heated up. With the crowd cheering them on, we saw the skaters pull out all the stops to put on an amazing show for the crowd that gathered on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade to watch them.

Briel, Evette, Hayden and Quinne ~ Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Hayden

Eunice

Janthavy

Erin

When you start the day with the Oakley team helping you make custom sunglasses, score a rad tote bag, a yummy lunch, and have access to an amazing mini ramp by Keen, you skate HARD!

Quinne Making Dipped Oakley Sunglasses

Evette, Mazel, Kately with their Oakley Bags

Oakley Dipping Station

Quinne's Custom Dipped Oakleys

Mazel + Janthavy

Briel getting a custom print

With all the girls getting to help create their own custom sunglasses at the Oakley dipping station, the variety of colors were unique to each skaters distinct style and no two looked alike.

Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

If you’d like to check out our video footage from the day, it’s up on the @girlisnota4letterword Instagram now

Mazel ~ Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Thanks so much to the Oakley team for having us be part of this amazing Go Skateboarding Day event!