You really need to watch the SLS Women’s Street Final from Seattle. The skating was unbelievable and getting to watch the lone American, Poe Pinson, battle it out with the Japanese and Brazilian skaters in the finals was pretty awesome.
Spoiler Alert ahead - stop reading and watch the finals above if you don’t want to know the results yet!
Rayssa Leal
Pamela Rosa
Momiji Nishiya
Yumeka Oda
Poe Pinson
Keet Oldenbeuving
Funa Nakayama
Roos Zwelsloot
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.
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
We can’t wait for the release of froSkate’s new Nike SB shoe!
Loud, proud, colorful, and full of energy, respectfully. That’s froSkate, a Women and POC–centered skate crew based in Chicago founded by Karlie Thornton in 2019. In just three years froSkate’s not only grown exponentially but become a global example of empowerment in skateboarding through inclusion, positivity, and being unabashedly real.
For their first collaboration with Nike SB, froSkate designed a Nike Dunk Pro High SB that reflects their diversity, style, heritage, and personality, using every inch of the classic silhouette as a platform for their mission statement and swag.
Read the interview with froSkate https://www.nikesb.com/articles/frosk...
Get a pair!
$130.00
Available 8/17 at 7:00 AM
"All Love, No Hate" in this collaboration with froSkate. Black-owned, Queer-led, and proudly unwavering, a group of non-traditional skaters in Chicago adopted the froSkate moniker in 2019 to give the city's BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities their shine. These Dunks are all about inclusivity, with a non-conformist design made for stepping past boundaries. Wildly colorful tongue graphics, heart-shaped perforations on the toe, and "All Love", "No Hate" embossed on the sides remind you that everyone is welcome in the skating community. The eye-catching upper and soles pay homage to the vibrant disposition of the froSkate crew, while the bright, mismatched left/right shoe designs celebrate the group's unique style and commitment to all love, no hate.
Shiloh Catori - Photo Vans / Anthony Acosta
For the second time at Huntington Beach, the local skate community witnessed the Vans Showdown, a unique “pointless” street skating contest, far removed from traditional skate formats. Aiming to promote the fun and cultural side of skateboarding, while showcasing the best skaters in the world, it was Hayley Wilson and Jhancarlos Gonzalez who came out on top.
Cocona Hiraki - Photo Vans / Anthony Acosta
Una Farrar - Photo Vans / Anthony Acosta
Big thanks to the skate community and brand partners Quasi, Palace, Alltimers, Spitfire, Baker, and Hockey for making today a memorable moment in the history of street skateboarding.
Cocona, Mami and Minna ready and waiting -Photo Vans / Anthony Acosta
Watch the recap here that includes Shiloh Catori, Kokona Hiraki, Una Farrar, Breana Geering, and Hayley Wilson. Andcheck out our fave announcer Alex White at it again!
From Netflix, Pulse Films, a division of VICE Media Group, and Flower Films comes a raw and immersive feature film that follows competitive skateboarding icon Leo Baker in the lead up to the 2020 Olympics.
As he faces the sharpening stakes and intensifying disconnect between how the world sees him and who he knows himself to be, the pressure to keep on the course or be true to himself comes to a career and life-defining turning point.
Stay on Board is Leo's journey balancing the gendered world of sports, transition, society, and skate culture, which ultimately leads him to the punkest thing imaginable.
F21 x Airwalk - shot at Venice Skatepark
Iconic fashion brand Forever 21 launched its latest collaboration, a limited-edition back-to-school collection with Airwalk, a global skate and action sports lifestyle brand. The collaboration brings Airwalk’s legacy in skate culture to Forever 21 in the form of nostalgic designs that lean into the brand’s ‘80s and ‘90s heritage through chain details, stripes, bold graphics, checkers and more.
Shop the collection HERE
For more than three decades, Airwalk has brought the SoCal style and attitude to consumers around the world through its iconic aesthetic. The first collaboration of the year for Airwalk, the brands come together to inspire nostalgia and those who crave the unconventional to express their individuality.
Shop the collection HERE
The Forever 21 x Airwalk collaboration offers inclusive sizing for women, men and kids, priced from $6.99 to $54.99 and will be available for a limited time at all Forever 21 stores, on the Forever 21 app and at www.forever21.com.
A little over an hour ago. USA Skateboarding’s High-Performance Coach, Mimi Knoop, posted her resignation from Team USA on Instagram. She included board members Micaela Ramirez and Oscar Loreto Jr. in the post as well (each has posted their own resignation info on their respective Instagram pages)
No official reason was given for the exits, but with everything we have seen going on lately in the news regarding USA Skateboarding, we can bet there are more shakeups coming.
As has been reported, Don Bostwick is now the new chair at USA Skateboarding, so we expect to see a lot of positive changes in the very near future!
Stay tuned.
Monarch founders Sky Brown and Leticia Bufoni battle to be the first to flap a kickflip down the 7 for Chris Cole’s battle Royale at the Berrics. Watch to see how it all goes down!
Next up, watch this video with Leticia Bufoni, Sky Brown, Diego Najera, Blake Norris, Kieran Woolley, Chloe Covell, Dylan Clark, and Romel Torres repping Monarch in The Berrics.
Brittney Griner and GN4LW Founder, Cindy Whitehead at the espnW Summit
WNBA Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Brittney Griner is 6'9, with a size 17 shoe, and can dunk like nobody's business. She was the #1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft, and she is a SKATEBOARDER. Yep, you heard that right.
We met Brittney in 2014 at the espnW Summit, and after talking, we gifted her one of the very first Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word x Dusters California cruisers that we came out with. She loved our message and the board. And we loved meeting another lifelong skater at the Summit.
Brittney at The Berrics in 2013
Brittney has been an avid skateboarder since she was a kid. She is such a fan that she got tongue-tied meeting Tony Hawk for the first time and had a skate session at the Berrics in 2013 with Erik Kosten. When she was signed to the WNBA they asked her to “tone down her skateboarding” for fear she’d get hurt bombing hills and parking garages. But Brittney sneaked in a skate session when she could - because that’s what skaters do.
Eric Kosten and Brittney in 2013 at The Berrics
Fast forward to today’s news…
We are pretty sure you’ve seen the news for the past six months about Brittney being detained in Russia while awaiting trial on charges after hashish oil was found in her bags at a Moscow airport. Today Griner was handed down a sentence of nine years in a Russian prison. The news was devastating. The White House and President Biden have been working on her release and have classified her as a “wrongfully detained US Citizen, held as a political pawn.”
We are praying that her release is swift and soon and that she is back to playing basketball and skateboarding those parking garages she loves.
You can read more in-depth coverage about Britteny Griner’s arrest, sentencing and to understand better what a “Russian Penal Colony” really is HERE
We have to say that Mariah Duran’s “Rapa Nui” part is inspirational and beautiful in every way. It launched on Thrasher yesterday, and all we can do is play it on repeat. Watch it and prepare to be inspired to get out and SKATE! This has to be our favorite part so far this year!
Sasha Senior - owner of Bliss Skateboard shop
We love meeting amazing women who help further skateboarding. So we were excited that we had the opportunity to sit down via zoom and do an interview with Sasha Senior. Sasha is 33 years old, a skater, a powerhouse, and is making history, opening the first Black female-owned skate shop in North America. Bliss Skateboard shop, with Sasha at the helm, opened its doors on March 20, 2020 - during the beginning of the pandemic.
Read on for how she did it, what it takes and how it’s all going.
Bliss Skateboard Shop
GN4LW: We absolutely love what you are doing by opening a female-founded skate shop - it’s important that women in this industry participate in areas where they can further skateboarding for other non-traditional skaters - can you tell us what made you decide to open a skate shop?
SASHA: I was having a convo with another skate shop owner, and he asked me if there was a skate shop by me, and no, there wasn’t. So that made me decide to start looking into it. I figured I had weekends free, so maybe I should? I found a great location five minutes from the local skatepark. So I got the space, and I was like, “I guess I’m a skate shop owner now.” I literally put the cart before the horse. That was the point when I realized I was really committing.
GN4LW: So, now you have a location, and since you went into this on a bit of a whim, what were your next steps to get products and build the shop?
SASHA: I didn’t really fully understand the commitment and work it would take to start a shop. So I saved some money and just made it all happen… I didn’t take out any loans, so I used the money I had to buy products, and as they sold, I rolled that back into the shop to buy more products.
GN4LW: You opened when the pandemic started - how was that?
SASHA: We opened on March 20, 2020, and a few days later, the government said we were going into lockdown… Non-essential stores were closed, so I shifted to online immediately. It was a learning curve. Sales were local - I’d advertise the website on my Facebook page and have people call my cell phone and tell me what they wanted to order, then I’d meet them at the shop in 20 minutes to give them their order. I’d leave it outside the door, wait for them to pick it up, and it went on like that for quite a while.
Saha Senior on camera for a promo for Bliss Skateboard shop
GN4LW: When did you start doing shipping orders?
SASHA: The next year is when I started shipping things which opened up even more areas for me.
GN4LW: How did things change for you as a shop owner as the pandemic went along?
SASHA: There was a lack of product available for me to stock - there were either really small boards or really large boards available, so that was tough. I was scraping the bottom of the barrel to get products that my customers needed and wanted. It was tough. I was placing smaller orders than larger, more established shops, so I was not always able to get what I wanted. It was a struggle.
GN4LW: How did you find and connect with skateboard distributors when you started?
SASHA: In Canada, we have to buy from Canadian distributors. Which I didn’t know when I started. Once I got with the first distributor here, I was still a bit limited as they only carry certain products. I really had to research and establish those connections to get to other distributors to get other brands I wanted to carry. I’m used to paperwork in my main job, so that wasn’t a struggle for me - but for someone else, a vendor application might be harder. Once I had that first distributor to help show trust with other distributors and made it easier to get an account with them. Even Google searches, Instagram, etc., helped me find the suppliers of the products II needed.
GN4LW: How do you feel about sharing resources?
SASHA: I’m like an open book, and I share info - I fully believe in that. A guy opened a new skate shop in Ontario and reached out asking how to get the product he needed, and I gladly helped him, so he didn’t have to go through what I did. Because in the future I’d like to think we all help each other. If I don’t have a board a customer wants, maybe I can call him and refer them that way. Hopefully, he will do the same for me. I want to maintain those connections - that’s what makes the skate community stay together.
Sasha - Kickflip
GN4LW: So it sounds like working with other skate shops is important to you?
SASHA: Keeping those connections is important. Maybe he decides to have a demo day and then asks you to do a popup with your skaters? And it works both ways - we all should support each other. And I think when you help your customers and have a good vibe in your shop, it’s better for everyone - so why wouldn’t I help - even if my shop doesn’t have what you need?
GN4LW: Sometimes non-traditional skaters are conditioned to guard all the info they have because they fear that someone else being on that team or having that resource takes away from them - it sounds like you are like me; we don’t believe that. At all.
SASHA: Let’s get the resources together, and I feel that there is always opportunity out there. Do you think that the guy who opened Burger King said to himself, I’m not going to open because there is already a Mc Donalds out there? Or if Wend’s said I’m not going to open because there are those other two. No, they said to themselves, “I’m doing it this way” - we can all be in this space, and I’m going to do it my way, and if they like me, they will come to my space. And that’s the same with anything you do - if you say, “I’m not going to be able to get that opportunity because someone else already has it - then you won’t.”
GN4LW: You need to do a TEDx talk - seriously!!
SASHA: Thank you - that would be rad!
Sasha Senior in front of her skateboard shop, BLISS.
GN4LW: Have you had any issues with people having issues that you are a Black, female-owned skate shop?
SASHA: No, the guys who leased me the space asked what I was going to do with it, and I said, “a skate shop.” They were saying, “wow, we don’t have one of those. That’s great!”. I finally told one of my friends halfway through building out the shop that I was doing this, and he was saying, “do you know how much work that is?” I really don’t look at obstacles that way - the fact that I am a Black woman or anything else did not cross my mind - I wanted to own a skate shop, and so I did it.
GN4LW: That is a great attitude to have - for anything in life!
SASHA: Right? If I had that attitude of I can’t because I’m a woman, I am a Black woman, I would have never gotten into skateboarding. And I have been skating since I was thirteen, only stopping when I was injured at one point in time.
GN4LW: The work you are doing is important for everyone else in the community and beyond.
SASHA: Yeah, my friend said, “you know, as a Black woman, you are going to make history doing this, right?’ But I hadn’t even thought about that - I just wanted to open a skate shop. And the fact that that is now the case is cool - but that was never my intention starting out. I came into like, “I’m a skateboarder,” that’s it.
GN4LW: Have you seen an influx of girls and women gravitating toward the shop?
SASHA: It is awesome now to see more women and girls coming into the shop buying boards and saying that I’ve inspired them - that’s really dope. I have never had the opposite response of “oh, don’t you feel weird?” I don’t feel weird because I’m a skateboarder at the end of the day.
GN4LW: It’s about knowing you belong here. No matter what. But I do think it’s great having a shop where girls and women feel OK asking basic questions and feel comfortable about it.
Sasha - ollie at the skatepark
SASHA: I like the fact that I represent women in skateboarding - every woman in skateboarding does. Growing up, if there had been a woman who owned a skate shop in my town, I’d want to skate even more.
GN4LW: A skate shop becomes your local community.
SASHA: Yes. And there is something really rad about skating with an all-women crew sometimes. It’s just a different vibe than when I skate with the guys. Skating with all women is empowering. We’re all out here doing something a lot of people think women don’t do.
GN4LW: Agreed - the feeling is different and so powerful.
SASHA: It really is.
GN4LW: Do you carry a lot of female-owned brands in the shop?
SASHA: In the beginning, during the pandemic, there was a supply shortage, but at one point, I was able to get Meow skateboard decks in, and then I wasn’t. I couldn’t get other things as well. And I also feel that there are not enough female-owned skate brands out there. There needs to be more.
GN4LW: Do you have any female employees at the shop?
SASHA: Right now, I have all guys working at the shop, I’d love to have more women in the shop working, but I need to find those women who skate and know the products and have the knowledge and experience.
Bliss Skateboard Shop
GN4LW: What is your favorite thing about the shop?
SASHA: I like the community aspect of it. Bliss Skateboard Shop has encouraged so many to skateboard in and near Windsor. I like connecting the community through skateboarding.
GN4LW: What would you like people to know about you and your skate shop?
SASHA: It’s doable, but it’s not going to be easy all of the time. I’m still learning how to make my business better. You have to take the time to understand that success is not going to happen overnight, there are going to be failures, and you are going to have issues. It’s all a lesson, and you need to learn from it. I can’t expect to open and my brand to be like Nike or Empire Skate shop in Montreal. I can’t have these huge expectations right away, or else you will burn yourself out.
GN4LW: It takes a lot of hard work - you also hold a full-time job as well!
SASHA: I had to find some good time management skills. I evaluate how important each issue is and prioritize them. So not everything is problem #1 - because that doesn’t work. If you do that, you won’t get anything done, and you’ll burn yourself out.
GN4LW: What advice would you give other women who want to start a business in skateboarding?
SASHA: I would say, do your research, don’t get discouraged, don’t let other people’s ideas of what they think your brand should be and change your idea of what you want it to be. And that well-known quote, “whatever you do at the end of the day, just start!”. Plan, but don’t be afraid just to start.
GN4LW: Any advice to a girl or womxn who wanted to start skateboarding?
SASHA: DO IT!! Don’t let guys at the park intimidate you. People always say, “I’m not ready for the park yet. I can’t even ollie,” but that’s what the park is for. Every single person you see at the park couldn’t ollie in the beginning either. Put headphones in, be in your own world if you need to, and just skate!
BLISS SKATEBOARD SHOP
3216 Sandwich St
WINDSOR, Ontario N9C1A8
(226) 759-6316
admin@blisssk8shop.com
They ship internationally too!!
Team USA 2020 Olympics - Photo Ian Logan
In case you haven’t been following the whirlwind the past few days, USA Skateboarding was audited by the USOPC and found deficient in 28 areas out of 48. That is not good news for USA Skateboarding and the prosperity of these amazing athletes. Let’s be clear, this report has nothing to do with the athletes doing anything wrong, these issues are all about the organizational team.
It has now been made official that the USA Chair of Skateboarding, Gary Ream, has officially resigned from USA Skateboarding.
For more in-depth info, we encourage you to head over to Inside the Games.
This is an ongoing story, and we will update you as it comes in.
We love this new video NHS did with Alex White!
After her career as a pro skater, Alex White's journey included life as a realtor, waitress, property manager, and mom. Alex shares what it's like as a woman working in the skateboard industry and how her passion for skateboarding led her to become the Krux Brand Manager, Olympic judge, and the first Women's and Non-Binary Rider Relations manager at NHS.
What to watch for in this video - see if you can answer all the gems below :
*It’s really rad to see the wall of women’s pro model decks in Alex’s office - can you name them all?
*We’re huge fans of Alex’s secondary role at NHS that she created - what is it?
*What are some of Alex’s tips on blending what you love and where you work?
"Why skateboarding?" showcases NHS employees and how their passion for skateboarding led them to a career in the skate industry.
Follow Alex on Instagram: @thealexwhite
Chloe Covell - Photo Dew Tour/Jeremiah Arias
Today seemed a bit familiar… watching 12-year-old Chloe Covell from Australia battle it out with Olympic gold medalist Momiji Nishiya from Japan (she won gold at age 13) had us on the edge of our seats. Chloe is fairly new on the comp scene, and she is really giving the street crew a run for their money. This is exactly why we need to make sure girls and women in skateboarding have open contests so we can encourage and spot new talent.
Momiji had the lead from the get-go, but it looked like Pamela Rosa, or Chloe might just be able to pull off a run that could beat her until she received a score of 95.33 on her last run - that is pretty hard to top!
Rayssa Leal - Photo Dew Tour
Rayssa Leal is a veteran at this point, and she is just 14 years old. The younger crew is taking over, and it’s time we all started paying attention. Rayssa is being pushed hard this season as well. Pamela Rosa is not messing around. At all. The speed and power she carries into each trick is like no other. And today, it earned her a place on the podium.
Mariah Duran - Dew Tour/Jeremiah Aria
USA’s Mariah Duran may be further down the results list, but make no mistake - she skated so solidly it was awesome to watch. She was only 1 point away from catching Funa and 3 points away from Rayssa - so she is looking strong this season. We’re looking forward to seeing more of this from Mariah.
Did you miss watching the comp? No worries - we have it below. Enjoy!
Thanks to everyone at Dew Tour for putting on a great comp!
Sakura Yosozumi, Sky Brown, Cocona Hiraki - Photo Chris Ortiz for Dew Tour
In some ways, the Dew Tour Women’s Park finals were almost a replay of what we witnessed at the X Games last weekend. Sky Brown and Sakura Yosozumi battling it out for the top two spots, Cocona Hiraki following right behind, and the USA skaters ending up solidly in the middle of the pack.
Sakura Yosozumi
Cocona Hiraki
Mami Tezuka
It was good to see USA’s Jordyn Barratt back in the mix, she held her own and threw down a great first run. Bryce Wettstein brought her own brand of magic to the comp and nailed it on her final run to secure that 5th place spot. As you can see, there was a big jump in scores from the podium skaters to the rest of the field. With Sky Brown absolutely knocking it out of the park on her third and final run it put Sakura at a bit of a disadvantage, had she made that 540 and the rest of her run she may have overcome Sky’s score. Stay tuned because the battle between these two will undoubtedly continue on through the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Sky Brown
Another surprise was Allysha Le in the announcers booth. So great to have a female pro skater in there calling out tricks and talking about their fellow skaters. We hope this momentum keeps going!
Sky Brown - Dew 2021 _ photo Chris Dangaard
Dew Tour is almost here!
So get ready to tune in and watch the women skate LIVE!
Dew Tour is an invite-only skateboard competition and festival that focuses on Street and Park disciplines, featuring both traditional and adaptive competitions. Celebrating its second year in Des Moines, and 17th year overall, this year’s event will be held for two days, July 29 and 30, and will take place later in the day, ending each night under the lights.
FRIDAY, JULY 29th - original times in Central time zone
4:00p – 4:35p Women’s Adaptive Street Final / 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET
6:30p – 7:30p Women’s Park Final / 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET
SATURDAY, JULY 30th - Original times in Central time zone
6:05PM – 6:30PM Adaptive Skate Wheelchair Men’s & Women’s Exhibition / 4:05 PM PT / 7:05 PM ET
7:00PM – 8:00PM Women’s Street Final / 5:00 PM PT / 8:00PM ET
You can also watch via social media at these links:
FB Live: Dew Tour facebook.com/dewtour
FB Live: TWSkate facebook.com/transworldskate
YouTube: Dew Tour YouTube.com/DewTour
YouTube: TWSkate YouTube.com/TransworldSKATEmag
DailyMotion: Dew Tour dailymotion.com/dewtour
TikTok: Dew Tour tiktok.com/@dewtour/live
Women’s Park
Jordyn Barratt
Lizzie Armanto
Kisa Nakamura
Mami Tezuka
Bryce Wettstein
Cocona Hiraki
Sky Brown
Sakura Yosozumi
Alternates Women’s Park
Minna Stess
Women’s Street
Pamela Rosa
Rayssa Leal
Samarria Brevard
Momiji Nishiya
Aori Nishimura
Mariah Duran
Funa Nakayama
Alexis Sablone (not confirmed)
Alternates Women’s Street
Chloe Covell
Poe Pinson
Roos Zwetsloot
The Dew Tour’s Battle of the Shops will also return this year, featuring five midwest-based skate shops competing for shop glory. Dew Tour Partners will be located throughout the Dew Tour Experience (DTE), a festival-style area that will be spread throughout 2nd Avenue between Center Street and School Street in Des Moines. Throughout the Dew Tour Experience, fans can enjoy partner activations, athlete meet and greets, giveaways, local food trucks and a beer garden featuring local breweries including Big Grove, Confluence, Exile and Court Ave.
This year, Dew Tour title sponsor MTN DEW® will be front and center, showcasing their exciting summer campaign, “Skateboarding is Unstoppable,” where fans will have a chance to interact and share what skateboarding means to them. Additionally, MTN DEW will be hosting a satellite shop featuring limited edition Dew Tour and MTN DEW merchandise, complete with a customization station. Fans will have an opportunity to play “spin to win” for a chance to win prizes including skate decks, waterproof speakers and more. Product sampling will also be taking place, with a wide variety of Dew and Dew Zero Sugar flavors. Lastly, MTN DEW will be bringing out content creators and the entire pro skate team to sign autographs, meet fans and unlock the Dew Tour course for the fifth and final Unlock the Spot tour stop this summer.
Toyota returns to summer as Dew Tour’s Official Mobility Partner, which includes entitlement of Dew Tour’s adaptive skateboard competitions, including men’s Park and men’s and women’s Street events. On-course, Toyota will have a customized RAV4 Hybrid as a rideable feature as part of the Park course. At the Dew Tour Experience, fans can stop by Toyota’s booth where they can customize Corolla Cross skate socks, GR86 sunglasses cases and Tacoma shoelaces as well as check out the newest vehicles up close with current Toyota owners receiving a special gift.
Team Toyota skateboarders Jordyn Barratt and Evan Strong (featured in a two-part content series on DewTour.com) will not only be competing at Dew Tour, but also participating in autograph sessions at the Toyota booth throughout the event. MTN DEW® and Team Toyota athlete Red Gerard will be around both spaces as well. Leading up to and during the event, fans can enter-to-win a new Toyota GR86 car and limited edition Dew Tour Des Moines prize pack.
The US Air Force joins Dew Tour as a primary partner and will feature a special Air Force Performance Lab. The Lab is an interactive experience full of challenges and self-discovery, all wrapped in innovative technology. Each part of the experience focuses on different skills and interests that correlate to various Air Force careers that participants will learn more about while competing against each other as well as real Airpersons. Additionally, Dew Tour will host an official US Air Force Swear-In for Delayed Entry Program members who will reaffirm their commitment to the US Air Force. The oath of enlistment will be led by 343 Recruiting Squadron Director of Operations Major Sarah Answine on Friday, July 29 at 3:50 pm on the Street Course.
Tech Deck mini fingerboards will be on-hand at Dew Tour to offer giveaways for fans and will feature a mini Dew Tour street course replica. Additionally, a Tech Deck branded skate feature will be included on the Street Course.
For its second year, Dew Tour’s sustainability partner MidAmerican Energy will work on on-site initiatives that will minimize environmental impacts: alternative energy sources, carbon footprint analysis, landfill diversion and responsible water consumption.
Great Clips, a new partner this year, will have stylists providing free haircuts to Dew Tour attendees Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30. Donations are encouraged onsite to Unravel Pediatric Center in Des Moines, a local nonprofit working to bridge the gap in pediatric cancer research. Fans will also be able to get crazy hair painting for the duration of the event.
Nonprofit action sports based partners will activate onsite, including Grind For Life, Skate DSM and Make Life Skate Life. Boarding For Breast Center (B4BC) will also host its second annual Skate the River event on July 30 at 12 pm along the Des Moines River, and is open to all on skateboards, bikes or skates. Register at B4BC.org. Punk Rock & Paintbrushes, an art exhibit located in the DTE, will feature skateboard legends and industry artists Christian Hosoi, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Paul Kobriger, Toybox Monster, Jason Adams and many more.
Official Dew Tour merchandise and Des Moines’ Subsect Skate Shop will sell all the hottest industry gear on-site at Dew Tour as well.
Dew Tour competitors exemplify the best in each sport. Competition will take place at Lauridsen Skatepark, an 88,000 square foot custom concrete skatepark built by renowned builders California Skateparks - now the largest skatepark in the United States. Dew Tour is FREE and open to the public.
Dew Tour will be livestreamed in its entirety on DewTour.com, Facebook Live, YouTube and other major platforms for a total of 15+ hours.
Stay updated at DewTour.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube by following @DewTour.
Lizzie Armanto BS Crail
This season, Vans delivers the latest update to its newest Skate silhouette, The Lizzie, supported by a head-to-toe all-gender apparel offering created in collaboration with Vans team rider and Olympic skateboarder Lizzie Armanto.
As a trailblazer in skateboarding, Lizzie’s first-ever signature skateboarding shoe by Vans was designed to provide something else entirely for skateboarders whose needs are not being met. The silhouette also represents Vans’ first signature skate shoe designed by a woman in 20 years. Now in its second season, The Lizzie is offered up in a new dirt earth tone, as well as a wide range of sizes that includes kids’, and is supported by Lizzie’s new head-to-toe apparel collection that brings together several staple pieces, providing a completely fresh take for a new generation of skateboarders.
The Lizzie features hard-working design elements that are meant to cater to a broader range of skateboarders. The new vulcanized construction features a higher outsole cup and rounded edges for a stable, broken-in feel. The universal fit features the perfect amount of EcoCush™ cushioning, increasing boardfeel for a wider range of skaters while the 3D embossed DURACAP™ toe adds durability in high-wear areas. An all-new micro-waffle tread and Sick-Stick™ rubber offers maximum grip.
This season, Lizzie’s rose graphic design inspiration— debossed on The Lizzie heel counter and appearing throughout the collection— is a nod to the “thank you, have a nice day” reusable bodega bags that come with a friendly reminder to reuse and recycle.
Her signature shoe also received the Vans VR3 designation, meaning it follows strict footwear materials guidelines for all major components. Under the VR3 designation, The Lizzie will always be made in part with organic cotton, natural rubber, and biobased foam. The Lizzie also utilizes suede sourced from Leather Working Group (LWG) tanneries that have been rated gold or silver for environmental responsibility.
The apparel and accessories assortment has been designed in close partnership with Lizzie to create an all-gender offering that mixes her personal style with functional skate details. Her collection is a combination of everyday pieces like the Armanto overalls and tote, including a hand drawn rose graphic that appears across the line. The Armanto overalls feature a relaxed fit made from canvas fabric, with novelty strap detail, a front patch pocket, back metal hardware, logo embroideries and felt patch details. The Armanto long sleeve knit is the perfect everyday piece with timeless rib knit fabric.
A true embodiment of Vans’ DNA, Lizzie Armanto is an icon of originality and positivity. With her down-to-earth, fashion-forward, barrier-breaking approach, it’s no wonder Lizzie has become a role model to skateboarders around the world. Moving to Santa Monica at age 14, Lizzie quickly became a fixture at local skate park The Cove. While she spent every day refining her skateboarding skills, she never imagined it as a career for herself. It is perhaps this humble attitude along with her unrelenting drive that has paved the way for the iconic milestones she’s achieved today. From being the first female to complete Tony Hawk’s 360 Loop, to gracing the covers of TransWorld Skateboarding and Thrasher, and recently competing on the world stage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lizzie is setting the tone for a revolution the skateboarding world’s been waiting for.
Vans’ The Lizzie and the Lizzie Armanto collection are available now at Vans Skateboarding retailers and at Vans.com/TheLizzie.
Rayssa Leal competing in Women’s Skateboard Street during X Games Summer 2022. Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images
Starting off the day in Women’s Skateboard Street, Japan’s Momiji Nishiya upgraded her X Games Minneapolis 2019 silver medal to gold on Sunday – earning her second Skateboard Street medal in three X Games appearances. Nishiya secured the win with her first run, landing a bigspin frontside boardslide, Suski grind on the ledge, backside disaster on quarterpipe, frontside feeble grind on the eight-stair handrail, heelflip, Smith grind on quarterpipe, frontside 5-0 to front-shuv it, frontside salad grind on the five-stair handrail. Australian Chloe Covell took home silver in only her second X Games appearance and as the youngest competitor at this year’s competition at just 12 years old. Yumeka Oda won her first-ever X Games medal, taking bronze back to Japan, respectively.
CA Training Facility: Chloe Covell, Momiji Nishiya and Yumeka Oda at the medal ceremony for Women’s Skateboard Street during X Games Summer 2022. Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images
1. Momiji Nishiya (JPN)
2. Chloe Covell (AUS)
3. Yumeka Oda (JPN)
4. Rayssa Leal (BRA)
5. Funa Nakayama (JPN)
6. Aori Nishimura (JPN)
7. Poe Pinson (USA)
8. Leticia Bufoni (BRA)
9. Pamela Rosa (BRA)
Sky Brown ~ Photo Phil Ellsworth ESPN
Sakura Yosozumi ~ Photo Mpu Dinani ESPN
Cocona Hiraki ~ Photo Joshua R. Gateley ESPN
First off, with a field of just ten women competing in X Games Park and no prelims or semi’s, the pressure was ON. And the skaters rose to the occasion! But before we get into all of that and who ended up on podium…
We wanted to say how happy we were to hear Olympian skateboarder, Amelia Brodka, announcing Women’s Park. Amelia did a great job today, and we can only hope this is an ongoing situation - she brought a lot of her personal insight about the skaters, their lines and tricks to the broadcast. We have always said that we need knowledgeable female announcers and judges at the women’s events, so maybe the tide is turning! You can catch her announcing debut in the videos below. Congrats Amelia!
OK, now back to the comp.
(Top Image) Sky Brown GOLD, Sakura Yosozumi SILVER / Photo Gabriel Christus ESPN
(Bottom Image) Cocona Hiraki BRONZE. / Photo Phil Ellsworth ESPN
Last summer’s X Games gold medalist, Sky Brown, took the first gold medal of the day in Women’s Skateboard Park. Brown claimed first after her second run, which included a frontside 360 over the box, frontside stale air in the deep end, alley-oop over the gap, backside air, backside lipslide, frontside Ollie transfer, invert, kickflip Indy over the box, Crail, backside Smith, nosegrab 540 on the hip, Smith grind to frontside 540. Sky becomes the second athlete to win two X Games gold medals before the age of 15. X Games Chiba Park gold medalist Sakura Yosozumi took silver, and Cocona Hiraki rounded off the podium with bronze.
Sakura took a bad fall on her last run and was helped out of the bowl by medics, so we are glad to see she is doing OK and was able to be awarded her silver medal!
Minna Stess ~ Photo Mpu Dinani
Bryce Wettstein ~ Photo Rich Storry ESPN
USA Team riders Bryce Wettstein and Minna Stess solidly held onto their 4th and 5th place spots and were charging hard. The Japanese skaters who have dominated for a while now may want to watch their backs because Bryce was dialed in as usual, and Minna had a variety of tricks and combos that were very different than we saw just a few months ago at X Games Chiba. Add all that to her awesome style when she executes those tricks, and we don’t doubt that she will be on that podium soon!
1. Sky Brown (GBR)
2. Sakura Yosozumi (JPN)
3. Cocona Hiraki (JPN)
4. Bryce Wettstein (USA)
5. Minna Stess (USA)
6. Mami Tezuka (JPN)
7. Ruby Lilley (USA)
8. Lizzie Armanto (FIN)
9. Yurin Fujii (JPN)
10. Kisa Nakamura (JPN)
Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story
We headed up to Hollywood last night to Outfest’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival to catch the premiere of STAY ON BOARD: THE LEO BAKER STORY. So many skateboarders and people involved in skateboarding came out to support Leo and see this beautiful film, We ran into Poppy Starr Olsen, Hannah Tallman, Nora Vasconcellos, Julie and Quinne Daniels, Brian Anderson, Lisa Whitaker of Meow Skateboards, Heidi Lemmon from the Skatepark Association, and many, many more.
The film follows pro street skater Leo Baker over a crucial four-year period of his life, but with the help of Leo’s mom, Donna Baker, who saved everything since the start of his skateboarding career, the story goes back much further.
As you may remember, Leo was originally part of the USA National Team headed for the 2020 Olympics but later quietly resigned and gave up his quest to skateboard in the Olympics for Team USA.
This film sheds light on why that decision played a huge part in Leo being true to himself and living an authentic life. Stay on Board chronicles Leo’s journey balancing the gendered world of sports, transition, society, and skate culture.
Q&A after the film with Directors Nicola Marsh, Giovanni Reda, Leo Baker, and editor Sasha Perry
Directed by Nicola Marsh and Giovanni Reda. The film is from executive producers Drew Barrymore, Alex Schmider (Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD), Ember Truesdell, Marisa Clifford, and Thomas Benski. Edited by Sasha Perry, Lauren Saffa.
