Alexis Sablone Wins Kimberely Diamond Cup Women's Street!

Alexis Sablone Wins Street! Photo: Martin Kotze

Podium at KDC - Alexis, Vanessa & Leticia  / Photo: Martin Kotze

The Skateboarding World Championships at the Kimberley Diamond Cup kicked off today with the Women’s Street World Championships. Alexis Sablone (USA) topped Vanessa Torres (USA) and third place winner Leticia Bufoni (Brazil).

The Women’s Street Championships were the highlight of Day One and featured standout performances by Vanessa Torres and Leticia Bufoni, but it was Alexis Sablone, who ripped the entire course and claimed the Women’s Street World Championship title.

“I am super excited to have won,” said Alexis Sablone. “I loved it out here last year and this year was even more amazing. It was great skating with the girls since we came over on the same plane and spent about 15 hours together. I am just so happy to have landed the tricks I did. The time out on the course just goes faster than you can imagine. I am using my prize money to pay off my school fees as I am graduating this year and hopefully there will be some left to spoil myself.”

“Last year, we brought women into the Skateboarding World Championships and it’s something that has been such an incredible inspiration to girls around the world,” said McFerran. “Having this championship here in South Africa where they just celebrated Women’s Month is especially meaningful. One of the skaters was 9-year-old Davatta Boipelo, who compete alongside these top female skaters. Boipelo is from right here in Kimberley and learned to skate here at the Kumba Skate Plaza when she was six years old. I hope to one day see Boipelo or another South African girl compete alongside these incredible skaters like Alexis and Vanessa in the Olympics. I know it will happen. Skateboarding is just exploding here in South Africa and we’re looking forward to expanding internationally, so we can bring world-class skate events and year-round programs to new destinations and communities who can benefit from skateboarding.”

The women’s championships took on added significance with the recent news that skateboarding is among the top contenders to be considered for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Women’s Street World Championships Top Three

Alexis Sablone ($15,000)
Vanessa Torres ($8,000)
Leticia Bufoni ($5,000)