The Girls Are More Than All Right. Results of X Games Women's Street and Vert.
Arisa Trew during Pacifico Women's Skateboard Vert Final at 2023 X Games California at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. ©Mpu Dinani/X Games
X Games did not disappoint! Watching the women skate like we have never seen before, made our heart sing. The field gets younger and younger and that is not a bad thing. These young girls and women want this. They don’t feel the need to do the same tricks that they’ve seen other female skaters do for years and years. They are pushing the boundaries and soaring past preconceived expectations. For this new wave of female skaters, there are NO limits.
From 1st time X Games competitor Shilo Catori, who has been skating for just fours years and made the women’s street finals, to Chloe Covell who had flawless runs in women’s street and went on to win gold, it was a great morning! By the afternoon when women’s vert (yes, it’s finally back at the X Games!) started and the women and girls were shining bright, it was a full on proud moment when I knew that girls and women in skateboarding are going to be all right. These women’s comps are no longer the after thought or fillers, they are becoming the main attraction. It took us from the 70s until now to really see it, but it is finally happening!
Thanks to all these girls and women for pushing skateboarding so far!
Chloe Covell during Women's Skateboard Street Final at 2023 X Games California at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. ©Mpu Dinani/X Games
Women’s Skateboard Street
The action got underway Saturday morning with the women of Skateboard Street competing first. Australian Chloe Covell surprised everyone with her third and final run to take gold. Covell’s winning 45-second run included: Frontside nosegrind on bar, heelflip down 4-block, frontside 5-0 on picnic table bench, switch kickflip up step-up, frontside 50-50 kickflip on the big out-rail, frontside 50-50 kickflip from 10-foot long out-rail. At 13, this is Covell’s first gold medal, and solidifies her as the youngest X Games Women’s Street Gold Medalist.
“This is very overwhelming,” Covell admitted right after winning gold. “I’m super stoked, X Games is one of my favorite contests to compete in, and all the other girls did great– I’m just so stoked!” she beamed.
Rounding out the podium were Japanese riders, Liz Akama and Momiji Nishiya, who placed second and third respectively, and scored within one point of each other.
Liz Akama, Chloe Covell and Momiji Nishiya during Women's Skateboard Street Final at 2023 X Games California at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. ©Mpu Dinani/X Games
Results Women’s Skateboard Street
1. Chloe Covell (AUS) 90.00
2. Liz Akama (JPN) 87.66
3. Momiji Nishiya (JPN) 86.66
4. Hina Maeda (JPN) 78.66
5. Shiloh Catori (USA) 78.00
6. Mariah Duran (USA) 67.00
7. Paige Heyn (USA) 64.00
8.Leticia Bufoni (BRA) 60.33
Arisa Trew during Pacifico Women's Skateboard Vert Final at 2023 X Games California at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. ©Mark Kohlman/X Games
Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert
The pint-sized 13-year-old Arisa Trew, who hails from Australia, stunned the crowd at Pacifico Women’s Vert by stomping a massive last run. She went alley-oop backside air, McTwist, frontside air, body varial 540, lein varial, air to fakie, switch frontside air, fakie frontside 360, air to fakie, to fakie Weddle 720. This 720 was the first to be landed in a competition, however, Arisa also holds the title of the first woman to land this trick. She first did so after the clock expired in the Vert Best Trick contest at Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert in June.
“I feel amazing, because I really just wanted to do my 7 in my run, and I did it!” an emotional Trew admitted about her win. She went on to say that this X Games win is motivation for her to continue to push her skills, and has her sights set on stopping a 900 in a contest one day soon.
Reese Nelson, the youngest X Games competitor to ever win a X Games medal, at just 10 years old, claimed silver, while Asahi Kaihara claimed third.
Reese Nelson, Arisa Trew and Asahi Kaihara during Pacifico Women's Skateboard Vert Final at 2023 X Games California at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. ©Chris Tedesco/X Games
Results Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert
1. Arisa Trew (AUS) 90.33
2. Reese Nelson (CAN) 88.00
3. Asahi Kaihara (JPN) 83.66
4. Juno Matsuoka (JPN) 75.66
5. Raicca Ventura (BRA) 74.33
6. Bryce Wettstein (USA) 73.00
7. Ruby Lilley (USA) 72.33
8. Dora Varella (BRA) 71.00
9. Lilly Stoephasius (GER) 67.00
10.Grace Marhoefer (USA) 64.33