Yumeka Oda - Photo via espn / X Games Japan

The very first X Games Japan started last night and the new venues for park and street pushed the women to create new lines and think fast. We saw USA’s Grace Marhoefer compete in both street and park - something we don’t think we have seen any other woman do during the X Games - and since the events were back to back it probably was exhausting for her. All the women pushed hard and gave it their all and it was awesome to watch!

The top eight in street moving onto the finals didn’t yield too many surprises - but it was nice to see young USA’s Poe Pinson starting to climb up the ranks and hold her own.

Watch the Women’s Skateboard Street Finals - Saturday 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm PT

Women’s Skateboard Street Elimination

1. Yumeka Oda (JPN)

2. Funa Nakayama (JPN)

3. Rayssa Leal (BRA)

4. Poe Pinson (USA)

5. Chloe Covell (AUS)

6. Pamela Rosa (BRA)

7. Gabriela Mazetto (BRA)

8. Aori Nishimura (JPN)

9. Rizu Akama (JPN)

10. Keet Oldenbeuving (NED)

11. Julia Brueckler (AUT)

12. Hina Maeda (JPN)

13. Lore Bruggeman (BEL)

14. Grace Marhoefer (USA)

Cocona Hiraki _ Photo via espn / X Games Japan

 In women’s park, we saw 16-year-old Minna Stess come back from a fall on her first run to nailing every single trick in her second run putting her solidly in 7th place as the women head into the finals. Jordan Santana went for her signature 540 on her second run but unfortunately couldn’t land it - but it was nice to see her go for it! Bryce Wettstein and Ruby Lilley held their own with the Japanese ladies who seem determined that this will be their podium at the end of the finals. We will all just have to wait and see about that!

Women’s Skateboard Park Finals Tonight - Friday 10:15 pm - 11:15 pm PT

Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination

1. Cocona Hiraki (JPN)

2. Sakura Yosozumi (JPN)

3. Bryce Wettstein (USA)

4. Kisa Nakamura (JPN)

5. Ruby  Lilley (USA)

6. Mami Tezuka (JPN)

7. Minna Stess (USA)

8. Yndiara Asp (BRA)

9. Grace Marhoefer (USA)

10. Jordan Santana (USA)

11. Kihana Ogawa (JPN)

12. Amelia Brodka (POL)

Minneapolis, MN – August 2, 2019 – U.S. Bank Stadium: Sakura Yosozumi competing in Women’s Skateboard Park during X Games Minneapolis 2019. (Photo by Garth Milan / ESPN Images)

Watch First-Ever X Games Chiba 2022 Presented by Yogibo Live April 22 – 24

Get ready to stay up late if you want to watch the women compete live from X-games Japan this week! And check out the list of invited athletes for both park and street as some names have changed. This is going to be an X-games like no other, we have fewer Americans competing and some heavy hitters from all over the world coming to claim X-games gold. The competition should be fierce and the level of women’s skateboarding will be through the roof!

X Games fans in the United States can watch live competition coverage from the inaugural X Games Chiba event on April 22 – 24 on the ESPN App and X Games YouTube.

X Games Chiba 2022 will be available locally in Japan on Nippon TV’s networks and will be available globally via ESPN’s streaming services.

Current list of Women’s Skateboard Park Invitees:

Yndiara Asp
Amelia Brodka
Cocona Hiraki
Ruby Lilley
Grace Marhoefer
Kisa Nakamura
Kihana Ogawa
Jordan Santana
Minna Stess
Mami Tezuka
Bryce Wettstein
Sakura Yosozumi

Current list of Women’s Skateboard Street Invitees:

Rizu Akama
Andrea Benitez
Julia Brueckler
Lore Bruggeman
Chloe Covell
Rayssa Leal
Hina Maeda
Gabriela Mazetto
Grace Marhoefer
Funa Nakayama
Aori Nishimura
Yumeka Oda
Keet Oldenbeuving
Poe Pinson
Pamela Rosa

United States - *Times and events listed are Eastern Time (ET) and are subject to change. Please consult your local listings. 

The X Games Chiba 2022 live content schedule in the USA is as follows:

Thursday, April 21 - Friday, April 22 ESPN App & YouTube

11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. ET Women’s Skateboard Street Elimination (8:30 pm - 9:30 pm - Thursday PT)

1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. ET Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination. (10:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Thursday PT)

Saturday, April 23 ESPN App & YouTube

1:15 a.m. – 2:10 a.m. ET Women’s Skateboard Park - Finals (10:15 pm - 11:15 pm Friday PT)

11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. ET Women’s Skateboard Street - Finals (8:30 pm - 9:30 pm - Saturday PT)

International

In addition to the host broadcast within Japan by Nippon TV, X Games Chiba will be distributed via syndication partners in Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Israel, Spain, Serbia, Turkey, Greece, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Netherlands, Africa, France and the United Kingdom. X Games Chiba content will also be available in these regions live and on demand on ESPNPlayer.

X Games Chiba 2022 will also be available to stream live in Latin America and the Pacific Rim. Fans in Latina America can stream live on Star+, the Caribbean on ESPN Play and Australia/New Zealand on WatchESPN.  

USA National Team skater, Minna Stess has joined the S1 Helmets team!

Congrats Minna!

Wednesday is the middle of the week and sometimes you just need something good to get you through the next few days…

For us, this new music video from indie darling mokina is it!

The video “Stars”, filmed in her home base of Portugal, is a celebration of friendships — the intimate, romantic and platonic bonds we form through them, and is pictured here through her group of eight girl friends skateboarding, eating pizza, and chasing sunsets.

Shot by Portuguese videographer, photographer and skateboarder João Pedro Cordeiro, the video was styled by Segunda Vida, a vintage surfwear brand run by Beatriz Mota, one of the skateboarders featured in the video; as well as Sana, a knitted hat company created by Debbie who also shines through the cast, and local brand Big Raven.

The ensemble of the video also features girl bosses Sina Luxor, interdisciplinary artist and athlete; Kaman Lim, creator of handmade knitted goods; Galina Bakker and Dana Scheltens who work for the Netherlands’ biggest surf community Surfana; Talia Kaufman, who has worked with several NGOs empowering girls through skate and sports worldwide.

Sit back, relax, listen to the awesome music and enjoy the video on repeat

Front L to R: Bryce Wettstein, Jordan Santana, Jordyn Barratt, Minna Stess, Poe Pinson, Paige Heyn, Mariah Duran, Samarria Brevard ~. Photo: Chris Ortiz

USA Skateboarding Announces 2022 National Team at Toyota-Sponsored Event

Sixteen Skateboarders Named to National Team Including Thirteen Returning, Three New Members with Olympian Alexis Sablone as the New Women’s Head Coach

Los Angeles, Calif. (April 12, 2022) — Together with Toyota, USA Skateboarding - the U.S. governing body for skateboarding - announced that 16 members would join the 2022 skateboarding national team to kick off the new season. Skaters named to the national team were based on performance in international level events during the year before their selection for Men’s Park and Street and Women’s Park and Street. The team is led by Andrew Nicolaus, Men’s Head Coach; Alexis Sablone, Women’s Head Coach; and Mimi Knoop, High Performance Director. Skateboarding made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where Team USA earned two bronzes from Cory Juneau (Park) and Jagger Eaton (Street). For the women, Alexis Sablone and Bryce Wettstein made it to the finals earning fourth and sixth place, respectively. In all, nine Skateboarding Olympians will return to the 2022 national team.

Over the past two days, the USA Skateboarding staff and 2022 team members spent time together at The Berrics gathering content, fitting the Nike team kits for the season, and onboarding new members, including Women’s Street skaters Paige Heyn, Poe Pinson, and Men’s Park skater Gavin Bottger.

“It was really fun to get everyone together and celebrate our 2022 national team in person. The level of talent is incredible, and I’m excited to see what our first-time team members are able to do with more opportunities to compete this year,” said Josh Friedberg, CEO of USA Skateboarding. “Huge thanks to our top sponsors Toyota and Nike SB, Dream Hollywood and Tao for the hospitality, and the Berrics for hosting our media day once again.”

“Toyota is proud to continue its sponsorship of USA Skateboarding and congratulates the 2022 National Team” said Dedra DeLilli, Group Manager, Sponsorship Strategy, Integration and Activation “This amazing group of athletes are great ambassadors of their sport. We are excited for the 2022 team and are proud of their incredible efforts on the street, in the park and for their meaningful contributions in their communities.”

The skaters named to the 2022 USA Skateboarding National Team include:

Minna, Jordan, Bryce, Jordyn and Women’s Coach Alexis Sablone

Women’s Park

Bryce Wettstein (Encinitas, CA)

Jordan Santana (Houston, TX)

Jordyn Barratt. (Haleiwa, HI)

Minna Stess (Petaluma, CA)

Poe, Paige, Mariah, Samarria and Women’s Coach Alexis Sablone

Women’s Street

Mariah Duran (Albuquerque, NM)

Paige Heyn (Tempe, AZ)

Poe Pinson (Fernandina Beach, FL)

Samarria Brevard (Riverside, CA)

Great Brittain had their National Championships last weekend and In the women's event, 14-year-old Lola Tambling claimed victory with a score of 42.58, Bombette Martin, who was GB's representative at the Tokyo Games and won the 2021 National Championships, was second with a score of 41.34, with Lilly Strachan third on 38.05.

Sky Brown who is still skating for GB was a no-show, presumably because of her podium finish at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

Stay tuned to see who is named to the GB Olympic team as we get closer to the Paris Olympics!

The new video by THERE Skateboards finally had its premiere and people are loving it. If you know, you know.

Featuring: Jessyka Bailey, Shag, Leo Bañuelos, Marbie, Nadair Asghari, Sam Bolton, Kat Sy, Briana King, Chandler Burton, Myles De Courcy, James Pitonyak, Jeff Cheung, & Kien Caples

Filmed by Rey Choto

Edited by Leo Bañuelos

Animations by Jeff Cheung

X Games Chiba 2022, presented by Yogibo, the first X Games event scheduled to take place in Japan, revealed more than 100 invited athletes at a press conference today in Chiba City. The event's Park and Street course designs were also unveiled, highlighting a colorful and unique course design inspired by Japanese origami.

The inaugural X Games Chiba event is set to debut April 22-24, 2022, featuring Skateboard, BMX and Moto X competitions over three days at ZOZOMARINE STADIUM. Along with world-class action sports competition and athletes, X Games Chiba will feature live musical performances, art installations, food, and festival experience.

WOMEN’S SKATEBOARD PARK - Invited Athletes

Yndiara Asp
Amelia Brodka
Cocona Hiraki
Ruby Lilley
Grace Marhoefer
Kisa Nakamura
Kihana Ogawa
Jordan Santana
Minna Stess
Mami Tezuka
Bryce Wettstein
Dora Varella
Sakura Yosozumi

WOMEN’S SKATEBOARD STREET - Invited Athletes

Andrea Benitez
Julia Brueckler
Lore Bruggeman
Chloe Covell
Rayssa Leal
Hina Maeda
Gabriela Mazetto
Funa Nakayama
Momiji Nishiya
Aori Nishimura
Yumeka Oda
Keet Oldenbeuving
Poe Pinson
Pamela Rosa
Nika Washington

Competition Schedule - Japan local Time - More info on how to watch in other countries coming soon!

Dropping in for the first time can be a bit scary. Watch Alex and Andrew Cannon break it down for you! If you somehow don’t know who Alex is, please google her. She’s a legend and knows her stuff!

Our OG 80s surf sisters are telling their stories and it’s one that is parallel to female skateboarders from that same era. This is a movie that everyone that has a daughter that surfs or skateboards should watch.

It's the 1980s and the world of professional surfing is a circus of fluorescent colors, peroxide hair, and radical male egos. GIRLS CAN’T SURF follows the journey of a band of renegade surfers who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever.

Featuring surfing greats Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha, Layne Beachley, and more, GIRLS CAN'T SURF is a wild ride of clashing personalities, sexism, adventure, and heartbreak, with each woman fighting against the odds to make their dreams of competing a reality.

The film drops on April 19th on Apple TV.

Samarria Pro Bronson Bearing Release

The Ditch em’ Event is coming, Samarria Brevard’s Pro G3 Bearing Release Event. Ditch your old bearings and wheels for Samarria’s newest Pro G3 Bearings and Ricta Wheels at Bronson’s DITCH’ EM event x Skate Like a Girl. Meet on April 10th at Mike Fox Skatepark in Santa Cruz, CA

APRIL 10th, 9 AM - 12 PM

MIKE FOX SKATEPARK - 299 San Lorenzo Blvd., Santa Cruz, CA

While supplies last!

I LOVE SKATEBOARDING / A Girl’s Skate Video

We are so stoked about this new video that dropped today! S1 Helmets supports our movement in so many ways and creating this video together with S1 team riders and Girl is NOT a 4 letter word team riders was amazing!

Featuring (in order of appearance)

Quinne Daniels, Paige Tobin, Evette Halitzka, Klara Kermoade, Kaiya Daniels, Briel Weingartner

Created by S1 Helmets and Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Filming by Colin H. Clark

Music by Velour Academy

Image via Powell Peralta

Exciting news this week!! it was just announced that Sakura Yosozumi, Gold Meadlist for Women’s Park at the 2021 Olympics, is now pro for Powell Peralta. Her Flight Deck and 7 Ply Decks are in stock and shipping to skate shops worldwide. Awesome!!!

Image via Powell Peralta

You can grab one of Sakura’s new pro boards HERE

Karly Moreno

Tonight Essie had an amazing launch party to celebrate their latest philanthropic initiative, hands all in in partnership with Project UnLonely, as well as their launch of the Essie Expressie Sk8 with Destiny nail polish collection. The event was held at The Annenberg Beach House and the OC Ramp painted in Essie’s new color collection was so fun! Nothing better than being right on the beach in Santa Monica, California, and skating a mini ramp with friends.

There were yummy eats and drinks, manicurists to give you a fresh and fast Essie Expressie manicure, skateboarding, friends, and good vibes. The weather could not have been more perfect - it was like a beautiful sunny and warm summer day.

Briana King

Hilary Shanks

It was great to see Briana King, Karly Moreno, TomTom, Hilary Shanks, and friends shredding the ramp throughout the party.

Make sure you check out our Instagram for a video of the event!

Photos @ianlogan x @girlisnota4letterword

Thanks so much to Essie for the invite!

The short film “A Good Friday to Fall” is written and directed by Rachelle Vinberg (from The Skate Kitchen and HBO’s BETTY) and features newcomer Dafny Estrada. It follows the two skaters throughout a fun day in the city where Rachelle shows Dafny what skateboarding and just having fun on your board is all about.

We don’t know how we missed this when it dropped in February, but we are happy we get to share it with you now!

In case you missed the live conversation with women in skateboarding today hosted by Los Angeles Public Library and Zach Moldof, you can watch the entire show here. This episode of LA MADE features skateboarders, Cindy Whitehead, Alex White, Monica Torres and Briana King!

Please join pro skateboarders Cindy Whitehead, Alex White, Briana King, and Monica Torres for a conversation about women in skateboarding through the years.

Hosted by Zach Moldof and the Los Angeles Public Library.

Thursday, March 17 at 4 PM PST streaming live on Facebook and YouTube.

More info HERE

Los Angeles is home to the most incredible mix of women who have shaped skateboarding. And while female riders have always been around, their entry into the skating industry is, unfortunately, fairly new. Join us to meet four trailblazing skaters who helped change the perception of what women in skateboarding mean and what the future of skating can look like.

Cindy Whitehead is one of the first female pro skaters, and today she runs Girl Is Not A 4 Letter Word, a non-profit dedicated to creating opportunities for women in skateboarding. Alex White was a sponsored skater and now works for one of the biggest and most respected conglomerates in skateboarding: NHS. Briana King is a savant of the contemporary era and one of the most-recognized skateboarders on the planet today. And Monica Torres is a pro skater and Brazilian transplant who won the first-ever Women’s Battle At The Berrics–a widely celebrated contest of the skateboard industry’s best talent.

Streaming live on the library's YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Thanks to the generosity of Skate Bud, participants viewing this virtual program will have an opportunity to win a beginner's guide to skating book.

Photos Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

The Vans x Lizzie Experience was “something else entirely”!

Bands were playing, cocktails and food were flowing, people were skating the bowl, checking out Lizzie’s new shoe, and having a blast. The party was held outside at Goya Studios in the heart of Hollywood and it was a perfect night - the sky was clear and it was a typical winter evening in California, which means a perfect 60 degrees.

All of Lizzie’s friends we’re there to celebrate with her, dance, skate, and be stoked that a female pro skater has her own signature shoe with Vans.

If you haven’t checked out Lizzie’s new shoe or her capsule collection, it’s in Vans stores now!

The Lizzie Experience goes on through this weekend - so if you are in Los Angeles, we suggest you check it out - tickets in the link!

Thanks so much to Vans for having us!

USA Olympian skateboarder, Bryce Wettstein, skateboards with rad longboarder Carla Javier-Brea and some amazing roller skaters in this new video for clothing company Wildfang.

Check out Wildfang’s other videos featuring these skaters on Youtbe!

If you are anywhere near Houston, TX make sure you put April 9th, 4-7 PM on your calendar because GROW is throwing a girl’s skate event. There will be live music, art, and prizest!

“Girls Roll on Wheels” takes place at the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark at 103 Sabine Street in Houston.

Pro skateboarder Arianna Carmona will be there to do a skate demo and sign some autographs.

Bring your board and come on out and skate!