Image Via World Skate SB

The skateparks in Southern California have looked pretty empty this past week, with a lot of the pro and younger skaters heading off to compete in Argentina at Olympic Qualifiers. Paris is coming soon, and those points they accumulate at the qualifiers matter!!

Here is the schedule of events:

Sunday 5/21 through Tuesday 5/23 is practice sessions.

Then on Wednesday 5/24 we head into the Open Qualifier where they will narrow the field down to just thirty two skaters to move onto the quarter finals.

Friday 5/26 will be the quarter finals where the pre-seeds will join the thirty two skaters who made it through the open. The quarter Finals will narrow the field down again.

WATCH IT LIVE!! Saturday 5/27 is the semi finals. The semi-finals will narrow the field down to just EIGHT skaters for the finals . WHEW!!

Semi-Finals Start Time: 12:05 PM PT / 1:05 PM ET

WATCH IT LIVE!! Sunday 5/28 will be the eight women who made it through to the finals.

Start Time: 1:15 PM PT / 4:15 ET

HOW TO WATCH

Livestream coverage will be available on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com beginning with the semi-finals on Saturday 27 May and finishing with the finals on Sunday 28 May.

Don’t Miss It!!

Lizzie Armanto

Huge thanks to photographer, Joanne Barratt, for covering X Games Chiba for us! We love the mix of action and portrait images she captured while there. We also love seeing Lizzie rocking a red jumpsuit, Bryce in floral and Arisa Trew in bright pink accents. Skaters have a unique fashion style that is all their own - we love that!

Scroll on to enjoy the images!

Bryce Wettstein

Cocona Hiraki

Arisa Trew

Minna Stess, Jordyn Barratt, Bryce Wettstein, and Cocona Hiarki waiting to skate

Grace Marhoefer

Jordyn Barratt

We are so stoked to announce that Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team rider, Maya Kenny, has made the Mexican National Skateboard Team!

Maya traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico this month to compete in Mexico’s Nationals for Women’s Park, where she took home the silver medal. She will be representing Mexico at the Olympic Qualifiers in Argentina this month and we wish her all the best! At just thirteen years old, Maya has a bright future in skateboarding ahead of her. Go Maya!!

Check out the video she did with Braille below about training, making the National Team for Women’s Park and more!

Ruby Lilley, Cocona Hiraki and Yurin Fujii on the podium for Women's Skateboard Park Final 2023 X Games Japan at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba, Japan. ©Brett Wilhelm/X Games

WOMEN’S PARK PODIUM RESULTS

Gold - Cocona Hiraki - Japan

Silver - Ruby Lilley - USA

Bronze - Yurin Fuji - Japan

We can’t say that this X Games was an uneventful one. From a 5.4 earthquake that struck Chiba, Japan in the early morning hours (while the skaters were still sleeping) to a rain delay that ultimately forced the women to use the prelims as their finals. There was a lot to contend with. As per usual, the skaters did it with style and grace. Pushing their hardest for great runs and cheering each other on. If you were up in the early morning hours - it was a great contest!

With seven of 15 skaters hailing from Japan, the Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination saw X Games Chiba 2022 silver medalist Cocona Hiraki from Tomakomai, Japan earn her first-ever X Games gold medal. Hiraki’s run bested the rest of the field by more than 10 points, with a run that focused on speed, style and technical difficulty. The only skater to hit the flat bar rail feature, Hiraki’s backside nosegrind was the best in the competition. American Ruby Lilley earned her first X Games medal with silver and Chigasaki, Japan’s Yurin Fujii rounded out the podium in bronze position. Fuji’s opening trick was the best of the competition, a backside 360 over a huge box jump

Watch the full X Games women’s park comp above

Momiji Nishiya, Rayssa Leal and Rizu Akama on the podium for Women's Skateboard Street Final at 2023 X Games Japan at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba, Japan. ©Brett Wilhelm/X Games

WOMEN’S STREET PODIUM RESULTS

Gold - Rayssa Leal - Brazil

Silver - Momiji Nishiya - Japan

Bronze - Rizu Akama - Japan

Brazilian superstar Rayssa Leal opened the day by successfully defended her X Games Chiba 2022 gold medal. Her first run score narrowly beat out X Games 2022 gold medalist Momiji Nishiya, who hails from Osaka, Japan. Both Leal and Nishiya landed backside lipslides down the 14-stair handrail, the biggest rail on the course. Both just 15 years old, the two have combined to win eight of the last nine major women’s street contests around the world. X Games rookie Rizu Akama from Aomori City, Japan earned a bronze medal with technical tricks that impressed the judges, including a Barley grind which is almost never seen in women’s competition. 

Watch the full X Games women’s Street Comp above

Hey Los Angeles!!!

Get tickets to see the World Premiere of a new skateboarding documentary! N-Men: The Untold Story by Director: James Sweigert is now slated to show in Los Angeles - so don’t miss it!!

N-Men: The Untold Story was just announced as the winner of the 2023 LA Independent Film Festival’s “Best Director” and is nominated for “Best Picture” - both are huge honors!!

This film premiere is part of the LA Independent Film Festival and you can get tickets starting at 11 AM TODAY.

**This showing is ONE NIGHT only!

LINK for TICKETS

Date of Premiere: May 27th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14 at 8 PM

Synopsis: In 1975, in downtown Sacramento, California, a diverse crew of skateboarders met at a paved embankment under the freeway. They had no idea their underground movement would last 50 years and have a global impact on the world of skateboarding. N-Men: The Untold Story is a sneak peek into this off the grid crew who were Northern California's answer to the Z-Boys from Dogtown in Southern California. It is a raw and intimate look in this crew and the two men who founded them.

You don’t want to miss this iconic skateboarding documentary!

Sakura Yosozumi~ Photo Garth Milan for espn

X Games Japan is almost here, so get ready to tune in and watch women’s park and street. This is the second year that the event will be held at Chiba's ZOZOMarine Stadium. The event hasn’t even started and the biggest news so far is that Sky Brown has pulled out of the event and we hear rumblings that Japanese sensation, Sakura Yosozumi has as well? But don’t worry! There are plenty of rad women to watch, including our own team rider, Minna Stess!l

Read on for all the details of who was invited and when/where to watch LIVE!!!

Women’s Park - Invited Skaters

Lizzie Armanto

Jordyn Barratt

Yurin Fujii

Mizuho Hasegawa

Cocona Hiraki

Hinano Kusaki

Ruby Lilley

Grace Marhoefer

Kisa Nakamura

Kihana Ogawa

Isadora Pacheco

Minna Stess

Mami Tezuka

Arisa Trew

Bryce Wettstein

Sakura Yosozumi

Women’s Street - Invited Skaters

  Rizu Akama

Chloe Covell

Paige Heyn

Rayssa Leal

Secret Lynn

Hina Maeda

Grace Marhoefer

Christiana Means

Funa Nakayama

Aori Nishimura

Momiji Nishiya

Yumeka Oda

Keet Oldenbeuving

Haylie Powell

Wenhui Zeng

HOW TO WATCH LIVE!

X Games is live all weekend May 12-14 from Chiba, Japan, available to watch your way globally across XGames.com, YouTube and Twitch

May 12th - USA TIMES (starts in the middle of the night - so dont get confused here)

Women's Skateboard Street Elimination: 3:30am ET (5/12) | 12:30am PT (5/12)

Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination: 6:30am ET (5/12) | 3:30am PT (5/12) |

Women’s Skateboard Park: 11:45pm ET (5/12) | 8:45pm PT (5/12)

Women’s Skateboard Street: 1:10a ET (5/13) | 10:10pm PT (5/12)

Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

At 59 years old, Amy Bradshaw still skateboards every day. She goes by @oldladyskater on instagram but that is Amy having a bit of fun, while she may be older than most people skateboarding regularly, she still keeps up with the kids at the skatepark (easily).

S1 helmets just posted an interview with Amy that covers her skating back in the day, her life now and everything in-between. It’s a great read!

You can check out Amy’s S1 interview HERE

Photo Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Once again team rider, Zoe Herishen, is throwing her awesome Chica de Mayo event in New Jersey at Ocean City Skatepark!

All girls and Womxn skaters are welcome so come out and skate with friends, take a lesson, win prizes and much more!

FREE ADMISSION!!

**Please bring helmet and pads as the park requires you to wear them **

OCEAN CITY SKATEPARK - 550 Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, NJ

SUNDAY MAY 7th from 10 AM - 1 PM

Image via SLS

Get ready to do some downloading, because SLS is now LIVE on RUMBLE and you’ll need to download the app if you want to watch. But don’t worry, we have all the info for each device and a direct link as well. Let’s make this easy! And BTW - watching LIVE is still FREE!

The women’s finals take place on Saturday, April 29th on RUMBLE

Image via SLS

WOMEN’S FINALISTS

Yumeka Oda

Roos Zwetsloot

Chloe Covell

Momiji Nishiya

Funa Nakayama

Rayssa Leal

Watch the Women’s FINALS - FREE!

Saturday, April 29th

6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT

Rumble is the exclusive home to watch SLS Events Live – FOR FREE!

​Stream all the action on Web, Desktop, Mobile, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, and LG TV. No registration or fee is required to watch SLS. 

​All fans are encouraged to subscribe to the SLS channel on Rumble to keep up to date on upcoming events and exclusive content!

DESKTOP/WEB:

1. Go to www.rumble.com
2. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also go directly to www.rumble.com/sls or click on the green button above that says "WATCH LIVE AND FREE ON RUMBLE"

IPHONE & IPAD: 

1. Open the Apple App Store
2. Search for Rumble.com or Rumble
3. Tap the Get button
4. Tap Install
5. Open the Rumble app on your Apple device
6. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Channel to access the content

APPLE TV:

1. Open the Apple App Store
2. Search for Rumble.com or Rumble
3. Tap the Get button
4. Tap Install
5. Open the Rumble app on your Apple TV
6. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Channel to access the content

ANDROID & ANDROID TV:

1. Open the Google Play Store
2. Search for Rumble.com or Rumble
3. Tap Install
4. Start the Rumble app on your Android device
5. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Channel to access the content

AMAZON FIRE TV:

1. Use the main menu on your Fire TV to search for apps. You can also use your voice to search for specific apps. Just press the voice button on your Alexa Voice Remote.
2. Search for Rumble.com or Rumble
3. Select Get or the shopping cart icon to start your download
4. Start the Rumble app on your Fire TV
5. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Rumble Channel to access the content

ROKU STREAMING PLAYERS AND ROKU TVS:

1. Press Home on your Roku remote
2. Scroll and select Store
3. Select Channels, then search for Rumble.com or Rumble
4. Select Add channel
5. Open the Rumble app
6. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Rumble Channel to access the content

LG TV:

How to watch on Rumble:

1. Press the Home button on the remote control.
2. LG Content Store will launch.
3. Select APPS category shown at the top of the screen.
4. Search for Rumble.com or Rumble
5. Read the details of the Rumble app and then press Install
6. Open the Rumble app
7. Watch SLS Chicago free on April 29th at 2pm ET/11am PT for Men's Knockout and 6pm ET/3pm PT for Women's and Men's Final

You can also search “SLS” and navigate directly to the SLS Rumble Channel to access the content

Yumeka Oda and Momiji Nishiya at Sanrio headquarters (C) 2023 SANRIO CO., LTD.

Press Release: TOKYO, April 25, 2023 -- Sanrio Company, Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, is pleased to announce that it has signed sponsorship agreements with Japanese female skateboarders Momiji Nishiya and Yumeka Oda, effective April 21, 2023. Through these agreements, Sanrio hopes to support young athletes in their challenges and strengthen its corporate brand in North America and other global markets.

As part of the agreements, both athletes will use decks with Hello Kitty and Sanrio logo stickers to compete in various tournaments and competitions, starting with one of the world's most prestigious, premier action sporting events, "X Games Chiba 2023" (May 12-14 in Chiba, Japan).

Momiji Nishiya - photo via Sanrio

Momiji Nishiya - Born on August 30, 2007, in Osaka, Japan. She is the first gold medalist in the TOKYO 2020 Skateboard Women's Street event. At the same time, she became the youngest Japanese skater ever to win a gold medal at the age of 13 years and 10 months. She started skateboarding at the age of 6, influenced by her older brother, and within 7 years of starting to compete, she joined the ranks of the world's top-class skaters. With the motto of "smile and have fun until the end," she has won the world's most prestigious contests such as X Games and Dew Tour, and is also eager to create video parts on street skating.

Yumeka Oda

Yumeka Oda - Born on October 30, 2006, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, she started skateboarding at the age of 7. In 2022, she represented Japan at the Pro Tour organized by World Skate. She also won in Street League Skateboarding, the most prestigious competition in the world, and scored 9.4, that is the highest score for a single trick in women's history and the first time in women's skating history to score in the 9-point range. The disappointment of missing out on TOKYO 2020 has propelled her to be one of the leading candidates of the next generation who are expected to achieve great things at the next Games.

Poster via N-Men The Movie

Get ready for a great documentary film featuring the men and women who paved the way!

“In 1975 the Z-Boys came to life in Dogtown. That same year in Northern California, the N-Men were formed. The Z-Boys only lasted 3 years. The N-Men and women have never stopped and have had a global impact on the world of skateboarding. Their story has never been told. Until now.”

We love that three of our Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word sponsored skaters over the years are featured in this film - congrats to Beverly Flood, Kat Folsom and Judi Oyama!

This film by James Sweigert was eleven years in the making and just won the LAFA film award here in Los Angeles - so you don’t want to miss this!

See the film and meet some of the N-Men (and women) in Sacramento when the film shows at The Crest Theater on June 2nd and 3rd!

In 2021 our team rider, Minna Stess, made history when she became the youngest female national skateboarding champion, but what you may not know is, her driving force to compete came from a deal she made with her father to get the gaming PC of her dreams.

Relive this historic moment retold by Minna Stess, ANIMATED!

10-year-old Reese Nelson was born in Calgary, Alberta and has been skating since she was four. Reese is so excited to her experiences and showcase her unique abilities on the CGT stage. After backstage rolls her reel, Howie makes a call to brag about Reese’s audition to the best in the business…Tony Hawk!

Poppy Starr turned Pro for Worble last night ~ Photos Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Last night’s skate premiere was one for the books! Not even the light rain, that came out of nowhere, could stop people from attending the W0rble Video Premiere launch party at Benny Boy Brewery near Downtown Los Angeles. The beer was flowing, and the brewery’s outdoor spaces were packed with skaters and friends, ready to watch the premiere of W0RBLE WORLD. It did not disappoint! Best skate film we have seen in forever!!

The Worble Crew!

Poppy Starr, Janthavy and Eunice were featured throughout and each of their parts were so damn good - lots of fun moments too. Watch this video on REPEAT!! It is what skateboarding is all about - shredding hard and having FUN!

It was nice to see some of Poppy’s longtime skate friends come out to cheer her on - Lizzie Armanto, Bryce Wettstein, Hayley Wilson, Hannah Tallman, Benny Gonzales, Allysha Le, Nicole Hause, Corbin Harris and so many more!

The Olsen Family - Kip, Poppy, Thomas, Banjo and Andrew

Right after the movie there was another surprise in store… W0rble turned Poppy Starr PRO! Her new board is so sick (artwork by Marbie Miller) and Poppy had no idea that her entire family was in the audience and had flown in from AU to watch the film and see her turn pro - what a great night!!

Full Worble World Video below after photo gallery…. All photos Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

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Poppy had a full on rock star kind of night!

WATCH THE NEW WORBLE WOLD VIDEO BELOW - ON REPEAT!!!

PRESS RELEASE

Today, the Utah Sports Commission, Tony Hawk Inc., and X Games announced an incredible weekend of skateboarding featuring “Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert (THVA),” to take place at Vivint Arena in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday June 23rd and Saturday June 24th, 2023. After extremely successful Vert Alert events in 2021 and 2022, Tony Hawk and X Games are excited to announce that Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert will now be a direct qualifying event leading to X Games 2023.

This epic, free-to-the-public event will kick off with preliminary rounds of both the men’s and women’s pro vert contests and the incredibly popular Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert “Legends Demo.” Saturday the 24th culminates with a combined field of 16 of the best male and female vert skaters competing in the THVA Finals. 10 hand-chosen male and female skaters will compete in the popular “Best Trick Contest.”

The exciting twist this year is that the top 3 male and top 3 female skaters will earn coveted invitations to X Games 2023 – details to be announced soon on xgames.com. Plus, the skaters will all be competing for a combined purse of $75,000.

Fans will be watching some of the biggest airs and most progressive tricks in vert skateboarding all on Hawk’s state-of-the-art vert ramp. And don’t forget an appearance on both days by the legend himself, Tony Hawk. Plus, check out the free indoor and outdoor interactive sponsor village.

Last year’s winners include Jimmy Wilkins, Mitchie Brusco, Moto Shibata, Lilly Stoephasius, Bryce Wettstein, and Arisa Trew. Best Trick winners were Edouard Damestoy and Reese Nelson.

Both THVA days are free to the public, with event details and times published at https://thvertalert.com/. Live streaming options for the Legends Demo, the Men’s and Women’s Finals, and the Best Trick Contests will be available at xgames.com. And in the days following Vert Alert, a two-hour highlight show featuring all the best from the weekend will air on ESPN.

“Continuing our terrific partnership with Tony Hawk on this two-day celebration of skateboarding will be great for Utah and also skateboarding globally,” said Jeff Robbins President & CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “Welcoming back some of the top skateboarding athletes and Olympians in the world will once again showcase why, Utah is the State of Sport.”

“I’m excited to bring our world-class vert event back to Salt Lake City in 2023,” said Tony Hawk. “The stakes are higher than ever as this year’s event winners will automatically qualify for X Games 2023. The previous two years were hugely successful and we’re proud to be back with many of the most talented skaters in the world for a free, two-day vert showcase. It will be a triumphant return to Salt Lake City for the third Vert Alert! Come join us!”

“Vivint Arena has hosted many celebrated figures during its 32-year history, and we are thrilled to add Tony Hawk to that long roster of legends,” said Jim Olson, president of the Utah Jazz. “Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert will be an event unlike any other we have hosted, and we look forward to offering this entertaining weekend to our incredible community.”

TICKET INFORMATION
Entry to Vivint Arena and access to “Tony Hawk‘s Vert Alert” will be FREE to the general public on both days. VIP tickets and additional info are available at www.THVertAlert.com.

Maybe you’ve heard? The US Post Office has issued skateboard stamps!

The “Art of the Skateboard” collection features four different stamps created by indigenous artists (and skaters) Di’Orr Greenwood, Crystal Worl, James Taylor Jr., and Federico “MasPaz” Frum,

Crystal Worl, an Alaskan artist used a blue and indigo salmon formline design to express her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage.

William James Taylor Jr, a self-taught Virginia artist created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction.

Federico “MasPaz” Frum, a Colombian-born, Washington, D.C.-raised muralist painted a stylized jaguar.

Di’Orr Greenwood, of Arizona represented her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance, using photographs of skateboards created for these stamps.

The stamps, which will have a printing of 18 million, are now available at your local post offices and also on the USPS website - so it’s easy to get these collectors items! We can only hope we gets some mail with one of these rad stamps on it!

You know we are huge fans of women who shine a light on non-traditional skate and surf communities, so we are very excited to haer about this new film getting ready to premier that features both surfers and skaters in Ghana.

Lucy Small, an Australian surfer and activist, embarks on a journey to Ghana to meet a group of pioneering female surfers and skaters. Ghana, which was once a stronghold of the transatlantic slave trade and has a history of Atlantic aquatic surf culture that predates colonial invasion, is the setting for a story of reclamation and joy.

The aim of this story is to challenge the negative representations that many African nations are often subjected to in western media.

The documentary, titled "Yama," begins in the bustling city of Accra and travels to the wave-rich coastline, where communities are driving the budding Ghanaian modern surf scene. The female surfers live in an area populated by the Fantes, who call their wooden boats "Yama," and these boats still cross Ghana's shoreline today.

"Yama" is a film by Maddie Meddings and Lucy Small, presented by Project Blank in association with Mecca Mpower, Heaps Normal, Surf Ghana, Obibini Girls Surf Club, Justice Brothers Surf School and Club.

Downhill’s Anna Pixner has decided to show the world what she is all about and where she skates. We will warn you, it’s a bit intense! Her new YouTube Channel is called “Anna Pixner’s Playground” and while only the first episode has dropped we are big fans!

We hope more female skaters will have channels that take you behind the scenes like this - yeah to Anna!!

Lori Peltier, the force behind G.R.O.W in Houston, TX is upping the excitement for this years “Girls Roll On Wheels” event by inviting USA skateboard Olympian, Jordyn Barratt, to be the special guest. Barratt will be on hand to perform a demo for the crowd, sign autographs and give girls new (and some not so new) to skateboarding some encouragement and camaraderie.

G.R.O.W’s event takes place on Saturday, April 29 from 3-7 PM at the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark at 103 Sabine Street. All girls and all abilities are welcome to join in the fun, skate, watch and cheer each other on. This event happens just once a year and is so much fun!

In honor of International Women's Day The Berrics presents an inside look into one of the most skilled and influential female skaters of our generation, Mariah Duran. An olympian, a photographer, a traveler, and most of all, a skateboarder. Mariah has one of the most established careers in the game, so come along with us as we spend a day with her to find out WHO IS Mariah Duran? Mariah Duran, the Albuquerque, NM local, is what you'd call a professional. Multiple major contest wins, stellar video parts, and one of the best trick selections in the game,

Mariah has been blowing up since her first @XGames appearance in 2015. Mariah has podiumed at multiple @SLS contests, skated in the 2020 @Olympics has 2 X Games gold medal, and back-to-back @USASkateboarding National Championships. She's supported by some of the industries biggest sponsors including @meowskateboards , @adidasSkateboarding , @thundertrucks @BonesBearings and @MountainDew.