Skate Like A Girl's Wheels of Fortune XG Qualifier
All together in Seattle
Skate Like a Girl's 7th Annual Wheels of Fortune (WOF) contest was held in early May at All Together Skatepark in Seattle, Washington. Though in it's 7th year, this year's competition was unique through a new partnership withWomen's Skateboarding Alliance(WSA). As a newly WSA sanctioned event, WOF became the first ever pre-qualifying event in history for Women's skateboarding at X Games. The top two finishers in the Advanced division were selected as Wild Card athletes to compete in Women's Street at X Games this June. Here, Mariah Duran kickflips over a gap in the course, and what follows is a recap of the event.
Skate Like a Girl's 7th Annual Wheels of Fortune (WOF) contest was held in early May at All Together Skatepark in Seattle, Washington. Though in it's 7th year, this year's competition was unique through a new partnership withWomen's Skateboarding Alliance(WSA). As a newly WSA sanctioned event, WOF became the first ever pre-qualifying event in history for Women's skateboarding at X Games. The top two finishers in the Advanced division were selected as Wild Card athletes to compete in Women's Street at X Games this June. Here, Mariah Duran kickflips over a gap in the course, and what follows is a recap of the event.
Already invited
Vanessa Torres is already on the invite list for Women's Skateboard Street at X Games Austin 2016, but she showed up to support the event regardless, and landed clean kickflips to fakie on the miniramp.
Vanessa Torres is already on the invite list for Women's Skateboard Street at X Games Austin 2016, but she showed up to support the event regardless, and landed clean kickflips to fakie on the miniramp.
International field
Over 100 female skaters participated in the competition hailing from all over the world including Canada, Australia, Japan, Russia, USA, and Brazil. 40 girls rounded out the Advanced Division to battle it out for the wild card spots to X Games. In the end, Alexis Sablone, pictured here, took the win with moves with like this kickflip over the park rail. And since Sablone is already on the invite list for Austin, the wildcard spots went to new qualifiers further down the lineup.
Over 100 female skaters participated in the competition hailing from all over the world including Canada, Australia, Japan, Russia, USA, and Brazil. 40 girls rounded out the Advanced Division to battle it out for the wild card spots to X Games. In the end, Alexis Sablone, pictured here, took the win with moves with like this kickflip over the park rail. And since Sablone is already on the invite list for Austin, the wildcard spots went to new qualifiers further down the lineup.
Invited to Austin
14-year-old Aori Nishimura from Tokyo, Japan placed second in the Advanced Division and earned a coveted invite spot to X Games Austin 2016 with moves like this frontside feeble.
14-year-old Aori Nishimura from Tokyo, Japan placed second in the Advanced Division and earned a coveted invite spot to X Games Austin 2016 with moves like this frontside feeble.
Wildcard spot
Aori Nishimura took second place behind Alexis Sablone in the finals. This is what it takes to earn a wildcard invite spot to X Games Austin 2016.
Aori Nishimura took second place behind Alexis Sablone in the finals. This is what it takes to earn a wildcard invite spot to X Games Austin 2016.
East Coast represent
Jersey City, New Jersey skateboarder Jenn Soto took fourth place in the Advanced Division and earned the other wildcard invite to X Games Austin 2016. Lacey Baker took third place, and since she was already on the invite list for X Games, Soto was next in line for the invite.
Jersey City, New Jersey skateboarder Jenn Soto took fourth place in the Advanced Division and earned the other wildcard invite to X Games Austin 2016. Lacey Baker took third place, and since she was already on the invite list for X Games, Soto was next in line for the invite.
Austin invites
Look for these two to be skating in Women's Skateboard Street at X Games Austin 2016 in early June.
Look for these two to be skating in Women's Skateboard Street at X Games Austin 2016 in early June.
Stomped
Stomped kickflips in the finals helped Jenn Soto grab the wildcard invite spot to X Games Austin 2016.
Stomped kickflips in the finals helped Jenn Soto grab the wildcard invite spot to X Games Austin 2016.
Best Trick winner
It's not a contest without a Best Trick event, which Mariah Duran (pictured here) won with a frontside 360 down the stair set. Duran's bag of tricks is deep, as evidenced by this frontside feeble.
It's not a contest without a Best Trick event, which Mariah Duran (pictured here) won with a frontside 360 down the stair set. Duran's bag of tricks is deep, as evidenced by this frontside feeble.
X Games gold
Pamela Rosa took the gold medal win at X Games Oslo 2016, and is already on the invite list for Austin, but she showed up in Seattle to support the crew, earning ninth place in the process with moves like this frontside feeble.
Pamela Rosa took the gold medal win at X Games Oslo 2016, and is already on the invite list for Austin, but she showed up in Seattle to support the crew, earning ninth place in the process with moves like this frontside feeble.
Podium winners
From left to right: Aori Nishimura (second place), Jenn Soto (fourth place), Lacey Baker (third place), Savannah Headden (fifth place) and Alexis Sablone (first place).
From left to right: Aori Nishimura (second place), Jenn Soto (fourth place), Lacey Baker (third place), Savannah Headden (fifth place) and Alexis Sablone (first place).
Crewed up
This is the future of women's street skateboarding, and it's continuing to grow at a phenomenal rate. Look for Women's Skateboard Street to be contested at X Games Austin 2016 in early June.
This is the future of women's street skateboarding, and it's continuing to grow at a phenomenal rate. Look for Women's Skateboard Street to be contested at X Games Austin 2016 in early June.
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