The World Skateboarding Tour concluded the 2023 Street World Championship in the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo on Sunday the 17th of December with the host nation crowning new World Champions in both Men’s and Women’s divisions. The week-long event saw over 200 entrants from 50 nations compete for the title of World Champion as well as Official World Skate Ranking points which contribute towards qualification for the grand finale in Paris this coming summer.
The host nation claimed 5 of the top 6 spots including a clean sweep in the men’s division. Much has been talked about the Japanese moment in skateboarding over the course of the last week, and nowhere has that been more evident than in the women’s contest scene. Five of the eight female finalists come from the host nation, and none of them are here by luck. In fact, it could have been an even higher percentage; Miyu Ito missed the cut by less than four points.What can be said with confidence is that today’s World Championship saw the highest standard of competitive skating ever in both divisions. Watch it all unfold here and read our more detailed analysis of the contest on our dedicated skateboardign blog here.
Victory in the women’s championship would go to ever-improving Japanese newcomer Yumeka Oda who stole into first with the highest-scoring trick of the contest, a Kickflip Frontside Feeblegrind. A deserved victory and a new World Champion.
Outright winner and new World Champion in the men’s division was the virtuoso Sora Shirai, who was already unbeatable by the second round of Best Trick before signing off on the entire contest with an Alley-Oop Frontside 180 Ollie to Fakie 5-0 Grind, Frontside 180 Out- which is right on the boundary of human possibility.
Tokyo witnessed genuine skateboarding magic in what has been the highest standard of skateboarding at any similar contest, anywhere in the world to date- Arigato to all involved. The World Skateboarding Tour continues: next stop, Dubai!
WST Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 Women’s Results
1) Yumeka Oda
2) Rayssa Leal
3) Momiji Nishiya
WST Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 Men’s Results
1) Sora Shirai
2) Kairi Netsuke
3) Yuto Horigome