The World Skate Games are now underway in Asunción, Paraguay, and roller freestyle got started with the street discipline. The best street skaters in the world came together for the most important competition of the season.

The competition also showed how far the sport reaches. 139 street skaters from 24 countries came to Asunción to chase a world title, and the junior divisions were almost even between boys and girls, a great sign for the future of the sport.

From the first rounds, the level was very high. Skaters took on big rails, long stair sets and technical lines, mixing difficulty, creativity and style in every run. The semifinals were some of the strongest heats we have seen, with very small margins between the top scores.

The crowd played a big part in the event. The public was very supportive of every skater, cheering for the big tricks and for every athlete who gave it their all. The Chilean and Brazilian skaters had an extra boost, with large groups of fans and teammates in the stands making noise for them on every run. That energy made the whole event feel like a real celebration of street skating.

Finals day did not go as planned. Right when the junior finals were about to start, the rain came and never left. After waiting and hoping for the weather to clear, the organization had to make the call. The finals could not be skated, and the world champions were crowned based on the results of the semifinals. It was a tough moment for the athletes who had prepared for their final runs, but it also showed how much the semifinal runs mattered. Every skater who made the podium earned it with what they did in those heats.

The junior divisions brought together young skaters from all around the world, but Brazil was the strongest by far. Brazilian juniors took almost every medal, with a full podium in Junior Women and first and third place in Junior Men. The only medal that left Brazil went to Michał Szmigiel from Poland, who skated really well to take second place in Junior Men.

In the women’s division, Carla Pasquinelli from France showed real strength. She had two hard falls during training, but she handled it in the best way possible. When it counted, she stayed calm and skated a perfect run with zero mistakes, and that run was enough to take the world title home.

The men’s title was one of the closest battles of the event. Leonardo Cardoso and Danilo Senna, both from Brazil, were separated by just a small margin. Danilo impressed with his spins to grinds, while Leonardo stood out with a very original approach to the course. In the end, the judges chose Leonardo’s creativity, and he took the world title.