The World Skate Street Championship takes place in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, where over 270 skaters compete for the trophy.
The week-long event runs from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5 and forms part of the race to Paris 2024 , dishing out crucial points for the World Skate rankings that define who goes to the Olympic Games.
Like the first Olympic qualifier in Rome in 2022, Mundal will have a qualifying stage, with the top 32 advancing to the quarterfinals. At this stage, the top seeds – according to the World Skate ranking – make their debut.
Quarterfinals will be followed by semifinals and finals on Sunday, February 5th.
Brazil will have 40 representatives, including Olympic medalists Rayssa Leal, Kelvin Hoefler and Pedro Barros and two-time SLS champion Pamela Rosa . Portugal also has big ambitions with reigning SLS winner Gustavo Ribeiro.
This is your complete guide to the event, with the schedule, favorites and where to watch.
Skate Street World Championship: favorites
Male: Does Gustavo Ribeiro stay on top?
With rankings leader Nyjah Huston out of action with a ligament injury, it looks likely he will be overtaken by someone in Sharjah. The question is who will it be.
Gustavo Ribeiro , from Portugal, is a contender after winning the 2022 SLS title and bronze in the Rome Olympic qualifier. But never underestimate Olympic champion Horigome Yuto. He has had a good season and will look to improve on Roma, where he was only eighth.
With the Olympic host on the hunt for big heroes, France are turning to Aurelien Giraud , who nearly took Huston’s gold in Rome.
Veterans like the Australian Shane O’Neill and the Brazilian Kelvin Hoefler are also in the fight, as well as the Argentinean Mauro Iglesias, who surprised to be in the top 5 in Rome and will be seeded in Sharjah.
Female: Rayssa Leal vs. japanese
The 2022 season was indisputably Brazilian.
She has won every stage of the SLS, including the Super Crown in Rio de Janeiro. Her ability to pull off the right trick at the decisive moment under pressure is something that always pays off for the 15-year-old.
However, in Rome, she was “only” in fifth position. The winner was Japan’s Nakayama Funa , followed by compatriot Nishiya Momiji , Olympic champion.
Also keep an eye out for 13-year-old Australian Chloe Covell from Australia and Brazilian Pamela Rosa.
Who are the key heads?
The top five ranked in the World Skate ranking on December 15, 2022 debut directly in the quarterfinals.
Female
- Nakayama Funa (JPN)
- Nishiya Momiji (JPN)
- Oda Yumeka (JPN)
- Akama Rizu (JPN)
- Rayssa Leal (BRA)
Masculine
- Nyjah Huston (USA)*
- Aurelien Giraud (FRA)
- Gustavo Ribeiro (POR)
- Matias Dell Olio (ARG)
- Mauro Iglesias (ARG)
*Huston does not compete in the event due to injury.
Complete schedule of the Skate Street World Championship
Sunday, January 29th
- Workouts – 09:00 – 18:55
Monday, January 30th
- Workouts – 09:00 – 18:55
Tuesday, January 31st
- Workouts – 09:00 – 18:55
- Top seed training – 19:00 – 20:35
Wednesday, February 1st
- Women’s qualifier – 09:00 – 14:15
- Top seed training – 15:30 – 17:05
Thursday, February 2nd
- Men’s qualifier – 09:00 – 20:15
- Top seed drills – 20:20 – 21:55
Friday, February 3rd
- Women’s quarterfinals – 10:00 – 14:35
- Men’s quarterfinals – 15:00 – 19:35
Saturday, February 4th
- Women’s semifinals – 15:00 – 17:45
- Men’s semifinals – 18:30 – 21:15
Sunday, February 5th
- Women’s final – 16:40 – 17:50
- Men’s final – 18:10 – 19:20
- Awards – 19:50 – 20:20
Street Skate World 2023: Score and format
Qualifying: two laps of 45 seconds – best lap counts
- 32 athletes by gender advance to the quarterfinals
Quarterfinals – two laps of 45 seconds – best lap counts
- 16 athletes by gender advance to the semifinals
Semifinal – Olympic format 2/5/3 – best lap plus two best tricks
- 8 athletes by gender advance to finals
Final – Olympic format 2/5/3 – – best lap plus two best tricks
- Skate street scores for Paris 2024
