Street League Skateboarding announces first-ever women's contest
Street League Skateboarding announced Tuesday that it will be incorporating a women's contest division at the official street skateboarding world championship as sanctioned by the International Skateboarding Federation -- the 2015 Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in October.
Held in Chicago at the UIC Pavilion, the newly created SLS women's division contest will offer some of the best female skaters in the world the opportunity to compete for a $30,000 prize purse and one-of-a-kind Nixon Super Crown watch -- the largest first-place prize in 2015 women's skateboarding, with a total prize purse of $60,000 for the field of eight. In the often-underexposed world of female competitive skating, the chance to be broadcast on a global level alongside some of the world's best male pros is a landmark opportunity for the eight women selected to compete.
For New York pro Alexis Sablone, the inclusion of women at the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship represents a huge chance to not only advance her own pro career but to expose and elevate the world of women's skateboarding as a whole.
"Personally it's huge to have another opportunity aside from X Games to win money," Sablone said. "Street League has been around for a few years now and I think it's about time they included women. Not having a women's event perpetuates the idea that only guys skateboard, and that's simply not true."
Carefully chosen on a range of criteria including competitive history and all-terrain capability, the eight women selected represent the most elite ranks of female pros who'll be following the exact same SLS contest format as the men's division -- an aspect many competitors, including Southern California-based Pro Lacey Baker, are looking forward to.
"It's smart to incorporate opportunities to do a run and offer five chances for best trick to show the varying skills of each skater," Baker said of the unique SLS format.
For Sablone, it's not only the contest format, but the level playing field she's anticipating.
"In past contests there were just a few dominant skaters," Sablone said, "but with this group, I really think anyone could win."
The SLS Women's Division will be aired live Oct. 4 via international webcast exclusively on StreetLeague.com. Additionally, a premiere telecast will also air on FS1 and FOX Sports GO on Oct. 18 exclusively in the United States.
Marisa Dal Santo, boardslide.
2015 Street League Skateboarding Women's Pro Roster
Leticia Bufoni (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Lacey Baker (Covina, CA, USA)
Pamela Baker (Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil)
Samarria Brevard (Riverside, CA, USA)
Alexis Sablone (Old Saybrook, CT, USA)
Vanessa Torres (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Marisa Dal Santo (La Grange, IL, USA)
Alana Smith (Mesa, AZ, USA)
Alternates
Jenn Soto (Tannerville, PA, USA)
Mariah Dunn (Albuquerque, NM, USA)
