Paris Summer Olympics 2024: The Rundown
Get Ready for the Summer 2024 Olympic Skateboarding Events!
It’s almost time to drop into Paris for 2024’s Summer Olympic Games, and we're hyped to see some more on-board action. Whether you're a proud park shark or a certified street soldier, this year's event is sure to excite. Let’s check out the ins-and-outs of the park and street competitions, the schedule, and how each skater will be judged.
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Park vs. Street: What’s the Difference?
Olympic skateboarding is categorised by two disciplines: Park and Street. Each has its own tricks, skaters, and general vibe, so let’s break it down.
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Tokyo 2020 Park and Street CoursesPhoto: World Skate |
Park Skating
Park skating is all about transitions, speed, and big air. Think of it as a playground of pools and bowls, almost like surfing on concrete; skaters fly high and perform grind and stall tricks on quarter pipe coping. The park course is designed to feel like an old-school park, sort of the stereotypical thing that comes to mind when you think “skatepark”, with lots of curves and vertical walls. Skaters will be grinding, flipping, and airing out over these features, trying to put together their best lines and biggest tricks.
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Mark Gonzales - Stalefish over Lance MountainPhoto: ? |
Street Skating
Street skating brings urban exploration to the Olympic stage. This event features a course packed with obstacles you'd find in most cities: ledges, rails, stairs, and banked surfaces. Street skaters will showcase their skills with flip tricks, grinds, and creative lines, making the most of every obstacle in their path, before attempting their best single tricks for the big finale.
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Eric Koston - Backside NosebluntslidePhoto: Mike Blabac |
Judging Criteria: How the Pros Get Scored
In both park and street events, skaters are judged based on a few key criteria: speed, style, and trick difficulty. Here’s what the judges will be looking for:
Speed
Speed is all about how fast a skater moves through the course. Maintaining high speed can make tricks look more impressive, make for higher airs, and allows for smoother lines.
Style
Style is the true essence of skateboarding. It’s not just about landing the best tricks but also how elegantly they’re performed – almost like a dance. Judges will consider:
- Height and Speed: How fast and high a trick is executed.
- Execution: How clean and composed the trick is.
- Aesthetics: The overall look and flow of the skater’s movements.
Trick Difficulty
Trick difficulty refers to how challenging the tricks are to pull off. Sometimes this can be subjective, but generally harder tricks can be recognised by the response of the crowd and commentary team, as well as the judge’s scores.
Combining these elements, skaters need to deliver a seamless performance that not only showcases their skills but also their unique flair and creativity.
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Dennis Busenitz - OlliePhoto: ? |
The Schedule: Don’t Miss a Beat
Mark your calendars, because the Paris 2024 Olympic Skateboarding events are set to take place over several days. Here’s a quick rundown of the schedule:
- July 27: Men’s Street
- July 28: Women’s Street
- August 6: Women’s Park
- August 7: Men’s Park
Each day will be high energy and high excitement, so make sure to tune in and support your favourite skaters!