Ryan Decenzo Takes Second in Men’s Final. Nyjah Huston Returns to Competition, Finishes Third. Momiji Nishiya and Roos Zwetsloot Place Second and Third in Women’s Final.
The 2023 Street League Skateboarding Championship Tour kicked off in a big way Saturday at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. Kelvin Hoefler (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Rayssa Leal (Imperatriz, Brazil) hoisted first place trophies in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 6,000 passionate fans. For Hoefler, it marked his second SLS victory in the Windy City, following his 2015 win. Leal earned her fifth straight SLS title, a streak stretching back to July 2022 as she continues her ascension to being one of the most dominant women skaters in the history of the sport.
In addition, the League’s winningest skater, Nyjah Huston (Huntington Beach, USA), emphatically served notice that he is back after making the podium in just his first competition since a serious 2022 knee injury.
SLS Chicago Presented by Cup Noodles brought the heat as 27 of the world’s best male and female street skateboarders, including 12 Olympians, battled in a new one-day, winner-takes-all format for not only direct qualification to the next SLS Tour stop final, but also a spot in the 2023 SLS Super Crown World Championship. Adding even more incentive, a quarter of a million dollars in total prize money was also on the line
Competitors got right down to business Saturday in the first Men’s Knockout Round, where four groups of five skaters faced off, with the winner of each group punching their ticket to the final.
In Group One, Jagger Eaton (Phoenix, USA) came out of the gate swinging to take an early lead, first with a heavy line segment for 8.4 points followed by a pair of 9.1’s with his first two tricks. Hoefler finished strong however, never scoring lower than an 8.5 in his last four single trick opportunities, including a massive half cab into back smith 180 for nine points. In all, five scores of 9.0 or better were awarded and, while Hoefler went on win, Eaton compiled the next highest overall score to advance into the final.
In Group Two, Ryan Decenzo (Vancouver, Canada) held off Alex Midler (Los Angeles, California USA) – who stuck a massive front blunt 270 in his last trick for a 9.1 – to advance by just six hundredths of a point. In Group Three, both winner Felipe Gustavo (Brasilia, Brazil) and Curren Caples (Ventura, Caifornia USA) joined the Nine Club, whileGiovanni Vianna (Santo Andre, Brazil) did the same in Group Four. It was Huston’s epic comeback though that put an exclamation mark on the Men’s Knockout Round. ‘Jah skated almost as if he hadn’t missed nine months of action and landed two 8.8 tricks to take Group 4 and earn a spot in the final.
Next, Leal put on a clinic as well in the Women’s Final, a reminder to the field that she is the reigning SLS Super Crown World Champion. Rising young star Chloe Covell (Tweed Heads, Australia) was not intimidated however, landing a huge 50 50 kick flip over the hubba in the middle of her first line for an 8.6, the highest women’s score of the day, then stomping a nose grind 180 switch flip during her second for an 8.1. Momiji Nishiya (Osaka, Japan) also coolly displayed her technical skill with combos like a crook nollie heel in her third trick that scored an 8.3. Leal was not to be denied though, sealing her victory with a perfectly balanced front blunt for 8.4 points. Nishiya finished second whileRoos Zwetsloot (Zeist, Netherlands) grabbed third thanks to a huge 8.0 in her next to last trick.
The Men’s Final not only featured the four group winners and next best overall finisher, it also included 2022 Super Crown titleholder Gustavo Ribeiro (Lisbon, Portugal). Unfortunately though, Ribeiro was not at full strength following a rough slam during practice on Friday. While he determinedly pushed through, this was not Ribeiro’s day. Hoefler seized the opportunity and kept his momentum from the Knockout Round, landing a pair of 9.0’s with his last four tricks. Initially Jagger threatened to get his second SLS win while both Decenzo and Felipe Gustavo looked ready to take their first. But Hoefler was simply too strong. It went down to the wire, but for the last trick of the night and needing at least an 8.5 to secure the win, Hoefler’s full cab back tail to fakie earned him both his second 9 as well as the Chicago title. After narrowly missing out on the Nine Club himself after an 8.9 front shove nose grind, Decenzo finished just six hundredths of a point back for second place. Similarly, Huston barely missed on his last trick when he was unable to hang on, sealing Hoefler’s win and finishing third.
The 2023 Championship Tour continues with visits to two new countries for SLS. On August 12th, Street League will make its Japan debut at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. Then, on the weekend of October 7th, SLS heads Down Under for a stop at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.
