The Future of Women’s Skateboarding Has Arrived

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With such an amazing surge of women in skateboarding over the past 5-10 years, it’s incredible how many of them are making major contributions while just in their teenage years. On top of inspiring thousands of young girls around the world, these young girls and women in skating are landing X Games medals, Olympic debuts, and endorsements left and right.

And while it might be hard to say they’re already legends, these women and young girls are certainly legends in their own right. We’ve homaged the legends that came before them but we wanted an article dedicated to their future accomplishments which ensure that the future of women’s skateboarding is very bright.

So without further ado, here are 11 women who are proving the Future of Women’s Skateboarding Has Arrived.

There must be something in the water over in Arizona, as Poe Pinson is another amazing young skater from the desert state. At just 18-years young, Poe has already made the podium a familiar landing spot. It started with the X Games in 2019, placing 5th, and 4th place at Dew Tour the same year. Fast forward to 2020 and turning pro, Poe Pinson placed 9th in her first Tampa Pro setting her up for a 1st place qualifier in the 2021 USA Skateboarding National Championship. Now a team member of USA Skateboarding for the Olympics, Poe has steadily been winning X Games medals, 3rd place in 2021, 4th in 2022, and a 3rd place win in Red Bull’s Solus contests. If that wasn’t enough, Poe has also been a regular at Street League Skateboarding, where she has taken home a 3rd place and a second place trophy. Undoubtedly, Poe has a first place trophy on the horizon and tons of amazing inspiring contests runs for young girls to aspire to.

Secret Lynn won’t be a secret much longer and at just 15 years-young, Secret is no stranger to the contest podium. The Arizona native took home 2nd place in Phoenix Locals Only in 2022, and an impressive 1st place at Exposure’s Skate’s Advanced Street Finals. That same year, Secret landed 2nd place at the 2022 USA Skateboarding Championships and has since been invited to the 2023 World Championship in Dubai. In 2023, Secret placed 3rd in the Union Hills Classic, and 5th place in her first ever Phoenix Am, competing alongside some of the skate world’s top seasoned skaters. A phenomenal street skater, Secret rides for two of the most iconic skate brands in Vans and Santa Cruz Skateboards, taking her park talent to the streets for where she is sure to be a focal point in video and editorial projects for years to come. Ingrained in her deep commitment to skateboarding, Secret maintains a positive and exuberant attitude, with a deep bag of unique tricks and always skating with her best friends.

Poppy Starr Olsen is a name every skateboarder needs to know. An author, TED talk speaker, Pro Skater and Olympic Skateboarder, Poppy Starr Olsen is one of the most dynamic and inspirational people in skateboarding. Hailing from the land down under, Popper Starr is just 22 years young and placed 5th in the 2020 summer Olympics for women’s park. She gave her TED Talk at just 14 years old, proving this young phenom has been fearless since day one. Sponsored by Vans, Dickies, and w0rble, Poppy is known for her smile and positive attitude. You can find her shredding all around the world as one of the future faces of skateboarding for years to come.

We wanted to round out this list with an incredible skateboarder in Aori Nishimura. Continuing the blossoming legacy of Japanese born skaters once again perfecting their craft, Aori at just 21 years young has been representing team Japan in Olympic Skateboarding since 2020. Appearing on media outlets like The Berrics and Thrasher Magazine, skating for brands like Nike Sb, the iconic Deathwish Skateboards and as a regular on Street League Skateboarding and X Games podiums, Aori Nishimura is already a force in women’s skateboarding showing no signs of slowing down. It’s incredibly exciting to be witnessing this surge in women’s skateboarding and with positive role models like Aori leading the charge – the future of skateboarding is in good hands.

You’re going to be reading a lot about how many amazing skateboarders are coming out of Japan and Sakura Yosozumi is no exception. Sakura brought home a gold medal in the Asian Games in 2018 for women’s park, qualifying her for the 2021 Olympic qualifiers, where she took home another gold medal. She has also appeared in Pro contests for Dew Tour and the Vans Park Series, as one of the leading park and bowl skaters of the upcoming generation. Born in 2002, Sakura is just 21 years young, and actually represents one of the older skaters on this list. She has already proven herself to be a force in skateboarding but we know she has plenty more to prove to the skateboarding world in the form of contest wins, impressive videos parts and whatever she decides to pursue. For when Sakura Yosozumi puts her mind to something, she lands it with style.

We know what you’re thinking, Mariah Duran is one the premier skateboarders of our time with an already impressive career under her belt. However, I think we can all agree Mariah is going to be a focal point of women’s skateboarding for years to come. So in respect to her limitless potential and her still young age of 26 with no signs of slowing down, we’re keeping her with the future class of skateboarding. A regular at women’s street league, a team USA Olympic Skater, X games medalist and one of the most prolific skaters in today’s age, Mariah Duran ensures the future of women’s skateboarding has arrived.

Margielyn Didal is a Filipino born skateboarder who’s already being heralded as skateboarding darling child. Because it’s uncommon for a person to be such a relentless contest skater while somehow always having a smile on their face. But that’s exactly who Margielyn Didal is. She’s landing some of the hardest skate tricks imaginable, tech, big course, and all with style and while she’s taking home podium wins and medals, she’s always on the course with her hands in the air supporting her fellow skaters. At just 23-years young, Margielyn skates for some of the biggest brands like Red Bull and New Balance and she’s shown zero signs of cooling down after her Gold MedalWomen’s Street win in the 2019 Philippine National Skateboarding Championship. Margielyn is truly one of the best skaters in skateboarding for young girls to emulate.

There may be no name more synonymous with the future of women’s skateboarding than Rayssa Leal. Perhaps you remember her viral video of Rayssa heel flipping a 3-stair in a ballerina tutu in her home country of Brazil. Fast forward to 2023, and Rayssa, now 15-years young, is kickflipping into handrails. She’s taken home both X Games and Street League medals for women’s street and was even awarded Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for Inspiration of the Year. With over 6-million followers on Instagram alone, the world is looking to Rayssa for years, even decades to come, with companies like April, Monster and Nike Sb as her sponsors. The future for Rayssa is as bright as the sun as she will surely eclipse anyone and anything in her path.

One of the greatest aspects of the women’s movement in skateboarding is how it has truly touched every corner of the globe. Zarah Ann Gladys is a skate prodigy from India and Dubia, and on top of being a GOSKATE team rider, is one of the most talented young skaters on the rise. She is already a local sensation at her local skateparks and is known for her fearlessness and dedication to landing a trick even when she falls over and over. Skating at such a young age and progressing so fast in only a few years, Zarah is truly considered to be one of the next big stars in skateboarding. If you check out her videos you can witness teh tenacity and determination that inspires young girls around the world. Just remember where you heard her name first!

Pamela Rosa is another one of the future females coming out of Brazil. Pamela, Rayssa, and Leticia Bufoni are all podium threats but arguably Pamela is the most relentless out of the three. What Pamela Rosa proves just by being herself is that there is room for every type of skater girl out there, including one who attacks the competition. While of course she is a supporter of her fellow skaters, Pamela is one of the few skaters who visibly shows her frustration when she isn’t performing to her standards. Her attitude is also why she is so tough to beat and proves again and again she is one of the strongest, toughest and most skilled skaters of our time. Podium wins, X Games medals, Street League medals and an Olympic debut under her belt, Pamela Rosa has proven to the skate world she is going to be around for a very, very long time.

The Sky’s the limit for Sky Brown and we mean that figuratively and literally. Largely considered the next Shaun White, Sky Brown is also an amazing surfer with aspirations to win X Games in surf to add to the already impressive trophy case. Much of the women’s movement in the last 5 years has been tied to Sky Brown as she is truly a positive role model for young girls around the world. At only 14 years old, Sky Brown is the youngest athlete (regardless of gender) to represent her home country of Great Britain in the Olympics, making history just by debuting and being herself. From street, mega ramp, park, bowl and everything in between, Sky Brown is truly the announcement to the world the future of women’s skateboarding has arrived.

Check out the list of “The 15 Most Legendary Women Skateboarders of All Time” here.

Zane Foley

Zane Foley has been writing professionally since 2014, since obtaining his BA in Philosophy from the California State University, Fullerton. Zane is an avid skateboarder and Los Angeles native. Follow him on Instagram for links to his other published works. @zaneyorkfly