It’s no secret that skateboarding is a male dominant sport. But although more men traditionally participate in the sport, women continue to push the limits in skating and are absolutely crushing it. With women like Patti McGee paving the way for women in skating, the sport has continued to progress since its origin and more girls and women have become actively involved. Although there are so many impressive women to choose from, we’ve rounded up five that are currently making waves in the world of women’s skateboarding.
1. Sky Brown
At just thirteen years of age, Sky Brown is a talented skater with an extremely impressive resume. Brown became a pro athlete at age ten, making her the youngest professional skateboarder in the world. In 2019, the teen landed a frontside 540 at the X Games, becoming the first female to ever land the trick.
The British-Japanese skateboarder won the 2021 X Games women’s skateboarding park gold medal and represented Great Britain in the 2020 Olympics where she took home a bronze medal in women’s skateboarding park. In addition to skateboarding, Brown is a talented surfer and won Dancing with the Stars: Juniors in 2018.
Years Skating: 5
Stance: Goofy
Country: Japan/Great Britain
Biggest Accomplishment: First female to ever land a frontside 540 (X Games, 2019)
Sky’s Gear: Pro-tec Helmet, Almost Skateboards, Tensor Trucks, Grizzly Grip
2. Momiji Nishiya
Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Momiji Nishiya secured the first ever gold medal in the women’s street competition at the 2020 Olympics. She won the medal at just thirteen years old, making her the second youngest gold medalist in Olympic history.
Besides becoming a champ at skateboarding’s Olympic debut, Nishiya earned 2nd at the X Games women’s street finals in 2019, 2nd in Dew Tour women’s street open qualifiers in 2021, and 2nd in Street World Championships women’s finals in 2021. We will no doubt be hearing about Nishiya for years to come.
Years Skating: 6
Stance: Regular
Country: Japan
Biggest Accomplishment: Gold 2020 Olympic Games (Women's Street Competition)
Momiji’s Gear: Element Skateboard, Pro-Tec
3. Leticia Bufoni
One of the most decorated female skateboarders of all time, Leticia Bufoni holds many “firsts” in the world of skating. The twenty-eight year old is the first woman to land a cover shot on The Skateboard Mag and the first woman ever to be signed to the Nike SB team. In addition to a number of impressive contest wins over the years, Bufoni’s most impressive accomplishment to date is being a six-time X Games gold medalist.
Additionally, Bufoni was selected to be a member of Brazil’s first-ever national skateboarding team, was named one of The Most Powerful Women in International Sports in 2018, and starred in her own reality television show in Brazil.
Years Skating: 19
Stance: Goofy
Country: Brazil
Biggest Accomplishment: 6x X Games gold medalist
Leticia’s Gear: Bones Wheels, Grizzly Griptape, Plan B Skateboard, Venture Trucks
4. Alexis Sablone
Alexis Sablone is a talented artist and skateboarder wrapped into one. A prominent member of the United States’ first-ever skate team, Sablone has been turning heads since 2002 when she starred in a classic skate video. Now, the 35-year-old goofy footer has seven X Games medals under her belt: three gold, two silver, and two bronzes.
In addition to skating, Sablone has a masters in architecture from MIT and works as an artist, animator, and architect. While she has a number of rad pieces, one of her most unique art pieces is a skateable sculpture in Sweden entitled “Lady in the Square.”
Years Skating: 26
Stance: Goofy
Country: USA
Biggest Accomplishment: 7 X Games Medals
Alexis’s Gear: Thunder Trucks, Mob Grip, Bones Bearings
5. Margielyn ‘Margie’ Didal
Although Didal hasn’t won a competition on the world stage just yet, it’s undoubtedly only a matter of time. One of the first female skaters from the Philippines, Didal secured gold at the 2018 Asian Games and two gold medals at the southeast Asian games in 2019. She’s recognized for her infectious personality and well rounded skill set—flatground, ledges, stairs, or rails, she’s capable of tackling them all.
In 2018, Didal was included in TIME Magazine’s list of most influential teens and featured on Forbes Asia Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list to follow. When she’s not skating, the twenty-two year old does some work designing Philippine-themed shoes, tracksuits, and skateboards.
Years Skating: 10
Stance: Goofy
Country: Philippines
Biggest Accomplishment: 2 Golds at Southeast Asian Games (2019)
Margie’s Gear: Bones Wheels, Bones Bearings, Ace Trucks, New Balance Numeric Shoes
With skateboarding’s recent inclusion in the Olympics, the bar keeps getting set higher and women continue to push the limits, proving they are indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Skateboarding wouldn’t be what it is today without women like Patti McGee, Ellen Berryman, and Peggy Oki serving as role models for future generations of female skaters. We’re excited to see how the sport continues to progress.