No matter what you do in life there will always be people for and against you. This is exactly the reaction with skateboarding in the Olympics.

Some skateboarders are concerned that the Olympics will have a negative effect on the culture and what it represents. The mentality behind this is that skateboarding is not a sport and shouldn’t be categorized as one.

Rob Dyrdek faced similar backlash when he started Street League Skateboarding which many are still on the fence about. But who can complain about such a thing? The skateboarders in these competitions are competing for massive paychecks that they wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to win. They do have families to support and bills to pay so why not reward them for putting their bodies on the line day in day out!

What people don’t understand is that there are positive benefits for putting skateboarding on the world stage. For example, in a recent press conference with the Dew Tour, World Skateboarding commission chairman Gary Ream spoke about the benefits of skateboarding in the Olympics and how it will result in more state-of-the-art skateparks being built. Ream explained, the rest of the world funds facilities based on Olympic sports. So now that skateboarding is in the Olympics every country in the world that funds sports through what is in the Olympic means many more skateparks are going to be built”.

Ream also stated that what skateboarding brings to the world is going to be shocking because he believes a board with four wheels is what is going to change the world. He said that the Olympics will show the world that skateboarding is the most unique sport, activity, and lifestyle there is and will benefit the youth globally.

The Only U.S. Olympic Qualifier Is The Dew Tour In Des Moines

Dew Tour Olympic Street Course — Photo Courtesy of the Dew Tour/Ferra

The new Lauridsen Skatepark in Des Moines is hosting the only U.S. qualifier event for the Olympics in conjunction with the Dew Tour.

Dew Tour VP and General Manager Courtney Gresik says Des Moines has been on their radar for sometime. After the 2020 event was cancelled and then the 2021 hopes of holding the event in Long Beach, California were threatened by Covid-19 restrictions, Catch Des Moines reached out and said Des Moines would be more than happy to hold the event.

There will be over three hundred competitors in both the men and women’s park and street events. The event will be live streamed around the world for all to see.

Speaking With The Athletes

Jagger Eaton is one to watch and is the only skateboarder in the world to compete in both street and park disciplines. Eaton is on the US Skateboarding Olympic National Team and is working on a spot for Tokyo 2021.

Eaton seemed calm and collected today answering questions in a media conference. He said 2020 was a battle with injuries but he is excited and motivated to compete. When asked if he liked street or park better he responded saying he “loves both equally and its all skateboarding”. He said he is also mentally prepared after playing a round of golf in the rain yesterday in Des Moines and is looking forward to his practice session tomorrow.

Olympic Park Course Dew Tour — Photo: Courtesy of the Dew Tour/Durso

Another Olympic hopeful and recent U.S. Skateboarding street champion Dashawn Jordan said the time off over the last the year or so from contests due to Covid-19 was actually a blessing in disguise.

Jordan explained that it gave him time to improve and work on his weaknesses and it was empowering for him mentally. He also said that by street skating a lot it has really prepared him for competition.

When asked what he thought of the Lauridsen Skatepark he said it almost seemed fake because of the shear size and how good it actually is.

Dew Tour Des Moines Iowa — Louie Lopez in practice – Photo: Dew Tour/Ferra

Dew Tour Street - Sean Malto — Sean Malto in practice – Photo: Dew Tour/Ferra

Women’s street skating sensation Mariah Duran is feeling confident after coming off a win at the U.S. National Skateboarding Championships last week.

Duran said she is happy to be back after not competing for the last year or more. She said she is enjoying the pressure of competing again and feels good on her board. When asked about the location and new Lauridsen Skatepark she commented on how good it looked and that the skatepark would be left there for the public to be used unlike the usual Dew Tour skateparks that would be built just for the event and then torn down after it.

We are looking forward to watching all the action take hold in the coming days. Stay tuned for more!