OQS Budapest 2024: Street skateboarding preview
Men’s street
Breathtaking. Climactic. Tense.
OQS Shanghai street skateboarding had it all, including a significant shake-up in the rankings.
Dual-threat Jagger Eaton had jaws agape as he clinically skated to victory in the men’s street competition ahead of Japanese wunderkind Onodera Ginwoo and compatriot Chris Joslin.
The 23-year-old, who skated in both park and street contests in Shanghai, made clear to all watching the toll it took after erupting into tears as the US national anthem sounded out but the sacrifices his ambitions demand looked to have paid off with Eaton rising a dramatic 10 places up the rankings into second ahead of compatriot Nyjah Huston in third.
Eaton’s impressive climb was matched only by Joslin who similarly soared 10 places into eighth and, crucially, left a sizeable gap to fellow US skater Braden Hoban who rose to 13th.
How the final order of the men from the US will look after Budapest will be a point of intrigue but it won’t be the only one.
Team Japan, stacked with serious talent including reigning Olympic champion Horigome Yuto, is another lot to watch closely.
Onodera, 14, put down one of his most complete performances to date to clinch second in Shanghai and take the top spot in the World Skate rankings but it’s elsewhere really the drama now prevails.
Horigome failed to make it out of the prelims and is now fifth among Japanese skaters. A considerable effort will now be needed from the Olympic gold medallist if he wants to be in the mix to defend his crown in Paris. Not least as world champion Shirai Sora, currently the third-best ranked Japanese street skater, is only 600 points ahead of teammate Sasaki Toa.
Eyes will also be on where French skaters Aurelien Giraud, Vincent Milou and Joseph Garbaccio land.
As host of the Games, France automatically receives one quota place, but who will claim that and who must secure a quota via the same route as everyone will be ultimately decided in Budapest.
As it stands, Giraud, who skipped Shanghai is currently ranked ninth having fallen five spots due to his absence. Milou, who also missed the first OQS due to injury, similarly dropped and now sits in 23rd.
While they were out Garbaccio pulled out all the stops in Shanghai and finished 12th to rise eight places (20th) and move above Milou.
Will all three Frenchmen be in Paris? Only Budapest will tell.
World Skate rankings ahead of Budapest: Men’s street
- Onodera Ginwoo (JPN)
- Jagger Eaton (USA)
- Nyjah Huston (USA)
- Gustavo Ribeiro (POR)
- Netsuke Kairi (JPN)
- Shirai Sora (JPN)
- Sasaki Toa (JPN)
- Chris Joslin (USA)
- Aurelien Giraud (FRA)
- Giovanni Vianna (BRA)
- Horigome Yuto (JPN)
- Richard Tury (SLO)
- Braden Hoban (USA)
- Matias Dello Olio (ARG)
- Aoki Yukito (JPN)
- Kelvin Hoefler (BRA)
- Ryan Decenzo (CAN)
- Cordano Russell (CAN)
- Matt Berger (CAN)
- Joseph Garbaccio (FRA)
- Alex Midler (USA)
- Filipe Gustavo (BRA)
- Vincent Milou (FRA)
- Mauro Iglesias (ARG)
- Jhancarlos Gonzalez Ortiz (COL)
- Gabryel Aguilar (BRA)
- Jake Ilardi (USA)
- Angelo Caro (PER)
- Micky Papa (CAN)
- Deivid Tuesta (PER)
- Shane O’Neill (AUS)
- Filipe Mota (BRA)
- Kristoffer Kroon (SWE)
- Joe Hinson (GBR)
- Rome Collyer (AUS)
- Greg Rodriguez (MEX)
- Lucas Rabelo (BRA)
- Justin Sommer (GER)
- Kilian Zehnder (SUI)
- Agustin Aquila (ITA)
- Tommy Fynn (AUS)
- Gabriel Ribeiro (POR)
- Brandon Valjalo (RSA)
- Zhang Jie (CHN)