Skateboarding Street World championships 2022 in 2023: France's Aurelien Giraud takes men's title
The Frenchman came alive in the best trick section to claim victory over Portugal's Gustavo Ribeiro and 12-year-old Japanese rising star Onodera Ginwoo in the men's final at the street world championships in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Skateboarding
Aurelien Giraud held his own to clinch the men's title at the skateboarding street world championships 2022 in 2023 on Sunday (5 February).
After the early exit of Horigome Yuto, Giraud was one of five Tokyo 2020 Olympians to reach the final in Sharjah, UAE, and the Frenchman reigned supreme with a score of 269.33 points.
"It's crazy, I can't believe it," the 25-year-old said to Olympics.com after claiming victory at the Aljada skate park. "The competition was awesome. Everybody skated so well. Just being here is incredible."
Heading into his fourth trick attempt, Giraud was out of the medals until he put down a massive backside 360 to score 91.48 and take the lead. It proved to be a decisive moment in his quest for the top.
Earlier in the week, the Frenchman described the exact moment when the best trick section forces you to dig deep almost pre-empting the headspace he would later enter into:
"These are complicated moments. Whether you are either third of even sixth, you can have to attempts left but you can win. We know its now or never. Whether we do it tomorrow or yesterday, who cares, it's now. Yes mentally, it's not easy... you have to take courage with both hands and you have to go."
Giraud's courage to go big ultimately saw him prevail over Portugal's Gustavo Ribeiro (267.38) and 12-year-old Japanese phenom Onodera Ginwoo (263.04).
Olympic silver medallist Kelvin Hoefler finished in fourth while Tokyo bronze medallist Jagger Eaton sixth after failing to record a score for a second trick.
This week’s street world championship was also a Paris 2024 qualifier event with Olympic World Skateboard Ranking (OWSR) awarded based on the final results.
The next stop for street skaters on the road to Paris 2024 will be Rome, Italy for a World Skateboarding Tour stop from 18-25 June.