World Street Skateboarding Rome 2022: Huston, Horigome and Hoefler through to semi-finals as Giraud wows
The Frenchman who finished sixth on the course at Tokyo 2020 came out on top of a scintillating men's quarter-final stage at the first Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier for street skating.
Skateboarding
Aurelien Giraud of France raised the competition bar to a new level in the men’s quarter-finals at World Street Skateboarding Rome on Friday (1 July).
After Nakayama Funa claimed the top spot in the women's quarters, the 24-year-old Giraud found air enough to wow the judges and leave the crowds breathless as he punched his ticket to Saturday’s men's semi-finals in first place (85.43) ahead of Canada’s Micky Papa (82.42) and surprise package Mauro Iglesias of Argentina (81.21) who took second and third.
WATCH: World Street Skateboarding Rome 2022 live on Olympics.com
Olympic medallists Kelvin Hoefler and Horigome Yuto confirmed their spots in Saturday’s knock-out in 8th and 11th respectively.
Both looked at ease under the rays of the Roman sunshine hinting that more is in the locker ready to be put down as the competition progresses.
Certified skateboarding superstar Nyjah Huston also had the fans eating out of the palm of his hand as he stomped his authority on the course to finish in fourth, despite carrying a knee injury.
He is one of the three Americans to have qualified. 2016 X Games gold medallist Chris Joslin and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Jake Ilardi will join him in tomorrow's semis.
Japan also will have a strong contingent heading into the next stage of the competition with Yukito Aoki and Sasaki Toa remaining in the fray alongside Olympic champ Horigome.
This week’s championships represents the first opportunity for those hoping to make it to Paris 2024 Olympic Games to collect ranking points for their Olympic World Skateboard Ranking (OWSR).
The final OWSR standings on 24 June 2024, will be used to determine who will receive a place to compete at the Games in France, placing the heat on the happenings in Rome.
Street Skateboarding Rome men's quarterfinals results:
- Aurelien Giraud (FRA)
- Micky Papa (CAN)
- Mauro Iglesias (ARG)
- Nyjah Huston (USA)
- Gustavo Ribeiro (POR)
- Chris Joslin (USA)
- Vincent Milou (FRA)
- Kelvin Hoefler (BRA)
- Shane O'Neill (AUS)
- Ryan Decenzo (CAN)
- Horigome Yuto (JPN)
- Matías dell Ollio (ARG)
- Gabryel Aguilar (BRA)
- Jake Ilardi (USA)
- Yukito Aoki (JPN)
- Sasaki Toa (JPN)
How to watch the Paris 2024 Olympic skateboarding qualifier
The World Street Skateboarding Championships are taking place from Saturday 26 June to Sunday 3 July in Rome, Italy.
You can catch all the thrill, spills, tricks and flips from the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying event live on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com.
The are no geographical restrictions meaning you can watch the World Skate Street Skateboarding Championships wherever you are in the world