Montrealer wins gold at National Street Skateboarding Championships
Posted February 23, 2024 12:23 am.
Last Updated February 23, 2024 12:30 am.
Montreal’s Samantha Secours is Canada’s top-ranked woman in street skateboarding.
She took home gold Thursday evening in the women’s finals at the Bell National Street Skateboarding Championships.
“I like skating,” Secours told CityNews before she hit the ramps. “It’s like mainly a sport that’s not just physical, it’s a lot of mental.”
“The obstacles are scary,” she added. “You don’t want to do them but you have to push through.”
Canada’s stellar skateboarding athletes filled the city’s Le Taz Skatepark for the event.
“It’s incredible,” said Annie Guglia, Canadian Olympian & president of Canada Skateboard. “The level of performance, like I’m mind-blown!”
Guglia — also a Montrealer — was the national champion for three years before becoming the first female skateboarder to represent Canada at an Olympic Games.
Skateboarding debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
On Thursday, skaters with the best rankings in Canada were invited to compete for the national title before potentially seeking Olympic gold in Paris this summer.
“I know the feeling of competing at the National Championship,” said Guglia. “Getting that title right before the Olympics.”
“It feels great,” she added. “It’s very exciting.”
What were the judges looking for in the Men and Woman Finals?
- Difficulty of the tricks
- Variety
- How much of the course was used
- Style
“Also just a great showcase for the public,” said Guglia. “We don’t get to see that level of skateboarding in Canada very often.”
“I mean it’s the crème de la crème.”
“I love skateboarding,” said Léonie Marcotte, Canadian skateboarder who ranked fifth in this competition. “Skateboarding is cool.”
She adds that she’s also proud of her fellow skaters.
“I’m here cheering on Samantha Secours,” said Marcotte. “Because she’s a very good skateboarder and I love her style.”
“We had Annie as a very good pioneer,” said Secours. “She’s my legend in my mind.”
“I feel like I have that role to like do it a little bit for like the younger generation.”
“I love it.”
“I like skateboarding,” said Arnaud Beauchamp, one of the hundreds who attended the event. “I want to watch the people skateboard.”
Secours and the rest of the national team will soon compete in the Olympic qualifiers.
Where only the top 20 skaters in the world will be selected.
“If you’ve ever stepped on a skateboard,” said Guglia. “You know how hard it is.”
“It’s just very gratifying when you’re able to do something that you didn’t think you would ever be able to do.”
