The 2026 Street League Skateboarding (SLS) Championship Tour kicked off with a weekend of historic proportions at a sold-out Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney. Fans witnessed what many are calling the greatest individual performance in the history of the league, as the next generation of skaters firmly asserted their dominance on the global stage.
Ginwoo Onodera’s "Perfect" 16th Birthday
Japanese phenom Ginwoo Onodera celebrated his 16th birthday by doing the impossible: achieving a "9 Club" score on every single attempt in the final. Since SLS began in 2010, no skater has ever maintained such a level of perfection across an entire final.
Onodera’s performance was a masterclass in technical precision and consistency. He posted line scores of 9.1 and 9.4, followed by five single trick scores that never dipped below 9.0. He sealed his historic win with a Bigflip Frontside Boardslide Bigspin on the shotgun rail, finishing with a massive total score of 37.3.
Men’s Podium:
- Ginwoo Onodera (JPN) – 37.3
- Julian Agliardi (USA) – 35.5
- Giovanni Vianna (BRA) – 34.7
Rayssa Leal Finds Her Sydney Magic
In the Women’s division, Brazil’s Rayssa Leal—the "Fadinha" of skateboarding—claimed her first-ever victory in Sydney. Despite qualifying for the finals in third place and struggling initially in the Run section, Leal showed the composure of a four-time Super Crown champion.
She clawed her way back into the top spot during the Single Trick section, landing a clinical frontside bluntslide (8.2) and a high-stakes kickflip frontside boardslide (8.4). She secured the win with a stylish backside tailslide on the double rail, finishing with 30.1 points to narrowly edge out Japan’s Liz Akama.
Women’s Podium:
- Rayssa Leal (BRA) – 30.1
- Liz Akama (JPN) – 29.8
- Chloe Covell (AUS) – 29.1
Key Moments & Highlights
- The 9 Club Feast: Aside from Onodera’s clean sweep, American newcomer Julian Agliardi joined the 9 Club with a perfect run, and Australia’s own Chloe Covell sent the home crowd into a frenzy by landing the only 9 Club trick of the women’s final on her very last attempt.
- The Course: Designed by California Skateparks, the Sydney course featured a challenging "rainbow rail" and a massive Hubba ledge that became the primary stage for the weekend's most technical tricks.
"I’m feeling amazing. I was super nervous, but the energy in Sydney is just different," Leal said after her victory. "To start the season like this is a dream."
