The Japanese-origin international skateboarding event, "UPRISING TOKYO Supported by Rakuten," was held from May 26th to 28th.In the first part, we introduced the passion put into the event, with the desire to promote Skateboarding as a culture.In the second part, we bring you the breathtaking riding of participating skaters, centered around Yuto Horigome, who shone as the first champion!

“Not just competitions or the Olympics, but I also want to convey more about street culture and such,” reflecting Yuto Horigome’s thoughts, this event emphasized not just competing for ranks, but also the inherent fun of Skateboarding.That being said, the skateboarding competition, where skaters push each other to increase the difficulty of their tricks, is inevitably exhilarating.

There was a skater who was exciting the crowd along with top pros in the scene like Horigome, Jamie Foy, and Shane O’neill.His name is Felipe Nunes.The sight of him skillfully maneuvering the deck with both hands in place of the legs he lost in an accident, undeterred by his handicap, must have undoubtedly imparted shock and courage to the spectators who witnessed it.

The more difficult the section, the more skaters feel the ultimate joy in turning the pressure of tackling it into motivation and pulling off tricks.The original course created for these three days was something that captivated their hearts.The ones who handled it were California Skateparks, a company that has been in charge of several courses for world-class skateboarding contests.The course this time, described as “diverse, modern, and challenging street courses designed and constructed”, includes many sections that mimic famous street spots. Horigome also said, “There was a rail that was modeled after the Hollywood High street spot in LA, and a section that reproduced the hub of San Francisco. It was really cool and fun to skate on.”

The contest consists of three 60-second runs (semi-finals are two 50-second runs), and competitors vie for the best score not only based on the difficulty of the tricks, but also on creativity, how they use the entire course, and their style.Many athletes were seen showing their individuality while challenging themselves with difficult techniques.

In the finals held on the 28th, starting with the victory of Horigome, young Japanese skaters climbed the podium, showing the high level of Japan.

“I believe this will also boost the skateboarding scene in Japan. Thank you for coming to see. Thank you to everyone who has supported me,” Horigome said. Even while enjoying themselves, their ability to meet expectations with their results is truly befitting of a gold medalist. A warm and generous applause was sent from the audience.

For those who want to know more about UPRISING TOKYO, check this out!

TEXT: Chiharu Abe