The first Final at the inaugural Rockstar Energy Open is in the books with Mizuho Hasegawa on top, sharing the Women’s Park podium with Ruby Trew and Yurin Fujii.
“Everybody Watches Women’s Skateboarding,” read a sign in the crowd. Seeing the fans, hearing the cheers and checking out the supportive signs were some of Hasegawa’s favorite parts from the night.
“My hope is that some of the other young girls in the crowd and watching from home want to start skating after watching me have so much fun here,” she said.
Hasegawa was trailing from deep in the field after a fall near the end of her first run and another at the beginning of her second run. She turned it on in Run 3 to take over the top spot from Trew, who’d held it from Run 1.
“I handled the pressure by going over and getting a big hug from my mom before my last run,” said Hasegawa, the 13-year-old from Japan.
Hasegawa’s Run 3 combined tech tricks like her kickflip Indy on the vert wail with proper pool skating style on her frontside tailslide, backside Smith grind, and backside lipslide, before ending with a show-stopping varial Weddle transfer over the hip.
Trew had an opportunity to answer as the last in the start order, but had an early fall of her own.
“I’m very, very happy right now,” Hasegawa said in English after the contest. She has had a lot of chances to practice her English in podium interviews, after a string of recent podium appearances including a Vert win at Tampa Pro in April and three X Games silver medals since 2023. “I was especially stoked to land my kickflip Indy, as some of the other girls were trying the same trick and falling.”
Ruby Trew said she was most fueled by the energy from all of her competitors.
“My highlight was all the girls pushing each other putting all their tricks down,” Trew said. “It’s my first time in Portland and I’m having so much fun. The course is really fun, we’ve had a lot of practice on it. I’m so excited to be here meeting so many new people and experiencing it all together. It’s definitely one I’ll remember.”
Yurin Fujii never quite made the McTwist she was attempting in her runs, but got redemption with it shortly after the Park Final, taking MVP honors after stomping it in the Best Trick Jam.
“It’s a trick I’ve really only done when filming without a lot of pressure on, and I’m hoping to work into my runs more regularly,” Fujii said.
Fujii’s favorite part of the contest? “I loved having all the guys from the Men’s Park field on the deck and a lot of the Street skaters in the crowd, cheering and showing their support.”
>> Full story and photo gallery via theplatfrm.com
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Colin Bane 