Ginwoo Onodera might not have the official pro title yet, but at this point, it’s only a matter of time.
The young skater from Japan absolutely dominated the SLS Las Vegas Men’s Finals, going up against some of the biggest names in the game, including world champions Nyjah Huston and Vincent Milou, and walking away with the top spot on the podium.
It was clear Onidera came to win.
He landed a flawless kickflip backside tailslide to backside bigspin out, earning a massive 9.1 score that got the crowd hyped.
As if that wasn’t enough, he followed it up with a backside tailslide to backside big flip out on the huge ledge, locking in another nine club score at 9.3. Those two tricks sealed his victory and put him comfortably ahead of the competition.
Huston and Milou gave everything they had, but Onidera’s consistency and technical control were on another level. Even fan favorite Jeff DeChesare, who’s been on fire lately, had to settle for fifth place in a lineup stacked with talent.
It wasn’t just a big day for Ginwoo, his close friend and fellow Japanese skater Rizu Akama also grabbed first place in the women’s division. With both of them taking home gold, Japan is clearly owning the contest scene right now.
Ginwoo’s win is a major moment for skateboarding fans everywhere.
It’s wild to think he’s still not officially pro, yet already taking down legends with confidence and style. With this kind of performance, it feels like the start of something special for him and for Japanese skateboarding as a whole.
Big props to Onidera and Akama for an incredible weekend in Vegas. The future of skateboarding looks more exciting than ever.