Tony Hawk’s 900 is not a move for the faint of heart. It has two and a half rotations, and if you don’t go fast enough and spin too slowly, it’s nearly impossible to land, especially when you consider that you lose sight of the landing spot not once, but twice during the move. It takes equal parts courage and skill to spin that far.
Women’s skateboarding is brimming with exciting young superstars who are bursting with natural talent and fearless spirit.
Tony Hawk was the first to land a 900 in major competition at the 1999 X Games. Now a base of young female riders are replicating his move and revolutionizing the sport at lightning speed. Currently, 11-year-old Canadian skater Reiss Nelson and 14-year-old Australian Alisa True are two of these riders.
Alisa True is an inspiration to all
True became the first woman to land a challenging 900 on May 30, 2024, during a training session at Woodward. Earlier in May, True became the first woman to land a Switch McTwist (a variation of a 540).
This isn’t True’s first time making history: She became the first female rider to land a 720 while competing in Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert in 2023. Shortly thereafter, True won gold in women’s skateboarding vert and park at the X Games in California, becoming the youngest ever X Games double gold medalist at just 13 years old. The 720 is a two-revolution move that was first won by Tony Hawk in 1985.
Tru is used to making history, and it’s her confidence and poise that has helped her do it time and time again. When it comes to taking on a new trick, Alisa’s answer is simple: “If you want to do it, you just have to tell yourself you can do it,” she says.
And obviously Alisa do Alisa’s skating style is full of spins and switch tricks, so it’s clear she was no stranger to mastering the 900. To finally land the jump, Alisa first practiced her movements and technique on a soft-surface ramp (in case she fell over). After four days of this, Alisa was ready to try it on a vertical ramp, which she nailed in just 17 tries.
“I think it’s quite difficult for beginners to try it on a slope. Some people might feel anxious about trying it on a slope because they don’t know how they’re going to fall, like the first time they try, and there are a lot of rotations. So they have to give it their all until the end to avoid getting hurt,” Alisa explained.
True’s efforts were recognised at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards, when she was named Action Sportsperson of the Year.
Now that she’s landed a few 900s, Alisa wants to become more consistent in her landings, and at the Ventura X Games she’ll have plenty of opportunities to show off her skills on the vertical ramp.
“Skating at the X Games is really fun. It’s one of my favorite competitions. There are a lot of people so it’s really fun and the location is good. I really enjoyed the park last year and the vertical was really good, so I loved skating there,” Alisa said.
Reiss Nelson paves the way for other young girls
Remember when you were 9 years old? Reese Nelson has been selected to Skateboard Canada’s 2022 National Team in the Park Division. A true prodigy in the sport, Nelson started skateboarding at just 4 years old. At age 10, Nelson became the first female rider to land a nosegrab 720.
Now 11 years old, Nelson is inventing tricks (like the “Breakfast Burger”) and skating with Tony Hawk as a semi-regular. At Hawk’s 2023 Verti-Alert, Nelson took first place in “Best Trick” with a kickflip noseslide into fakie.
Nothing inspires kids to take up a new skill or hobby like seeing one of their peers doing it. If it’s fun, kids will want to try it, too. In that same vein, Nelson has been a huge influence in introducing other young girls to skateboarding.
The impact of these riders reaches far beyond the park. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation’s “Go Out and Play: Youth Sports in America” report, girls are twice as likely as boys to drop out of sports by age 14. Sports are a great way to boost self-confidence, creativity, community and more. Participating in a sport like skateboarding, which has always been a symbol of innovation and inclusion, allows girls the freedom to express themselves.
Skateboarding may still be perceived as a male-dominated sport, but Nelson and True are changing that perception, one historic trick at a time.
Tony Hawk’s Point of View
Tony Hawk has had an inside look at the careers of both True and Nelson, and while the nature of skateboarding is fluid and ever-innovating, each rider has their own unique style — their own calling card, if you like.
Hawke described True’s style as “confident and progressive” and Nelson’s as “fierce, creative and dynamic beyond his years.”
Hawk sees reflections of himself in both Tru and Nelson.
“No matter how hard I pushed myself or what my ranking was, I was always motivated to learn new tricks. They both have the same passion that I have to keep improving and the same tenacity to never give up. It’s a unique determination that comes from within and can’t be taught,” Hawk said.
As Hawk points out, skateboarding “isn’t a novelty or a niche sport anymore. It’s part of our society,” and as the sport’s profile and international acclaim continues to grow, so too does the presence and opportunity for female riders.
These young female riders have already made an indelible impact on the development of the sport for other women and girls, and their continued excellence will only further strengthen the support and infrastructure to enable young girls to pursue skateboarding as a career option.
X Games has not had a women’s vertical event for 13 years, but it will be reintroduced after 2023. Fans can tune into the 2024 X Games Ventura to see Reiss Nelson and Alisa True compete from June 28-30.
GoSkate estimates that 40% of new skateboarders are women and girls, and as women’s skating initiatives (such as GrlSwrl) continue to grow around the world and young kids get to see female riders on TV and in the Olympics, skateboarding will continue to grow.
