Local skater Jessica Ready, 12, has won the women’s section at the New Zealand X Air competition.
Ready, a gymnast from the age of two, started skating in 2019.
Her parents noticed her interest in skating and purchased her a skateboard for her ninth birthday.
“Her dad skates so she started out learning from him,” Jessica’s mother Diana told the Times last year.
Ready, in Year 7 at Bucklands Beach Intermediate, has been involved with East Skate Club since it began in 2020.
Another East Skate Club member took the podium at the event, televised live on SkySport, in Mount Maunganui on July 30.
Luke Randall (scooter) clinched second place.
X Air, from 2000 until 2007, grew to be Australasia’s largest action sports festival incorporating skate, BMX, FMX [Freestyle motocross], inline, break dancing and music.
Run over three days, professional athletes would come from around the world to compete and take a shot at taking away the gold.
Superstars Tony Hawk, Dave Mirra, Ryan Nyquist and Sandro Diaz were some of the names that came to not only compete but also spend time in New Zealand.
The event started in Hamilton and after outgrowing there, was moved to Wellington and was held across the waterfront entertaining 70,000 people over the course of the weekend.
