LONG BEACH — Seconds after 12-year-old Misugu Okamoto stepped off the podium after winning the Dew Tour women’s park final Sunday, a Japanese camera crew started asking her questions. Before Okamoto could respond, a media representative stopped them. They could wait until the press conference.
That moment encapsulated how the Dew Tour has changed, with skateboarding included in the Olympics for the first time in the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Dew Tour, which ran from Thursday through Sunday at the Long Beach Convention Center, served as the first global qualifying event in the United States, and the competition featured over 300 skaters from 45 different countries, including participants such as Okamoto who had never competed in the U.S. before.
Okamoto pulled tricks that none of her competitors even attempted, like a 540-degree flip up the wall. She skated faster, jumped higher and was so far ahead of the field that she took a victory lap on her final of three runs, and for good measure, that wound up her highest-scoring run.
Pedro Barros of Brazil reacts after winning the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Cory Juneau of the USA reacts after a run in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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Cory Juneau of the USA competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Pedro Barros of Brazil competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. Barros won the Park skateboard event. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Pedro Barros of Brazil competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. Barros won the Park skateboard event. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Pedro Barros of Brazil competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. Barros won the Park skateboard event. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Luiz Francisco of Brazil competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Keegan Palmer of Australia waits for his score in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Heimana Reynolds of the USA takes a moment prior to competing in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Heimana Reynolds of the USA competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Heimana Reynolds of the USA after falling in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Heimana Reynolds of the USA competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Heimana Reynolds, left, of the USA is consoled by Jamie Matu of Spain after falling on his final run during the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Leticia Bufoni, left, of Brazil reacts after fellow country person Luiz Francisco of Brazil competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Alessandro Mazzara of Italy reacts after falling on his final run in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Ivan Federico of Italy competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Leticia Bufoni of Brazil finished second in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Candy Jacobs of the Netherlands finished second in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Pamela Rosa of Brazil, center, wins the Women’s Street Skateboard Final as Leticia Bufoni, left, of Brazil finished second and Candy Jacobs, right, of the Netherlands finished third during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sakura Yosozumi of Japan smiles as she competes in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Misugu Okamoto of Japan wins the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
competes in the Men’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Mami Tezuka of Japan reacts after a run in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Mama Tezuka of Japan, left, hugs Bryce Wettstein of the USA, center, and Brighton Zeuner of the USA, right, after a run in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Bryce Wettstein of the USA competes in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sakura Yosozumi of Japan, center, high fives other skaters in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Brighton Zeuner of the USA competes in the Women’s Park Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Lacey Baker of the USA competes in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Lacey Baker of the USA competes in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Yumeka Oda of Japan competes in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Yumeka Oda of Japan competes in the Women’s Street Skateboard Final during the Dew Tour at the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
“I don’t feel like I’m No. 1 right now,” Okamoto said, via a translator. “It hasn’t hit me yet.”
Okamoto was among the international skaters, many of whom were previously virtually unknown, who impressed at the Dew Tour. Of the 12 podium finishers on Sunday across four events, a third of them had never skated in the Dew Tour before. Just one, San Diego’s Cory Juneau, skated for the United States.
“There’s a lot of people I’ve never seen in my life, and I have skated a lot of places and gone to a lot of contests,” said Curren Caples, a 23-year-old Ventura native who has skated professionally for over a decade.
With Okamoto hailing from Japan, it was a clean international sweep atop the podiums. Two were Brazilian: Pedro Barros won the men’s park final, upsetting Juneau’s bid for a three-peat in the event, and Pamela Rosa repeated as women’s street champion. France’s Aurelien Giraud took first in men’s street.
“It felt like you were at a major international event,” said Adam Cozens, vice president and general manager of the Dew Tour.
Cozens added that Long Beach has been supportive of the Dew Tour, which has been held in the city the last four years.
Organizers attempt to integrate the tour with the local community. This year, that included building a mini-skate park, booths with games and prizes and a large fan-fest area that featured local food trucks. And on Saturday, hip-hop star Warren G, who grew up in Long Beach, performed a 30-minute set with the Long Beach Unified School District drumline.
But next year’s location for the Dew Tour is still up in the air. Organizers are in discussions with various cities in the U.S., with the tour taking place sometime in early to mid-May of 2020.
Out of the four skateboarding events in Tokyo (men’s and women’s park and street), there are a total of 80 spots. The qualification system is based on the World Skateboarding Ranking, which measures a skater’s final position in the qualifying contests. A maximum of 12 skaters can qualify per country.
For the 24-year-old Barros from the town of Florianopolis, representing his country in the Olympics would mean a chance to increase skateboarding’s popularity in Brazil.
“Brazil’s a third world country,” Barros said. “Every time they have a chance at something they embrace it with full power. To able to skate for my country is a way of spreading the word of skateboarding.”
And with the added Olympic component, veteran skaters noticed a difference in the competition.
“I’ve skated many Dew Tours in the past and this one is definitely different because there are a lot of people,” Caples said. “You can see that people are hungrier and practices are way more intense.”
People were hungrier. Brazilian Leticia Bufoni, 26, who finished second in women’s street, admitted that skaters treated the semifinals like they were the finals “because everyone is skating so good.”
“We had to stay on our A-game the whole time,” said Candy Jacobs, 29, of the Netherlands, the third-place finisher in women’s street.
Finland’s Lizzie Armanto, 26, said that five years ago, only a handful of women would be competing and pushing each other. The rest of the contest consisted of anyone who just wanted to participate. That is no longer the case for the Oceanside resident, who needed a near-perfect final run just to finish second in the women’s park final behind Okamoto.
Following the press conference, Armanto stepped down from her chair to high-five both Okamoto and the third place finisher in women’s street, 10-year-old Kokona Hiraki. Combine Okamoto and Hiraki’s ages and they would still be younger than Armanto by 4 years.
But they both looked up to Armanto, who was the first woman to land the “Tony Hawk Loop” and is among the most accomplished female skaters. Hiraki said she “always wanted to step on a stage with Lizzie.” Both have done it, and they’re not yet teenagers.
“The level of skating is going up,” Armanto said. “It pushes me to be better. It’s so much more motivating knowing there’s pressure. I like that.”
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