Paris Olympics 2024: All You Need To Know About Skateboarding - Origin, Rules, Format, Scoring System, Schedule in Paris

Add as a preferred source on Google

Skateboarding, a sport brimming with youthful energy and spectacular tricks, has come a long way from its underground roots.

The world's elite skateboarders will put their skills to the test at the Paris 2024 Olympics, battling it out in the two most captivating disciplines - park and street. Paris Olympics 2024 Special Page

Skateboarding: Origin and Influence

Born in 1950s California alongside the burgeoning surf culture, skateboarding evolved into a symbol of freedom, rebellion, and thrill-seeking throughout the 1980s. The early 21st century witnessed a surge in its popularity, particularly among younger audiences, propelling it towards the prestigious platform of the Olympic Games.

This competition hinges on the execution of impressive tricks, judged on a meticulous scale that considers factors like difficulty, speed, and the variety of manoeuvres performed.

Skateboarding At Paris 2024 Scoring Criteria

The events unfold in two stages: preliminary rounds and finals. The park competition features a complex course with bowls and numerous bends, designed to allow skaters to gain momentum and launch themselves into gravity-defying aerial tricks.

Judges meticulously evaluate the height, speed, and overall execution of these mid-air manoeuvres. Additionally, skaters are assessed on their ability to utilize the entire course and creatively exploit all obstacles.

Each competitor gets three 45-second runs, with the highest score determining their final standing.

In contrast, the street discipline takes place on a more linear course resembling an urban environment, complete with stairs, handrails, and other elements reminiscent of skateboarding's birthplace - the streets.

Here, the focus is on a diverse repertoire of tricks, with skaters judged on their board control during two 45-second runs and five individual trick attempts.

Paris 2024: A Stage for Continued Growth

Following its successful debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, skateboarding is poised to enthrall audiences once again in Paris 2024.

The iconic Place de la Concorde, in the heart of the French capital, will serve as the venue for this electrifying display of athleticism and artistic expression.

The competition schedule sees the men's street prelims and finals happening on July 27th, followed by the women's street prelims and finals on July 28th.

Women's park prelims and finals are slated for August 6th, with the men's park prelims and finals scheduled for August 7th. A total of 88 athletes, 22 in each competition, will vie for Olympic glory.

A Focus on Refinement: Evolving Scoring System for Paris 2024

The Paris 2024 skateboarding competition implements a revised scoring system compared to the Tokyo Games. While speed, difficulty, and variety of tricks remain paramount for both street and park disciplines, the judging criteria have been refined to ensure a more nuanced evaluation.

The street competition format remains largely similar, with eight skaters advancing from the preliminary rounds to the finals. However, the scoring system introduces a distinction between the run and trick phases.

Skaters will have two 45-second runs, with the best of two scores advancing them to the next round. Additionally, they will have five attempts to land a trick in the individual portion.

For the trick phase, the two highest-scoring tricks will be added to the final score, while only the best score from the run phase will be counted. This shift ensures that both technical mastery and consistency are adequately rewarded.

The park competition format also witnesses a change. Skaters will have two 45-second runs, during which they can attempt as many tricks as possible.

Judges will evaluate them based on five key criteria: repetition, flow and consistency, use of the course, quality of execution, and the difficulty and variety of tricks performed.

Throughout both the run and trick phases, scores will range from 0 to 100, with the highest score contributing to the skater's overall total.

However, unlike Tokyo, where only the highest score between the run and trick phases was considered, Paris 2024 incorporates the two best trick scores, resulting in a final tally that can range from 0 to 300.

This revised system promises a more comprehensive evaluation of skateboarding artistry, placing a greater emphasis on both the technical difficulty of tricks and the skater's creative flow throughout their runs.

With a captivating format, a prestigious venue, and a refined scoring system, skateboarding in Paris 2024 is set to be a spectacle that celebrates athletic prowess and artistic expression.

Paris 2024 Olympic Skateboarding Schedule (La Concorde)

Men's Street

Saturday, July 27th:

12:00 PM - Men's Street Preliminaries

5:00 PM - Men's Street Final

Women's Street

Sunday, July 28th:

12:00 PM - Women's Street Preliminaries

5:00 PM - Women's Street Final

Women's Park

Tuesday, August 6th:

12:30 PM - Women's Park Preliminaries

5:30 PM - Women's Park Final

Men's Park

Wednesday, August 7th:

12:30 PM - Men's Park Preliminaries

5:30 PM - Men's Park Final