Some of Canada’s best skateboards are in Montreal for the weekend, hoping to grind out enough qualifications to make it to the 2020 Olympics.
The Tokyo Games will be the first ones to feature skateboarding as a medal event. Montreal’s own Annie Guglia is the current national champion for women’s street skateboarding and among the country’s best hopes to medal in the sport.
She, along with her competitors, are in town for a qualifying round at Le Taz skate complex.
“I think it’s good, it’ll grow skateboarding, get more skateparks built,” said skateboarder Mikey Ray. “I see it as a positive thing because it’ll bring more to skateboarding.”
It’s a long way from skateboarding’s origins as a counter-culture sport.
“Skateboarding is something against the grain, against the norm, it’s a bit of a rebel sport,” said skateboard merchandise company Empire Sports owner Phil Grise. “The Olympic aspect to it comes with drug tests, security, helmets, pads. I think it’s going to be an interesting first year for the sport.”
