World Champion in 2022, this time Aurélien Giraud wins the Street League stop in Paris, five months before the Olympics. He wins comfortably ahead of American world number 1 Nyjah Huston and reigning world champion Sora Shirai of Japan. Go Aurel!
UPDATE 2025: Vincent Milou wins the SLS at Roland-Garros – Read the article
Gold for Aurélien Giraud
If you didn’t know, the SLS (Street League Skateboarding) is THE world’s most prestigious street skateboarding competition series. And the season opened with the Paris stop (see here) a stage that counts for qualification towards the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
The competition, his first of 2024, had started badly for France’s number 1. He fell on his first two qualifying runs a few hours earlier, before delivering four huge tricks that secured his place in the final. “Mentally, it was very difficult,” says Giraud, who won ahead of Portugal’s Gustavo Ribeiro and Nyjah Huston. “You have to try to put everything that just happened out of your mind, and there’s no room for error anymore… It’s a mental battle where you tell yourself you’ll make it and stay as positive as possible. The coaches helped me a lot.” An experience that will certainly help him in the next major competitions.
Club & Skate Camps | The pros talk about their experience with us
Vincent Milou finalist
The other crowd favorite of the evening was, of course, Vincent Milou, European champion, fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and X Games silver medallist. The skater from Landes also set the Paris venue alight. He had never skated in front of his whole family before, including his grandmother, holding cheerleader pom-poms in the stands. Another final for the skater who finished second at the latest Street League world final, showing his consistency on the international stage.
“I was a little tired because I was in the last qualifying heat, just 1 hour 30 minutes earlier, so I wasn’t quite as clear-headed, Milou explains. But I had an amazing time, as always. With the crowd, it was incredible. I can't wait for the Paris Games. I'm really happy for Aurélien (Giraud) Also, it's great, we progress, we move forward, that's how we're going to do big things."
The first edition of the event, which will return to France over the next four years, gave Giraud and Milou a chance to gauge their popularity in the capital, five months before the Paris Olympics, where both will be medal contenders.
Interview with skateboarding coach Max Cherarak
Skateboarding is a real profession, the Coach Max tells us about his experience as a specialist skateboard coach
Training explained by the Coach
First Street League for Charlotte Hym
The 31-year-old Parisian woman (Charlotte Hym talks about Skate Camps) found out on Saturday morning that she would take part in the iconic competition after a last-minute withdrawal. Although she didn't reach the final, won by Australian Chloe Covell, the four-time French champion enjoyed the Paris buzz. The only French female skater competing in Paris, she saw the park on Friday but only skated it on Saturday, a few hours before the SLS began. "It's an experience, I've done my best, Charlotte says with a smile. Even though I could have used a little more practice, the main thing was to have fun, enjoy myself and be there with the crowd. It was really cool and good preparation for what's next.” This is the World Cup in Dubai, which counts for qualifying at the Olympics.
