When you think of women in skateboarding, you think of Judi Oyama.
Judi Oyama
And now she’s qualified on the U.S. Skateboard Slalom team to compete at the World Skate Games Oct. 24-Nov. 13 in Argentina.
Her event will be Oct. 27-30.
She goes to CrossFit Aptos 5 days a week — starting at 6 a.m. — to keep in shape.
“I never thought I would still be skateboarding let alone competing and representing the USA at almost 63 years old,” she says.
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, she attended school in Aptos — Mar Vista Elementary, Aptos Jr. High, Aptos High.
She started skating in her driveway at 13 on a board her brother made in woodshop. A few years later, she entered her first slalom competition and promptly crashed, but kept racing–bloody elbow pad, bandages and all. Within a few months, Judi was skating with world champion John Hutson. As the only female competitor at the inaugural Capitola Classic in 1977, she finished eighth. The next year, Judi finished mid-pack, beating Duane Peters and Tony Alva. The night before that 1978 race, Alva was hanging out at NHS and asked where he could practice.
Judi Oyama heads down the ramp. • Photo Credit: Patrick Lehrmann
“We went to a remote winding patch of clean Nor Cal roadway and shot the entire three-mile ride from the top,” she recalls. “Near the bottom, T.A. looked over his shoulder and was surprised that I was right on his tail. He flashed me a grinning nod of approval. That moment has kept me racing to this day.”
At Aptos High, she had a zero period physical education skateboard class (this was in the late 70’s). She also took an Independent Studies skateboard class at Cabrillo College.
“I had great teachers and people that have supported my passion for skateboarding,” she says.
Her skateboarding put her in the Aptos High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2018, she made the national Skateboard Hall of Fame.
For Oyama, the opportunity to represent her country has been a lifelong dream.
However, USA Skateboarding does not have the funding to support its athletes. The high cost of travel and registration is each skater’s responsibility.
To support local skater Judi Oyama to compete at the World Skate Games in Argentina in October, make a tax-deductible donation through La Costa Racing, a 501c nonprofit.
See: www.lacostaracing.com/donate-to-worlds, or mail a check made out to “La Costa Racing” to 2148 Inyo St., Los Osos CA 93402. Be sure to put Argentina@ Judi Oyama on the memo line. You’ll receive your tax receipt for your records upon completion of your donation.
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For more on the competition, see: www.boardriding.com/events/world-skate-games-argentina-2022