Skateboarding stars roll into Huntington Beach for regional tournament

Huntington Beach is hosting the 2019 Vans Park Series Americas Regional Championships this week, and Kody Tamanaha of Mililani Town, Hawaii, won the gold in women’s action Friday at Huntington’s Vans Off the Wall Skatepark.

The victory punched Tamanaha’s ticket to the world championships next month in Salt Lake City.

The men will compete Saturday starting at 11 a.m. Spectators can attend for free, with no tickets required.

Vans Off the Wall Skatepark is at 7471 Center Ave.

Jordan Santana, who placed second, competes Friday in the women’s division of the 2019 Vans Park Series Americas Regional Championships at Vans Off the Wall Skatepark in Huntington Beach.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Skaters compete in a group “jam” format of five athletes, taking four runs each for 30 seconds or until they fall. Skaters are judged on overall impression. The top eight advance to the final jam.

Vans has already held regional competitions for Oceania (New South Wales, Australia), Africa (Cape Town), Europe (Paris) and Asia (Singapore).

Michelle Yoon skates on the way to a third-place finish in the women’s division of the Vans Park Series Americas Regional Championships on Friday at Vans Off the Wall Skatepark in Huntington Beach.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.