The USA women’s park team will challenge for the world crown and Paris 2024 qualification ranking points at the park skateboarding world championships in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
4 minBy Chloe Merrell
Skateboarding
In December last year USA Skateboarding officially announced its roster to take on a jammed-pack 2023 filled with competition stops building to Paris 2024.
Among those set to skateboarding powerhouse nation are Bryce Wettstein, Minna Stess, Ruby Lilley and Grace Marhoefer who were all selected to represent the women’s park division.
With Wettstein the only Tokyo 2020 Olympian in the group, this year's squad is about new blood and fresh talent.
As they gear up to for the skateboarding park world championships at Aljada skatepark find out a little more about the women of Team USA.
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1. Bryce Wettstein
19-year-old Californian Bryce Wettstein has been a staple of the USA skateboarding team ever since its inception back in 2019.
Starting her skateboarding journey at the age of five through her father, the American has cruised her way through the competitive skating scene to arrive as one of the 16 skaters to make their Olympic debut during the women's park contest at Tokyo 2020, in 2021.
Wettstein finished the Games in sixth place overall, and was also part of the group of women’s park athletes that were rewarded with the Tokyo 2020 Fair Play award.
Yosozumi Sakura, Hiraki Kokona, Sky Brown, Dora Varella, Yndiara Asp and Poppy Olsen and Wettstein came to the support of Okamoto Misugu who crashed on her final run.
To date Wettstein is a two-time national champion (2019, 2022) and X Games medallist (2021) but for the Encinitas native, getting to do what she loves alongside her friends is her favourite thing about skateboarding.
“What's so beautiful about the sorority in skateboarding is we don't try to be anything that we're not in that place: we're all together. We're given the time to realise we all have that similarity of really wanting something, but also wanting others to have that same thing too, which is so beautiful because a best friendship has the most understanding you'll ever have.” - Bryce Wettstein to Olympics.com
2. Minna Stess
16-year-old Minna Stess was so young when she started skateboarding she doesn’t remember her first time rolling around.
But if the home videos of her almost two years old in her diapers on skateboard are anything to go by, the early bond she formed with her sport wass a strong one.
Today, Stess is an X Games finalist, national championship winner (2021) and most recently, a medallist at STU Open in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her rise through the park ranks is one the field is watching closely.
After having been named an alternate for Tokyo 2020, Stess’ target, like her team-mates, is now on representing the United States at Paris 2024.
3. Ruby Lilley
Hailing originally from Ocean City, Maryland, Ruby Lilley 16-year-old is another talent looking to make her mark in the women’s park scene.
Starting off originally as dancer with an interest in ballet and ballroom, the young American started skating after following her older brothers to the park. Curious enough to copy them, Lilley quickly progressed enough that they soon realised, that when it comes to skating, she was destined for more.
Last year, Lilley enjoyed something of a breakthrough on the international stage competing at both X Games Chiba and Summer and finishing seventh in both contests. She rounded-off the year by coming in second at the national championships behind Wettstein.
4. Grace Marhoefer
Completing the team for this year is 19-year-old Grace Marhoefer.
Known for being a triple-threat meaning she is able to skate park, street and vert, the Floridian is another one to watch out for when worlds gets underway.
Last December, Marhoefer completed the women’s park podium at the national championships topping her steady rise through the competition scene. A sixth place finish at the 2019 Vans Park Series World Championships has been backed up with domestic podiums as well as X Games appearances (2021, 2022).
