10 female skaters who should’ve been in ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ series
It’s been nearly six months since the highly anticipated release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. Yeah, we’re not ready to wrap our head around that fact, either. Though, it does mean that we’ve had time to explore the plentiful nuances of the fastest-selling game in the digital skateboarding franchise. In addition to tapping into some […]
It’s been nearly six months since the highly anticipated release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. Yeah, we’re not ready to wrap our head around that fact, either. Though, it does mean that we’ve had time to explore the plentiful nuances of the fastest-selling game in the digital skateboarding franchise.
In addition to tapping into some serious nostalgia, the remaster brought us a brand-new soundtrack and an expanded list of playable characters. Added to the roster were skateboarding legends Aori Nishimura, Leo Baker, Leticia Bufoni, Lizzie Armanto, Nyjah Huston, Riley Hawk, Shane O’Neill and Tyshawn Jones.
Even with the addition of Nishimura, Bufoni and Armanto, however, there remains a disproportionate lack of female characters. And that’s certainly not for a lack of available talent.
Read on for 10 women we would have loved to see added to the Tony Hawk gaming franchise.
Pamela Rosa
Watching her, you wouldn’t believe that Pamela Rosa is so fresh on the skating scene. At just 21 years old, the Brazilian athlete has already earned six X Gamestitles, two of them being gold. Currently, she stands at No. 1 on the Olympic rankings for women’s street skateboarding, ahead of existing Tony Hawk playables Nishimura and Bufoni. Unfortunately, the sport’s intended 2020 debut was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nora Vasconcellos
Nora Vasconcellos made history as the first female skater to join the Adidas team. And just prior to that, she’d won gold in women’s park skateboarding during the 2017 World Championship (formerly the Vans Park Series). Under this spotlight, the 28-year-old pro serves as a bit of a beacon for next-gen skateboarders. Such an influential persona was definitely a missed opportunity for the franchise.
Cata Diaz
Hailing from Valparaiso, Chile, Cata Diaz didn’t exactly come up under skate culture. And that, of course, makes her immense talent all the more inspiring. The 21-year-old skateboarder eventually uprooted and moved to Barcelona to pursue a professional career—and she’s been kicking ass ever since. Watch her 2020 feature with Nike here and just try telling us that her outgoing personality wouldn’t pop in-game.
Veganathlete Samarria Brevard picked up skating in her early teens despite familial pressures to pursue basketball. Needless to say, she totally made the right call. After a decade-and-a-half of dedication, you’d be hard-pressed to guess that she wasn’t born on wheels. Dubbed by multiple outlets as the “Serena Williams of skateboarding,” Brevard is on the USA’s National Skateboarding Team and has her sights set on qualifying for the Olympics in the future.
Alana Smith
At just 20 years old, Alana Smith has already had one hell of a skateboarding career. The young prodigy entered her first X Games competition in 2013 at age 12 and brought home a silver medal. She’s since picked up sponsorship by Adidas and joined the USA Skateboarding roster alongside the likes of Brevard and Alexis Sablone. At the time of publication, she’s sitting in 13th place on the global women’s Olympic street skateboarding rankings.
Eunice Chang
Eunice Chang‘s professional skateboarding stature is markedly different than most. Rather than boasting X Games titles or roster standings, she’s paving her way as a notably badass Instagraminfluencer. Chang demonstrates her capabilities predominantly through short videos. With her relaxed demeanor and endearing sense of humor, we have no doubt that she’d make a totally fun addition to the Tony Hawk character list.
Filipino skateboarder Margielyn Didal is relatively new to the professional scene. You’d never be able to tell, though, and her story is nothing short of inspiring. Didal picked up skating at age 12, taking to the streets to self-teach herself despite limitations imposed by city authorities. She soon started entering contests to help manage her family’s expenses. Among a number of achievements, she notably became the first-ever Filipino skateboarder to enter the X Games in 2018. If that’s not enough to make her a valuable addition to the Tony Hawk roster, just imagine the dynamics of playing a character who’s only just over 5 feet tall…
Beatrice Domond
Beatrice Domond is backed by Vans, so you know right off the bat that she’s legit. However, she also carries the legacy of being the first female skater to nab a sponsorship from Supreme. She’s been well recognized as a force in the skate scene since 2015 and, at the young age of 26, is on a continued upward trajectory. Featuring as a Tony Hawk playable character would have been right in line with her previous milestones.
Sakura Yosozumi
Sakura Yosozumi may be the youngest skater on this list, but don’t let that trick you into underestimating her talent. The 18-year-old Japanese prodigy is already years in the making, having picked up her passion at the young age of 11. In addition to placing in the X Games, she notably took home a gold medal in the park category of the Asian Games in 2018 and is currently second in the women’s Olympic park skating rankings. With most of the original Tony Hawk playable characters now in their 40s and 50s, we think bringing on a teenage talent would be a cool contrast.
We’d be totally remiss in closing out this list without mentioning up-and-coming legend Dora Varella. Just weeks after her 16th birthday, the Brazilian skater took first place in the 2017 Continental Championship of the Vans Park Series. What’s even better? She did it again the following year. While her pro career is still in its fledgling stages, she’s already ranked as the sixth-best female park skater in the world. It would be undeniably cool to see such a prominent, budding talent get recognition on the Tony Hawk series.
Which women would you have liked to see added to the Tony Hawk gaming franchise? Let us know in the comments below!