The world of Roller Sports has burst into life here in Paraguay over the last number of days, with World Championships in Vert Skateboarding, Downhill and Skate Cross anointing a raft of new World Champions in their respective disciplines.
Despite changeable weather at the weekend, the hard work and dedication of everyone involved has ensured that Asunción has witnessed thrills, spills and excitement galore at locations across the city from Lambare Hill to the presidential palace.
Here is everything that has happened so far:
DOWNHILL: three days of speed on Cerro Lambaré
Inline Downhill had the honour of awarding the first medals of the World Skate Games Asunción 2026. In the time trials on October 3, Colombia’s Alef Torres set the benchmark in the women’s race, while Spain’s Pablo Soler Cabañero won the men’s event by just 0.229 seconds ahead of Italy’s Daniele Vecchi.
After a night of torrential rain, October 4 brought clear skies for the Downhill Skateboarding and Street Luge time trials. France’s Adrien Paynel and Switzerland’s Selina Theiler topped the Downhill Skateboarding sessions, while France’s Loreline Pastor and Malaysia’s Abdil Mahdzan set the fastest times in Street Luge.
Finals day, October 5, opened with rain through the morning warm-up runs and the first rounds of racing, before the track dried completely for the decisive heats. Loreline Pastor defended her world title in Women’s Street Luge, and Abdil Mahdzan led the men’s final ahead of reigning champion Mikel Echegaray Diez of Spain. In Downhill Skateboarding, the Netherlands’ Lisa Peters reclaimed the women’s crown after narrowly missing out in 2024, while Australia’s Harry Clarke defended his title after a fierce battle through turns five and six with France’s Adrien Paynel and Antoine Carlotti.
The Inline Downhill knockout races closed the programme. Alef Torres completed a double, adding the race title to her time trial gold, while the men’s final turned into a Colombian celebration, with Jose Mejia, Juan Barrera and Carlos Quiroga sweeping the podium.
SKATE CROSS: France and Italy rule the COP pump track
From October 1 to 4, the pump track of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee (COP) hosted a technically demanding and adrenaline-packed Skate Cross World Championship, with lightning-fast heats, packed stands and stadium-style support.
France and Italy shared all six titles. France took four golds and eleven podium places in total, with Mael Roudaut winning Senior Men, Noelie Gontier and Adonis Vicq claiming the Junior titles, and the French trio of Oscar Briex, Cyril Champagne and Mael Roudaut winning Men’s Team Cross.
The most emotional moment came in the Senior Women’s final, where Italy’s Ludovica Rimondi found the decisive push on the final stretch to take gold in front of a roaring crowd. Italy doubled its celebrations in Women’s Team Cross, with Matilde Arosio, Alice Delfino and Ludovica Rimondi on top of the podium.
VERT SKATEBOARDING: an aerial dogfight in front of the Presidential Palace
Vert, one of skateboarding’s true roots, returned to the world stage on what was, to all intents and purposes, the front lawn of Paraguay’s Presidential Palace. Two walls, thirty seconds and nowhere to hide: the level of progression on show proved that vert is very much alive. In qualifying alone, USA’s JD Sanchez landed 11 tricks in 30 seconds, roughly one every two and a half seconds.
In the women’s final, 13-year-old Brazilian Luiza Hiumi opened proceedings on her World Skate debut, landing her first run and later a Christ Air, a Body Varial 540 and a Kickflip Indy to Fakie in Best Trick. After the run section, Japan’s Mizuho Hasegawa led by ten points ahead of Shuka Kawai and Lilly Stoephasius. The Best Trick component then shook up the standings: Brazil’s Helena Laurino fought her way past Stoephasius into bronze, while Hasegawa needed her third attempt at a Kickflip Frontside Air to Varial over the channel to restore her lead, this time by 26 points. Kawai, in her first World Championship, went all-in for the win with three back-to-back 720 attempts. Hasegawa, already champion with a trick in hand, tried a 720 of her own and bowed to a rapturous crowd.
In the men’s final, top qualifiers JD Sanchez and Brazil’s Gui Khury pulled ten points clear of the field in the run section. Khury edged ahead with his final run, packed with 900 variations despite an apparently loose right shoulder, as the crowd chanted his name. Best Trick brought standout moments such as Spain’s Egoitz Bijueska’s Switch McTwist, Ao Nishikawa’s Double Caballerial, a grabless 720 long thought physically impossible, and Khury’s Tailgrab 900 across an 8-foot channel. In the end, the breadth of Sanchez’s repertoire gave him the edge in originality and the 2026 World Champion title. The forecast storm arrived with one round of Best Trick remaining, with Sanchez leading Khury by 9 points and Khury ahead of Australia’s Hudson Walker by 20.
“Vert skating in 2026 is shooting through the roof!” said MC Renton Millar. On this evidence, it is hard to disagree.
2026 WORLD CHAMPIONS
Downhill Skateboarding
Women: Lisa Peters (NED)
Men: Harry Clarke (AUS)
Street Luge
Women: Loreline Pastor (FRA)
Men: Abdil Mahdzan (MAS)
Inline Downhill
Women: Alef Torres (COL)
Men: Jose Mejia (COL)
Vert Skateboarding
Women: Mizuho Hasegawa (JPN)
Men: JD Sanchez (USA)
Skate Cross
Senior Women: Ludovica Rimondi (ITA)
Senior Men: Mael Roudaut (FRA)
Junior Women: Noelie Gontier (FRA)
Junior Men: Adonis Vicq (FRA)
Team Cross Women: Italy (Matilde Arosio, Alice Delfino, Ludovica Rimondi)
Team Cross Men: France (Oscar Briex, Cyril Champagne, Mael Roudaut)
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