There’s something strangely perfect about skating beneath roaring airplanes and beside crashing waves.
Just steps from the Atlantic Ocean, under the Virginia Beach sun, the athletes put on a show that turned heads, even that of the iconic Neptune statue!
With the constant roar of fighter jets ripping over from the nearby air base, it felt like the sky itself was reacting to what went down. Skaters pushed their limits all weekend long, making sure the event would be etched in memory. Both street and vert lit up with fierce talent, from hometown heroes to global legends . The moment was primed, the energy was palpable, and the competitions lived up to every bit of the hype. Here’s what went down:
Women’s Vert Nina Ye Launches Into the Spotlight
Nina Ye didn’t wait around. First run, bang ! Fakie to fakie back 540, judo 540, full-speed and all nerves. She stomped her line, threw her arms in the air, and jumped around on top of the ramp like she knew it. She did 90.33 on the board and everyone else playing catch-up. Shuka Kawai? First major contest and no nerves in sight. The golden ticket winner answered back immediately, back-to-back BS 540s and clean flow. Silver medal at her first JACKALOPE stop? 88.15 on her first run, awesome future ahead and oh, she’s just 12, let that sink in.
And then Jada Ward, coming back from injury like it never happened. 540 into a frontside nosegrind, indie 360, then straight into a fakie-fakie 540. No hesitation. Just power and pressure handled. She’s been on JACKALOPE podiums before, and this was the perfect I’m still here. Mazel’s switch blunt got a pop from the crowd every time. Young Anna brought the heat from the deck to the crowd. Multiple women dropping 540s like it was nothing. The level? Way up. Women’s vert isn’t rising. It’sit’s already here, and it’s not going anywhere. What a way to start the day.
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Podium:
🥇 Nina Ye
🥈 Shuka Kawai
🥉 Jada Ward
Kahler Took Flight and Never Looked Back
Luke Kahler’s second run was a highlight reel in itself: kickflip body jar, tailgrab backside 540, and an alley-oop kickflip over the channel, all landed clean and stylish. That performance earned him a 92.59, the top score of the night and a clear statement that he’s dialing in his vert game with some serious creativity and style. Collin Graham, skating in front of his home crowd in Virginia Beach, didn’t miss a beat after premiering his video part the night before. His technical cab heelflips, consistent 540s, and full ramp flow earned him a solid second place.
But the real shock came from 10-year-old Australian phenom Hudson Walker. Fresh off landing a 900 at Bondi Bowl, he brought that same energy to Virginia Beach. He stuck every 900 he attempted that night, all of them, no surprise that he got an 87.82 and locked in third place. At just 10, Hudson is already making waves in the vert scene, and his performance here proves he’s a name to watch.
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Podium:
From Barcelona to the US, Valentina is a name to remember
Valentina Krauel, 16, came in hot from Barcelona and left with her first U.S. title. She pieced together a flawless run with a frontside feeble and a frontside nosegrind down the rail, plus a kickflip 50-50 on the center ledge. Calm, clean, and confident, her flow was undeniable, and the judges knew it. She’s already made noise in Europe, and now she just dropped a statement on American soil ; all this after earning her spot as a Golden Ticket Public Choice winner on our social media. Clearly, our community knew what they were doing, they picked a champion.
Aoi Fukuda followed up strong. Known mostly for her vert background, she made the switch to street look easy. She came through with a frontside nosegrind, backside lipslide, and front lipslide on the anchor, then shut it down with a kickflip over the barrel gap. That kind of versatility doesn’t lie ; second place, and very well earned.
Kylie Frank came with a full bag and used every inch of the course. Crooked grind on the bump to bar, backside feeble on the handrail, ollie over the bump to barrel, front board on the handrail, frontside tail on the center ledge, backside board on the anchor, nollie heelflip up the flat, and a solid nosegrind on the handrail. Her consistency and trick selection locked her in for third, but that run could’ve easily taken top honors on another day.
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Podium:
Mic drop signed Illardi
As the sun dipped and tension peaked, the men’s street finals kicked off, and Angelo Caro set the pace with a backside flip to fakie nosegrind on the anchor, locking in third place with unflinching accuracy.
Close behind, Micky Papa rolled in with laser-focused rhythm, linking a switch bigflip frontside boardslide into a varial heel backside smith. No stranger to JACKALOPE’s podium, the Vancouver rider and Tokyo 10th-place finisher held steady to claim second. Then Jake Ilardi dropped the trick that shut down the entire contest ; a crispy bigspin front blunt to backside flip out that lit up the whole course. Representing Sarasota and Team USA, the Olympic vet pushed the tech into uncharted ground and grabbed the win, proving his name carries serious weight.
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JACKALOPE & the first Jarritos MVPs
This one wasn’t about gold medals or viral clips. The Jarritos MVP was for the skaters who showed up with heart. The ones who brought the vibe every time they rolled in ; cheering on their crew, picking people up after slams, falling hard and laughing it off. The ones who reminded us why we love this in the first place. From street to vert, these four riders lifted the whole session. They made the contest better just by being part of it. Good attitude, real energy, full flavor. By sunday, the call was clear. Anna, Secret, Beaver, and Micky kept it alive out there. The crowd felt it. The judges saw it. Rewarded with Jarritos for days, tacos, gear… but more than that, the kind of respect that doesn’t come with.
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Groms went off
Don’t let the size fool you ; these groms came out swinging. From ledges to vert walls, they skated like the future was already theirs. In the Boys Street Finals, Sebastian Dradrach took first, Emeric Keaton second, and Nicolas Dela Cruz third, pushing the level way past what you’d expect from this age bracket. The Girls Street Finals podium saw Taylor Burnett on top, followed by Kairi Stanbrook and Francesca Shuda. In the Boys Vert Finals, Winston Sievers took third, Lionel Flower second, and Brayden Hudnall rounded out the podium. The Girls Vert Finals crowned Aoi Fukuda first, Coco Rackley second, and Elizabeth Amador third. The new blood came through loud and clear.
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Final Results:
Boys Street Finals:
🥇 Sebastian Dradrach
🥈 Emeric Keaton
🥉 Nicolas Dela Cruz
Girls Street Finals:
🥇 Taylor Burnett
🥈 Kairi Stanbrook
🥉 Francesca Shuda
Boys Vert Finals:
🥇 Lionel Flower
🥈 Brayden Hudnall
🥉 Winston Sievers
Girls Vert Finals:
🥇 Aoi Fukuda
🥈 Coco Rackley
🥉 Elizabeth Amador
Locked In and Loving It: Three More Years of JACKALOPE
JACKALOPE Virginia Beach blasted through the scene like a thunderstorm tearing across the coast. Thank you to every single skater, crew member, and fan that made JACKALOPE Virginia Beach 2025 an event to remember. Virginia Beach is different, a place with a pulse that keeps growing for the skateboarding and action sport scene. We’re so happy to be locked in for three more years because this place feels like home to all of us. Ready for 3 more rounds? Join us for the next may 29-31, 2026.
