49 riders from 16 countries closed the World Rookie Tour skateboard season at the new Celje Skatepark, Slovenia. The Men’s Street final was decided by one point.
The 2026 World Rookie Skateboard Finals delivered exactly what a season finale should: a new park, a packed international field and a Street final decided by the narrowest of margins. Held September 25th–27th, 2026, at Celje Skatepark, built this year by Chris Khan, the event hosted its first international contest with riders from 16 countries, including Brazil and Venezuela, who crossed the Atlantic for the title.
Park Finals
Saturday opened with Park, and the Men’s title went to Brazil. João Henrique Marsa Costa linked frontside 5-0, backside nosepick and kickflip to win, ahead of Ian Rengel (VEN), who answered with a backside 360, and Cis Van Oevelen (BEL).
Women’s Park went to Lela Helfenstein (SUI), mixing mute grabs with 50-50s and a lipslide on the coping. Tzvetelina Hristova and Plamena Raeva (both BUL) completed the podium.
Street Finals
A few hours later, Ian Rengel (VEN) took his revenge. The Men’s Street Grom final was a Grom takeover: the Venezuelan won with a second run stacking a switch frontside 270 boardslide with a frontside 50-50 grind 360 flip out. Marsa Costa answered with a backside 360 nosegrind and the same 50-50 flip out. Max Messerschmidt (GER) completed the podium with a frontside flip nosegrind 180 out and a varial heelflip over the gap.
In the Rookie Men ranking, Alberto Chakalev (BUL) took the title, followed by Elliot George and Tiago Barcik (both SUI).
On the women’s side, Dora Gasperini (ITA) won Grom Women with a run packed with rail work: frontside boardslide, 5-0, kickflip backside 50-50 and backside lipslide, all in one line. Noor Crevels (NED) and Benny Roquette (PRT), who, at just ten years old, landed on a World Finals podium, completed the podium.
The Rookie Women title went to Ilka Rogers (GBR), followed by Hristova and Amalie Liskova (CZE).
Prizes and wildcards
Rengel and Gasperini, the two Street champions, earn the Red Bull Experience, the Golden Ticket for the entire 2027 World Rookie Tour and wildcards for Mystic Sk8 Cup 2027 and Slamfest 2027 in Belgium. Marsa Costa and Helfenstein claimed the Park Golden Tickets. All podium riders collected Mystic Sk8 Cup wildcards or free entries to a 2027 WRT event, plus product prizes from Blue Tomato, TSG and Aneema.
Medals and trophies came from MW Skateboards, crafted from broken decks: a second life for boards that have already done their job. As a World Cup Skateboarding event, the Finals also handed out WCS ranking points to every participant.
Podiums
- Street Grom Men: Ian Rengel (VEN), João Henrique Marsa Costa (BRA), Max Messerschmidt (GER)
- Street Rookie Men: Alberto Chakalev (BUL), Elliot George (SUI), Tiago Barcik (SUI)
- Street Grom Women: Dora Gasperini (ITA), Noor Crevels (NED), Benny Roquette (PRT)
- Street Rookie Women: Ilka Rogers (GBR), Tzvetelina Hristova (BUL), Amalie Liskova (CZE)
- Park Men: João Henrique Marsa Costa (BRA), Ian Rengel (VEN), Cis Van Oevelen (BEL)
- Park Women: Lela Helfenstein (SUI), Tzvetelina Hristova (BUL), Plamena Raeva (BUL)
The full results are available on Comma.
Missed it live? Rewatch the full livestream on worldrookietour.com
The World Rookie Skateboard Finals 2026 were made possible by Red Bull, Blue Tomato, TSG, Aneema, MW Skateboards, Black Yeti SSD and the City of Celje.
