Future Olympic stars excited to compete at National Championships

Australia’s best and emerging stars have returned from competing on the global scene, to descend on the Gold Coast to showcase their skills as they chase a National title this weekend. 

Perth’s Mia Kretzer, 12, has claimed multiple gold medals at the World X Games, winning her maiden title when she was just nine. 

Kretzer is excited to be on the Gold Coast and competing at the Rumble on the Beach Park competition at Elanora this weekend. 

“My goal this weekend is just to go and skate my best, have fun with the competition and my friends,” Kretzer said. 

“[The goal is] hopefully the 2028 Olympics. Hopefully, I'll be able to do that. Keep skating X Games, keep skating competitions like this with all my friends and hopefully getting myself up in the rankings.”

Queensland’s Ash Wilcomes, 19, grew up skating the Elanora Bowl, which has recently been upgraded, and is looking to claim a maiden national title. 

“I'm hoping to definitely get the win,” he said. 

“I just really want to showcase my skating in a bowl that I grew up skating.

“I haven't been able to skate here in over a year and it's my favourite bowl. It's so sick to have a contest here, have the nationals here and have the local community here, it’s going to be good. 

“We've got so many good talents, up-and-coming kids, people who are already developed and doing really well on the global stage. We've got really strong skating talent in our country.

“Ultimately, LA 2028 Olympics is definitely on the cards, I'm really keen to put my all into qualifying.”

The inaugural Gold Coast Festival of Skateboarding will bring together the nation’s best athletes, emerging talent and skateboarding communities for more than four weeks of action, culture and celebration. The festival is Australia’s largest multi-day celebration of skateboarding, youth culture and action sports.

A major highlight of the festival will be the Rumble on the Beach Park and Street competitions, which will double as the 2026 Skate Australia National Championships.

The events form part of the Rumble Skateboarding Pro Tour and Amateur Series and are an important step on the pathway towards future Australian team and Olympic selection.

Skate Australia CEO Alex Anasson said the championships come at a pivotal time for Australian skateboarding, with the sport continuing to build momentum following its Olympic success and the countdown to both the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

“We're super excited that it's the inaugural Gold Coast Festival of Skateboarding, which kicked off last week with Just Roll With It down at Pizzey Park, an adaptive skateboarding event that was all-inclusive, all abilities,” Anasson said.  

“This weekend, here we are at Elanora Bowl, freshly opened. Perfect slick concrete for the Rumble on the Beach which includes our Skate Australia National Championships.

Next week we're over at Pizzey Park again for our Street National Championships. 

“I think the piece for us is making this National Champs our key benchmark domestic event for being able to really see where the talent's at, see how they're skating against competitors within their domestic field and then ultimately be on the pathway to Olympic selection and other world championship selection.

“Mia's come onto the scene super fast, super quick and really showing everyone what we are all about here in Australia. 

“Mia's up there with people like Arisa Trew leading the way and Chloe Covell, lots of female skaters that are just pioneering skateboarding across the world but also here in Australia, obviously alongside [men’s two-time Olympic champion] Keegan Palmer.

“It's all about building the pathway, we've had some really great success at the top level, obviously three gold medals in two Olympic cycles, with lots of other great performances as well, but really making sure that the young generation are supported all the way through to that pinnacle of the sport at the Olympics and other events like X Games.” 

The Gold Coast Festival of Skateboarding will attract athletes, families and visitors from across Australia, while showcasing some of the country's most iconic skateboarding venues. The festival program also includes participation events, community activations, adaptive skateboarding opportunities and athlete engagement activities throughout July.

With free spectator entry and a festival atmosphere expected across the Gold Coast, the event promises to deliver elite competition alongside a celebration of skateboarding culture on one of Australia's premier sporting and tourism destinations.

Event Details

Gold Coast Festival of Skateboarding

4-31 July 2026

Rumble on the Beach – Park / Skate Australia National Park Championships

Venue: Elanora Bowl, Gold Coast

Dates: 10-12 July 2026

Rumble on the Beach – Street / Skate Australia National Street Championships

Venue: Pizzey Park Skatepark, Gold Coast

Dates: 17-19 July 2026