California Skateparks-designed Aljada Skatepark hosts the world’s best on their road to Paris.
2/2/23 (Vista, CA) – The world’s best skateboarders will be performing their newest tricks and styles over the next several days at the massive Aljada Skatepark in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Aljada was designed and built by California Skateparks and is hosting the World Skate 2022 World Championships for both Street and Park disciplines. When the new Champions are named next week and competitors head home, Aljada will remain as a permanent skatepark serving local youth.
“The overall facility is unique in that it has beginner, intermediate, and elite competition-level Street and Park courses and covers almost 90,000 square feet (8,360 square meters),” said California Skateparks Vice President Bill Minadeo. “This really is an amazing opportunity for local youth to interact with the world’s best skaters and host incredible events, like the World Championships.”
The World Skate 2022 World Championships is a key qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. While the Street skaters have already competed in one qualifier in Rome last Summer, for the Park skaters Sharjah will be their first chance to earn important points to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
This week the Street skaters have their chance to earn the World title, with the Finals in the Men’s and Women’s competition this weekend. The Street course at Aljada features a mirrored core section, with identical elements such as stairs and rails providing equal opportunity for both goofy- and regular-stance skaters to perform. The outer perimeter of the course includes more free-form features, allowing the skaters to explore opportunities for unique tricks and combinations.
Next week, the Park competitors have their turn and attention will shift from the stairs and rails of the Aljada Street course to the massive bowl, which differs from recent competition bowl designs. The traditional single deep end that was common at recent international competitions has given way to two nearly 10-foot (3-meter) deep ends on opposite sides. To take full advantage of that, a long, sloping roll-in channel flows into the bowl from the deck, allowing skaters to begin their routines with maximum speed. The staple volcano flyover feature that was included in the Olympic Park course and many other pro events has been replaced by a hip/transfer section extending into the bowl from the side, instead of being the bowl’s centerpiece.
Both the street course and competition bowl are the result of the California Skateparks design team’s nearly two-decades of experience creating elite competition courses. In consultation with many athletes competing in Sharjah, the designers modified traditional contest elements and complemented them with new features that match the skaters’ growing level of competitiveness and evolving style of tricks. From the early practice footage seen from Sharjah, revealing several never-been-seen maneuvers, the evidence suggests that the California Skateparks design team got it right, including social-media posts showing how much fun pros are having at Aljada. Which is great news for Sharjah’s local skaters.
More information about the World Skate 2022 World Championships can be found at www.worldskate.org/skateboarding, including how to watch the competition. The event will also be Webcast on www.olympics.com. To learn more about California Skateparks, visit www.californiaskateparks.com or contact Bill Minadeo: bill@caskateparks.com
About California Skateparks: California Skateparks is the world’s most recognized designer and builder of skateparks, private training facilities, and elite competition courses. As a lifestyle sport, skateboarding is practiced by individuals of all backgrounds who live and breathe it. The California Skateparks team is no different. We offer an extremely knowledgeable and talented staff that includes professional skateboarders, landscape architects, general contractors, civil and structural engineering experts, and master builders. Our approach focuses on creative design, sound planning, systematic project costing, and solid construction methodology, with the needs and desires of our clients and their communities as our main priority. Because a skatepark isn’t just used by local skaters and their friends, it’s where they live their lives. For more information about our work and history, visit www.californiaskateparks.com.
Aljada Skatepark Street Course
Aljada Skatepark Park Course (bowl)