2024 Judging Report
This is the official judging report from Winterclash 2024.
Judges:
Sebastian Gruba (PL) – Author of Judging Report
Friederike Charlotte Reisch (Ger)
Michael Buhl Jonassen (DK)
Results + argumentation:
PRO MEN
Clash of the Champions! Indeed, this year’s Winterclash Pro Finals will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most thrilling inline skating competitions to date. The majority of the finalists were previous Winterclash podium winners, elevating the level of competition to unprecedented heights. Furthermore, each participant showcased their unique approach to the course, significantly increasing the challenge of judging. In alignment with the initial agreement, the Difficulty of the tricks received the highest scores, whereas the Line category was slightly deprioritized. This decision was logical, given the nature of the Winterclash competition, where skating lines uninterrupted by other participants is particularly challenging. With this in mind, the final podium standings were as follows:
1st place – Nils Jansons
Nils Jansons delivered an outstanding performance, making use of nearly every obstacle on the course. His maneuvers were challenging, innovative, and executed flawlessly. For aerial tricks, he impressively executed a large Rocket Rodeo up the GH step, followed by a creatively performed Disaster Dark Side AO Top Soul on the Themskates box. He then expertly navigated to the Roces wall, showcasing a stylish Fishbrain to 180 Mute off, and skillfully hit the firecracker rail with a BS Backslide to Fishbrain.
Jansons was the pioneer in attempting transfers from the GH flat rail to the FR handrail, igniting a frenzy at this specific location, which ultimately led to Joe Atkinson’s elimination from the competition. He not only accomplished the transfer from the top GH flat rail to the FR rail but also elevated the challenge with a seamless Top Soul to Top Soul to fakie up the rail. He continued his sequence with a Royale down the FR Rail and concluded with another Top Mistral at the USD spot. Despite experiencing two falls—one at the start with a Themskates box grind variation and the other following a significant Ao Top Soul on the Roces Wall—his run was remarkably comprehensive and felt complete. Achieving high scores in the Difficulty, Creativity, and Style categories, Jansons secured the lead.
Landed Tricks:
Rodeo Rocket 540 up the GH step up
Disaster Dark Side AO Top Soul (Themskates box)
Top Acid transfer to BS royale (From GH Flat rail to big FR rail)
BS Backslide to Fishbrain (Firecracker rail)
Fishbrian to 180 Mute Off (Roces Big Wall)
Top Soul transfer Top Soul to Fakie (FR Rail to GH Flat Rail)
Top Mistral (USD Rail)
Top Soul to Top Soul Transfer (From GH Flat rail to big FR rail)
Top Soul to Top Soul Transfer 360 Out (From GH Flat rail to big FR rail)
Final Trick: Top Soul transfer Top Soul to Fakie on the transition (FR Rail to GH Flat Rail)
2nd place – Julien Cudot
The strongest aspect of Julien Cudot’s performance was his ability to tackle a variety of obstacles on the course with both difficult and highly creative maneuvers. He commenced with a 720 Corkscrew up the GH step-up, followed by a flawless fakie 720 down—the largest spin landed on the transition. Next, he executed a 540 Soyale down the large rail. Although he didn’t manage to clear the entire rail, landing on the bank on the other side was sufficient to count the trick, despite his attempts to perfect it further. Julien also achieved the most challenging grind trick on the flat GH rail from the step-up. While others opted for basic techniques like Royales or Souls, Julien completed a 450 BS Royale, landing in the transition far back. The landing wasn’t perfectly clean, yet it significantly stood out compared to other contestants’ attempts.
Another maneuver that significantly advanced his position was the Zero Top Soul with a 360 Off into the transition from the top of the flat GH rail. He executed a super fast and clean Soul to True Soul 360 on the Themskates Box, and a Truespin Savanna on the USD flat grind box. His technical prowess culminated with an AO Top Acid on the plex wall, securing his 2nd position.
Landed Tricks:
720 Corkscrew up the GH step up, Fakie 720 down the launch box
540 Soyale big FR rail
450 BS Royale Flat GH rail from the step up, landed to bank
Zero AO Top Soul 360 out Flat GH rail, landed into transition
Soul grind to True Soul Grind 360 Off (Flat and down part of the Themskates box)
Truespin Savana (USD Grindbox)
Final Trick: Disaster AO Top Acid Plex wall over USD Box (3rd try)
3rd place – Danilo Senna
The inaugural performance at Winterclash by the Brazilian powerhouse was astonishing. Danilo consistently executed 540s into grinds throughout his entire run, nearly maximizing his Difficulty score. He cleverly combined this with significant air spins, beginning with a 1260 up the GH step-up, followed by a Backflip and a 540 down the launch box. However, Danilo’s run slightly lacked in creativity and innovative thinking. Regrettably, he missed his tricks on the firecracker rail and did not engage with the big handrail. Despite these shortcomings, his impressive grind tricks secured him 3rd place.
Landed Tricks:
1260 up the GH step up followed by Backflip and 540 down the launch box
540 BS Savana (Themskates Box)
54 Truespin Mizu (FR Grindbox)
54 TTS (Themskates Box)
450 BS Royale (USD Grindbox)
54 True Fishbrain (Themskates Box)
Backflip 180 up the GH step up
Backflip (small Loco quarter)
Ao Wall ride 360 Out of the FR plex wall
Final Trick: 540 TTP (2nd try, USD Grind Box)
PRO WOMEN
1st place – Merry Munoz
Merry Munoz delivered a performance akin to a true stunt show, skillfully executing high-risk tricks that no other female competitor dared to attempt. Right from the outset, she captivated the audience with a Soul grind leading to a drop over the large FR rail, followed by strategically executed grinds on the more forgiving Themskates (AO Soul Rewind and Top Xgrind) and USD ledges (Sweatstance to drop). A significant 360 Mute over the GH step up and a challenging Disaster Top Soul on the flat GH rail from the launch quickly established her lead. However, Munoz was only getting started. She escalated her performance by executing a stylish Kind Grind on the large FR rail, followed by an extraordinary Soul to Soul/Makio transfer from the flat GH rail, dropping into the FR rail—a maneuver fraught with risk, successfully landed on her second attempt! Given the importance of the tricks’ difficulty, Munoz undisputedly clinched 1st place. She clearly stepped out of her comfort zone for this competition, blending consistently landed tricks with a level of creativity that was notably absent among the other participants.
Landed Tricks:
360 Mute up the GH step up
Soul Grind (GH Flat Rail) to Gap over FR Rail
AO Soul Revert (Themskates box)
Sweatstance to drop (USD ledge)
Topside Xgrind (Themskates Box)
Kind Grind (FR big Rail)
Disaster Top Soul (GH Flat Rail from the transition)
Final Trick: Soul drop Soul transfer (GH flat rail to FR rail)
2nd place – Misaki Katayama
Watching Misaki shred the entire park was an absolute delight. Her characteristic effortless style and careful selection of tricks earned her high scores in both Style and Line. She was one of the very few women to successfully skate the large Roces sub box, executing Soul and Top Soul grinds with aplomb. Her creativity was further highlighted by technical grinds on the firecracker rail, including Kind Grind and Misfit, and by the switch-ups on the large FR rail (Topsoul to Unity) as well as on the USD rail (Royale to Top Mistral). It appeared that Misaki particularly enjoyed the USD ledge with its significant drop, executing a fast Xgrind to fakie, and later selecting it for her final trick: a fakie 360 Kind Grind, which she landed on the third attempt. Despite this, it remained one of the most technical tricks performed on that obstacle by any female rider. Overall, her consistent execution of tricks, with very few falls, and her refined style set her apart, securing her second place in the overall rankings.
Landed Tricks:
Soul Grind (Roces sub box)
Kind Grind (Firecracker rail)
Top Soul (Roces sub box)
Top Soul to Unity (big FR rail)
Royale to Top Mistral (USD rail)
Mizu (Themskates box)
Top Pornstar (Firecracker rail)
Xgrind to fakie (USD ledge)
Misfit (Firecracker rail)
Final Trick: Full Cab Kind Grind to drop (USD Ledge) 3rd try
3rd place – Javiera Garrido
Javiera’s performance was distinguished by her exceptional ability to link most of her tricks into a seamless flow. Unlike her competitors, who primarily targeted larger obstacles with fewer tricks, Javiera skillfully navigated the course, marking each ledge with precise and clean grinds. Her execution of a Big Fishbrain on the FR ledge, followed by another on the high Roces sub Box, stood out as some of the only topside tricks in those locations by female contestants, significantly boosting her score in the Difficulty category. Her extended run around the Themskates ledge showcased a Sunn Day, a Disaster Top Acid, and an elegant Kind Grind, all landed on the first attempt. The highlight of Javiera’s run was a beautifully executed fakie inspin Top Tor Soul on the big FR ledge, notable for being the only trick performed from a fakie approach in that spot by a female contestant. For her final trick, she surprisingly opted for the USD drop ledge, where she successfully executed a stylish Acid to Top Acid to gap on her first try, securing her 3rd place.
Landed Tricks:
Fishbrain (FR ledge)
Disaster Top Acid (Themskates box)
Fishbran (Roces Wall)
Sunny Day (flat part Themskates box)
Kind Grind (Themskates box down)
Mizu to Top Soul (USD ledge)
Inspin Top Torq Soul (FR Ledge)
Final Trick: Acid to Top Acid (USD Ledge) 1st try
AM MEN
1st place Leonardo Cardoso
Starting with a successful air/gap line through the GH step-up, which involved soaring 900 upwards, followed by a quick Fakie Misty on the quarter pipe and a 540 down the transition, Leonardo definitively marked his presence. He maintained a high pace throughout every second of his run. He consistently executed complex tricks on each of the main obstacles, showcasing moves like the 360 Acid on the Themskates ledge, a 360 Soul to drop on the USD ledge, and a TTS on the big FR handrail, all while accruing creativity points for his maneuvers on the Firecracker rail (True Mizou and BS Backslide) and executing a swift wall ride over the FR ledge. Leonardo concluded his heat with a series of tricks around the Themskate ledge, successfully landing a 540 KG and performing a technical Darkside Soul to Darkside AO Pornstar transfer. However, he unfortunately failed to land his final trick, a Top Soul 900 Off.
Leonardo included the largest array of heavy tricks in his performance, showcasing a mix of both grinds and air/spin maneuvers—a contrast to the runners-up, who primarily focused on grinds. Although his style rating suffered slightly due to two falls or failed attempts, he unequivocally secured the top spot by excelling in all other criteria: Difficulty, Line, and Creativity.
Landed Tricks:
900 up the GH step up
Fakie Misty (GH Quarter)
540 down the GH step up
True spin Mizu (Firecracker)
360 Acid (Themskates ledge)
BS Savana (Themskates ledge)
360 Soul (USD drop ledge)
Wall ride over FR ledge
TTS (big FR rail)
Darkside Soul to Darkside AO Pornstar (Themskates ledge)
54 Kind grind (Themskates ledge)
Bs Backslide (Firecracker)
Final Trick: Top Soul 900 Off – NOT LANDED
2nd place Noboru Katayama
Noboru epitomizes Style. His opening maneuver—a Fakie 360 Dark Side AO Makio down the Themskates ledge—was executed with such finesse that it could have served as an ender in any video segment, significantly boosting his Style and Creativity scores. This momentum was further amplified by his subsequent sequence, which included a technically Full Cab Royale to AO Fish, followed by a Switch AO Fish down the Themskates ledge. Next, Noboru masterfully performed a steezed BS Backslide to Fishbrain on the firecracker rail, before advancing to the FR rail section. There, he linked a BS Royale with a daring 360 Inspin Frontside on the USD drop ledge, further increasing his Line score. However, to enhance his Difficulty score, he needed to up the ante.
Noboru rose to the occasion in his last seconds, executing an FS Farv and an FS Torq on the Roces wall coping. He solidified his second-place standing with a concluding flourish: a BS Farv Up to BS Fastslide to fakie (the whole Firecracker rail).
Landed Tricks:
Full Darkside AO Makio (Themskates down ledge)
Full Royale to ao Fish (Themskates flat ledge)
Switch AO Fish (Themskates flat ledge)
BS Backslide to Fishbrain (Firecracker)
BS Royale (FR Rail)
360 inspin Frontside (Usd drop ledge)
FS Farv (Roces Wall)
FS Torq (Roces Wall)
Final Trick: Bs farv Up to BS Fastslide down to fakie (Firecracker)
3rd place Gilles Buelens
Gilles distinguished himself from the crowd with his fluid style and discerning choice of tricks. He was mostly seen going fakie throughout the park, achieving high scores in the Difficulty category for his initial 270 BS Backslide on the FR rail and for transferring across the substantial Loco bank with an extended Mute. On the way for his “bigger” tricks, such as the Sweatstance across the flat and descending sections of the Themskates ledge, Gilles consistently infused creativity into his run. Notable examples include a Wall ride on the slender Roces sub box and a fakie to spinning shuffle on the steep Loco bank. Although the full cab kind grind on the firecracker rail lacked cleanliness, and a collision with a cameraman at the end of his run was unfortunate, Gilles concluded his performance by flawlessly executing a 270 BS Backslide to Sweatstance, clinching 3rd place and earning the Best Grind Award.
Landed Tricks:
27 BS Backslide (FR Rail)
Fakie Zero Spin over Loco Bank
Top Mistral (Usd rail)
Mute transfer over Loco Bank
Wallride (roces sub box)
Backslide (flat Themskates ledge)
Sweatstance (flat + down Themskates ledge)
Spinning shuffle on the Loco bank
Full cab Kind Grind (Themskates ledge)
Backside Up (Loco extension rail)
Final Trick: 270 BS Backslide to Sweatstance (FR Rail) 3rd try
AM WOMEN
1st place – Ana Julia da Silva
One of the standout performances at the event was delivered by Ana Julia, who dominated the competition with ease. She executed more than 12 different tricks, with the first five being performed in a seamless line. Her routine was marked by its high Difficulty, highlighted by a massive 900 and Flatspin 54 over the GH step-up, along with a clean 360 Soul on the Themskates flat ledge. Ana Julia made sure to engage every obstacle on the course, skillfully incorporating even the simplest elements such as the Loco quarters and the small USD rail, showcasing consistent technical prowess with Truespin grinds. She capped off her performance with a spectacular Corkscrew 720.
Ana Julia’s run was a comprehensive display of skill, blending challenging maneuvers with an effortless style, minimal mistakes, and an inventive use of the entire course. She achieved exceptionally high scores across all four categories. With her wide-ranging repertoire of tricks, she clearly demonstrated her potential to secure a spot on the podium in the Pro Women Division!
Landed Tricks:
900 up the GH step up
True spin mizu (Loco quarter)
Unity (USD rail)
BS Royale (FR rail)
BS Savana (USD rail)
Top Soul (USD down ledge)
360 Soul (Themskates flat ledge)
Top Soul to fakie (Firecracker)
Kind Grind (Themskates flat ledge)
Flatspin 540 up the GH Step up
True Spin Pornstar (Loco quarter)
True Acid (USD rail)
Final Trick: Corkscrew 720
2nd place Kate Bedrata
Kate brought to the table a clean run that included classic tricks over larger obstacles. Among the rare backflips in the women’s division, Kate’s stood out. She kicked off her run with a one on the GH quarter extension, then seamlessly transitioned into a Frontside drop from the GH rail to the bank below. That heavy start significantly boosted her scores in Difficulty and Creativity, while very solid inspin Top Acid on Themskates down ledge contributed to rising her Style points. Firecracker rail marked with Sweatstance and Kindgrind but it was the FR rail where Kate showed her strongest side. Top Acid first try and perfectly executed Sweatstance to Fakie as her final trick.
Kate is primarily known as a street skater, yet she excels in transition tricks, a rarity among female riders, particularly in the Amateur (AM) Division. Her performance was distinguished by her confidence and mastery of stunts, earning her a well-deserved second place.
Landed Tricks:
Backflip GH quarter
Frontside to drop (from GH rail)
Sweatstance – Firecracker
Inspin Top Acid (Themskates ledge)
Soul grind – Firecracker
Top Acid – FR Rail
Kind Grind – Firecracker
Final Trick: Sweatstance to Fakie FR rail (2nd try)
3rd place – Laura Santos
Laura’s approach closely mirrored Kate’s, executing clean grinds on every spot of the course. She began impressively with an Acid on the FR rail on her first attempt, followed by an impressive freestyle Fishbrain down the FR ledge. On the way back, she tagged the Firecracker with a solid Top Soul and Sweatstanced the flat section of the Themskates ledge. During her second attempt at the large Fr ledge, Laura perfectly executed a Unity to Top Soul, marking her third significant trick. By successfully completing a Top Acid to drop on the USD ledge, her Creativity score surged, matching her already high Style score. Although the Line score suffered due to falls and interruptions, Laura ultimately executed a grabbed Bs Torque and a 540 on the quarter pipe. These feats collectively secured her a commendable third place.
Landed Tricks:
Acid – FR rail
Freestyle Fish – FR ledge
Top Soul – Firecracker
Sweatstance – Themskates flat ledge
Unity to Top Soul (FR ledge)
Top Acid to gap (Usd ledge)
BS Torq (Themskates down ledge)
540 (Loco Quarter)
Final Trick: Forward to flat off the GH step up (NOT LANDED)
JUNIOR MEN
1st Haruhi Shimizu
At 10 years old, Haruhi delivered a complete and creative performance that scored high points in every category. The routine started impressively with a daring fakie 900 on the spine section, a move that stood out as Haruhi was the only one to utilize that part of the park during the heat. After returning to the main section, Haruhi strategically tackled almost every grinding obstacle, earning high marks for both Style and Creativity. Highlights included a long-held Backslide on the firecracker, a BS Savannah across the entire USD rail, and a quick Fakie 540 Bio on the GH quarter extension.
In Haruhi’s second lap around the park, the performance featured a 360 Soul on the Roces Flat box, a Fakie Switch Soul on the flat part of the Themskates ledge, followed by a stylish Full BS Royale down the same obstacle. The young talent concluded the heat with a confident 450 Backside on the Loco quarter extension, later elevating the performance with a flawless Hard Spin Topsoil as the finale.
Haruhi’s ability to execute a combination of difficult tricks with consistency and flair was truly remarkable. Without a doubt, Haruhi stood out as the top skater in this category, showcasing an unquestionably stylish and skillful performance.
Landed tricks:
Fakie 900 (Spine Section)
Backside (Roces wall ledge)
Top Acid (Loco Quarter)
Backslide (Firecracker)
BS Savana (USD rail)
Fakie Bio 540 (GH quarter)
360 Soul (Roces Flat ledge)
Fakie Soul (Themskates ledge flat)
Full BS Royale (Themskates ledge down)
450 Backside (Loco quarter)
Final Trick: Hardspin Topsoul (Loco quarter extension)
2nd Jun Shoha
For most of the heat, Jun closely matched Haruhi, adopting a similar strategy of marking each obstacle with a challenging trick in sequence. He commenced with an impactful beginning—a Top Acid to True Mistrial on the large FR rail, followed by a gracefully executed Truespin Soul down the Themskates ledge. With already high marks in Style and Creativity, he proceeded to the big Roces ledge, where he flawlessly executed a long Kind Grind to 180—a remarkable maneuver, complemented by a full Cab True Spin Mizou on the Themskates ledge and another Kind Grind with a 360 out on the Firecracker.
However, after completing a significant Top Soul on the Roces big wall, Jun experienced a slight dip in his performance, missing several AO Top Souls on the Firecracker and the big FR ledge, which momentarily disrupted his flow. Nonetheless, he managed a commendable comeback with his final AO Top Soul on his favorite Roces Wall ledge, securing him second place in the Junior competition.
Landed tricks:
Top Acid to True Mistral (FR rail)
Truespin Soul (Themskates ledge)
Kind Grind 180 (Roces wall ledge)
Full Cab true spin Mizu (Themskates ledge)
Kind Grind 360 out (Firecracker)
Top Soul (Roces wall ledge)
Final Trick: AO Top Soul (Roces wall)
3rd Michał Pietrzak
Michał focused on technical grinds, beginning with a Bs Unity budget to Top Pornstar and performing a disaster Top Mistral on the USD rail with a laid-back style, which definitely caught the audience’s attention. His Misfit down the Firecracker and a quick Misty off the small bank contributed to his Difficulty score, while connecting a BS Backslide to True Mizou and a 270 BS Torque to Soul on the Themskates ledge raised his line score. To add variety, Michał transferred across the large Loco bank from quarter to quarter and followed up with a daring Frontside drop from the GH flat rail. Although Michał missed his Backslide on the big FR rail, he quickly recovered and managed to execute a 270 BS Farv on it.
For his finale, he chose the USD drop ledge—a feature he hadn’t attempted during the heat. Successfully landing a Mizu to Misty on his second try certainly helped increase his points total. While Michał’s style wasn’t as polished as Haruhi’s and his performance wasn’t as filled with standout hammers as Jun’s, he still managed to compile a series of interesting and challenging tricks into a continuous run, with only a single fall, earning him third place.
Landed tricks:
Bs Unity budget Top Pornstar (USD rail)
Disaster Top Mistral (USD rail)
Misty Flip
Misfit (Firecracker)
BS Backslide to True Mizu (Themskates ledge flat)
270 BS Torq to Soul (Themskates ledge down)
Transfer over the Big Loco bank
Royale (Firecracker)
Backside to drop (Gh flat rail to bank)
BS Savana (Firecracker)
27 BS Farv (FR Rail)
Final Trick: Mizu to Misty (USD drop ledge)
JUNIOR WOMEN
1st place Amelie Maria Pogaceanu
Amelie skated with consistency throughout the course, marking each obstacle with a variety of BS Farv grinds. She kicked off with creativity and a great line, executing a stylish BS Farv up the Loco quarter rail, followed swiftly by an AO Mizu on the USD rail, and culminating in a nicely held BS Torque across the entire flat and down part of the USD rail. These were her standout tricks, but her run also included several smaller maneuvers around the Roces flat ledge and the firecracker rail, notably a Mizu.
Amelie capped her performance with a BS Farv 540 off the USD rail, adding a spectacular finish to her array of maneuvers. This trick, in addition to her consistent skating around the course contributed significantly to her dynamic and stylish run..
Landed Tricks:
BS Farv (up the Loco quarter Rail)
AO Mizu (Usd rail)
BS Torq (Usd rail flat and down)
Mizu (Fire cracker rail)
Soul (Roces flat ledge)
Soul to BS Farv (USD Rail)
Mizu (Roces flat ledge)
Final Trick: BS Farv 540 Off
2nd place Katarzyna Kaminiorz
Katarzyna didn’t primarily focus on the smaller elements around USD obstacles like other competitors. She took it to a higher level by executing a Soul on the Roces sub box and performing a Sweatstance down the Themskates ledge. Adding a smooth 360 over the USD funbox and an AO Mizu on the high flat part of the FR ledge, she significantly boosted her creativity score.
Additionally, Katarzyna executed several BS Unities, including one on the USD Drop ledge. However, her grinds were much shorter compared to Amelie’s.
Despite not landing her last trick, a Front flip attempt, Katarzyna’s performance, filled with creative and impressive tricks, secured her a second-place finish.
Landed Tricks:
Soul Grind (Roces Sub Box)
Bs Unity (Themskates ledge)
Sweatstance (Themskates ledge)
AO Mizu (FR Box flat part)
360 over USD Funbox
BS Unity (USD drop ledge)
Unity to Top Soul (Usd Rail)
Final Trick: Frontflip (Not landed)
3rd place Eva Klomp
Eva performed several smaller but nonetheless clean tricks. She executed a Soul Grind on the Loco quarter, followed by a swift switch from Unity to Top Soul on the USD rail, and another Soul on the firecracker rail. Her final switch up from Pornstar to Top Soul was not landed with utmost precision but was still considered successful.
Eva certainly surprised everyone by opting for the challenging Frontside to drop off the GH flat rail, which she successfully landed on her third attempt.
Landed Tricks:
Soul Grind (Loco quarter)
Unity to Top Soul (USD Rail)
Soul (Firecracker)
Pornstar to Topsoul (Themskates ledge)
Final Trick: Frontside to drop off GH flat rail