YMCA Victoria’s Moomba Street Championships to offer equal prize money

The upcoming Moomba Street Championships run by the Y Victoria will offer equal prize money for all open competitors for each scoot, skate and BMX events – a move welcomed by Olympian and past participant Hayley Wilson (pictured above), who has seen female skaters under-represented both at parks and major skate events.

Wilson explains “It has been challenging growing up in a male dominated sport and it can be super intimidating at times. I’ve been competing at the Australian Skateboarding League (ASL) Championships at Moomba since I was 14 years old and the energy is unlike any other which was hugely important because it was a contest that went towards Olympic points.”

YMCA Action Sports is hosting the 7th annual ASL Street Championships at the 2022 Moomba Festival from 11th-14th March. Wilson hopes there will be a strong turnout of female athletes this year as action sports continue to grow in popularity after its introduction as an Olympic sport in Tokyo in 2021.

“I’m excited to catch up with skaters, see the progression in their tricks from last year and keen to see the up-and-comers that I haven’t seen before,” Wilson adds.

Chloe Covell (pictured above), the 12-year-old skater from the Gold Coast who took out the top honours last year, is set to return to defend her title. Covell will line up among the many young skaters to compete in the Australian Skateboarding League Street Championships that forms one of the key events of the Moomba Street Championships run by the Y Victoria in Melbourne’s CBD.

With no qualifying events held last year due to COVID-19, this will be the first time for many competitors to test their skills against pro and expert riders like Covell. Divisions for each event skate, scoot and BMX will range from under 10s right through to opens.

This means skaters as young as seven and up to 35 years old have the unique opportunity to compete at the Australian Skateboarding League National Championships without needing to qualify – because the qualifiers couldn’t happen.

It’s a similar story for BMX riders, who can use the BMX event at Moomba as a pathway towards Olympic points. Whereas, the scoot event is for purely for fun and prize money.

YMCA Action Sports Manager Alice Hogan says athletes are spreading the word about the upcoming competition to encourage more new competitors to have a go.

Hogan notes “The Y is grateful to the hard work of the many people behind the scenes to make the Moomba Street Championships a not-to-be-missed long weekend. Street sports are an important alternative sport for many young people across Australia where they can develop and compete at any level and everyone is welcome.”

To register and compete head to the Y website 

Quick facts:

• 2022 Moomba Street Championships run by YMCA Victoria held 11th-14th March as part of Moomba Festival at Riverslide Skate Park, Boathouse Drive in Melbourne’s CBD

• BMX: Friday 11th March Skullcandy Moomba BMX Comp, co-hosted with Rampfest

• Skate: Saturday 12th March (Qualifiers)

• Skate: Sunday 13th March (Final) Australian Skateboarding League Street Championships, in partnership with VSA and Skate Australia

• Scoot: Monday 14th March Moomba Mania Scooter Competition