Monster Energy's Liz Akama Takes First Place in Women's Street Skateboarding at 2025 SLS Las Vegas Takeover Competition
- 16-Year-Old Akama from Japan Earns Victory in SLS World Tour Event in Downtown Las Vegas
- 17-Year-Old Rayssa Leal from Brazil Claims 2nd Place in Women's Street Contest
- 30-Year-Old Nyjah Huston from Laguna Beach, California, Claims 2nd Place in Men's Division
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- October 25, 2025 – Bringing the heat to Las Vegas! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Liz Akama on claiming first place in the Women's division at the 2025 SLS Las Vegas Takeover street skateboarding competition on Saturday. In the best trick competition presented by Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the 16-year-old from Miyagi, Japan, claimed the win on her final attempt of the contest.
Akama was joined on the women's competition podium by 17-year-old Rayssa Leal from Imperatriz, Brazil, in second place. In the highly competitive Men's division final, 30-year-old Nyjah Huston from Laguna Beach, California, claimed second place in an elite field.
Started by pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek in 2010 with Monster Energy as a foundational sponsor, Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the world's leading competition series for authentic street skateboarding. This season marks the addition of four SLS Spot Takeover events, bringing festival-style energy to public locations. Aside from showcasing world-class skateboarding to live crowds, the Takeover events provide riders a chance to earn SLS ranking points to qualify for the SLS Super Crown World Championship in December.
Previously in the season, SLS Spot Takeover contests brought the world's top street skateboarders to events in Santa Monica (California), Brasília (Brazil), and Cleveland (Ohio). Large stadium events were contested in Miami (Florida) and Paris (France).
For the fourth and final Takeover contest of the 2025 season, expert park builders California Skateparks constructed a custom street course at 305 Convention Center Drive in Downtown Las Vegas. Based on real street architecture, the course featured a massive Hubba ledge, a tall gap ledge, and a bump-to-gap over a replica of the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign. Contested right outside the street culture convention ComplexCon, the SLS Las Vegas Takeover merged skateboarding with music, fashion, and style.
In the closely contested Women's Takeover competition, each of the six finalists received seven attempts to land a best trick, with the three highest scores counted to determine the winner. Ultimately, Monster Energy's Akama barged into first place on her last attempt to claim the victory.
Focusing her technical tricks on the large Hubba ledge, Akama opened with a perfect frontside 180 nosegrind for 7.6 points on her first attempt. She kept her momentum by adding a frontside 180 switch 50-50 on the second attempt for 7.0 points. But when Akama lost the handle on the next four attempts, the door opened for her teammate Leal to take over the top spot.
With everything riding on her seventh and final attempt, Akama sealed her victory by landing her signature Barley grind – frontside 180 switch Smith grind – the Hubba for 7.4 points and the winning score of 22.0 points. The victory is even more remarkable after Akama missed the majority of the 2025 SLS season due to an injury sustained at the SLS Miami competition in May.
"Coming back from the injury, I was not sure if I was going to be able to skate today. But being able not just to enter but to win was simply amazing!" said Monster Energy's Akama upon taking the victory at the SLS Las Vegas Takeover.
Akama's closest competition came from 17-year-old Brazilian icon Leal, who won three consecutive SLS Super Crown World Championships. Dropping into the Las Vegas final, Leal started by landing a perfectly poised backside Smith grind the Hubba for 6.9 points. On her next attempt, she raised the bar with a frontside bluntslide the Hubba for 7.8 points, claiming the award for Monster Energy's Highest Scoring Trick of the Day in the women's contest.
On her next attempt, Leal landed a perfect backside tailslide on the Hubba for 7.1 points, bringing her score to 21.8 points to take over the lead. But ultimately, Leal only came close to landing a kickflip grind on the Hubba and settled for second place closely behind Akama. The good news: Both Leal and Akama are qualified for the 2025 SLS Super Crown World Championship!
Energy levels were high in the Men's Takeover final on Saturday as riders took their last shot at scoring qualifier points for the SLS Super Crown final. Trick levels shot through the roof with riders claiming several Nine Club scores right from the start.
Dropping into the contest as the betting odds favorite, 30-year-old Huston posted a Nine Club score on his third attempt by landing a perfect switch heelflip frontside tailslide the big Hubba for 9.0 points. Taking his deep bag of tricks to the biggest gap on the course, Huston finessed a switch frontside flip the gap over the Las Vegas sign for 8.5 points.
Posting his third score of the day, Huston put down a technical switch heelflip backside nosegrind the Hubba for 9.2 points and the overall score of 26.7 points for second place. Huston started his 2025 SLS season by winning the SLS Miami event in May and recently took fourth place at SLS Paris. Watch for Huston in the SLS Super Crown!
The Las Vegas crowd also celebrated technical tricks courtesy of 19-year-old Filipe Mota from Patos de Minas, Brazil. In the final, the next-generation talent put down a perfect heelflip backside tailslide on the Hubba for 8.5 points.
Earlier in the Wild Card qualifier for the Men's division final, 15-year-old Julian Agliardi from Long Beach, California, earned third place – one spot short of advancing – with technical street tricks. Recently promoted from the Monster Army amateur support program to full Monster Energy sponsorship, Agliardi put down a crooked grind flip out, kickflip frontside crooked, a 180 switch crooked fakie the Hubba ledge, as well as frontside noseblunt slide the gap ledge.
Also stoking the crowd in the Wild Card qualifier, 18-year-old Toa Sasaki from Mie, Japan, posted best tricks such as a Caballerial noseblunt slide the Hubba, Half Cab backside Smith grind, and backside 360 ollie the bump gap. SLS commentator Sean Malto called the action: "The best Wild Card jam we've seen! So many tricks went down."
Stay tuned for the grand finale: The 2025 SLS World Tour will conclude with the SLS Super Crown World Championship in São Paulo, Brazil, from December 6–7. Don't miss the crowning of this year's champions!
For more on Liz Akama, Rayssa Leal, Nyjah Huston, Filipe Mota, Julian Agliardi, Toa Sasaki, and the Monster Energy skateboarding team visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok for exclusive updates as the action sports season continues.
For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser.
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock-and-roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.
CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: kim.dresser@indiepragency.com
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