In skateboarding terms, Judi Oyama was there:a former Women’s Slalom World Champion (2003), we first interviewed Judi when she represented USA in Downhill Slalom at the World Skate Games Italia last September, and ever since have been fans of her epic but largely untold trajectory through California’s skateboarding scene from the 1970’s onwards.

During those heady days for Slalom in Chieti, Judi mentioned that Guinness World Records were talking about adding her as the oldest competitive female skateboarder in the world currently.

In due course that has indeed transpired, and to mark the occasion of her latest career milestone, we invited the mighty Santa Cruz native to not only share her pioneering story but also her amazing personal career photo archive as well, which themselves capture a time of lore.

At sixty-five and still charging, Judi Oyama is a Skateboarding Hall Of Fame Inductee, Guinness World Record holder and a righteous individual on top. She has been skateboarding non-stop since the first wave.

A trailblazer for the under-reported aspects of skateboarding culture from then until now and all in one unbroken line of radness, it is our honour and privilege to share with you the words and images of Judi Oyama.

Congratulations from all at World Skate, Judi!

Ph: Joey Ruiz

Hi, Judi- just to begin with the utmost basics about your life and times, can you introduce yourself to our audience, please?

Hello, my name is Judi Oyama- and I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, a coastal surf town where Santa Cruz Skateboards was founded- my main sponsor, since I was sixteen years old.

I’ve been skateboarding since I was thirteen, and I am now sixty-five. My career has always been doodling in art- from silk screening skateboards at (parent company of Santa Cruz Skateboards) NHS, to airbrushing surfboards at Santa Cruz surf shop. So I was founded by NHS, and now I’m a graphic designer and Creative Director.

I’ve run my own graphic design business called Maximum Impact Design since 1987, and have worked in-house as Art Director for RockShox, Giro/Bell Helmets, Zero Motorcycles and CrossFit HQ.  I’m also the Marketing Director for a small family-owned art store called Lenz Arts; I work on all their print media and social media. Keeps me creative, and they support my skateboarding passion. 

Ph: Richard Oyama

So you have experienced every rise and fall in skateboarding’s long history, pretty much- can you talk to us a little bit about the eras you have seen and the changes between them?

I’ve seen lots of changes over the decades of my career. Some of the disciplines have changed for the better, while some are still around but don’t get very much coverage- like Freestyle, Slalom… but Downhill seems to be getting a lot more recognition, which is great- as well as Vertical skateboarding.

Ph: Michael Goldman

You used to compete in Vert, you skated backyard pools and the great parks before the first big collapse in skateboarding’s popularity in the mid 1970’s- do you have a preferred aspect of skateboarding?

I preferred Slalom racing, because it was a timed sport and it wasn’t about style or who could do the gnarliest moves. You can’t challenge a clock- that’s why Downhill and Slalom were my go-to disciplines. And, after the parks closed I wasn’t a street skater- but I did keep skating. In the first wave of skateboarding we had eight skate parks in the Northern California area, and they all disappeared within six months due to insurance costs and changes- that’s what pushed everyone to the skate street, backyard ramps- and pushed us to slalom and downhill on the roads.

You compete in Slalom to this day, what can you tell us about Slalom’s trajectory over time?

Slalom skateboarding has grown more international- it’s really been amazing to watch so many skaters training in Czechia, Japan, China, Australia, Latvia and other countries growing the sport as well as the USA.

Ph: Monique Soderhall

How important is it that coverage or exposure is given to these less common skateboarding disciplines, in your opinion?

Coverage and exposure is key to growing the sport of lesser-known disciplines like Slalom, Downhill, Luge and Vert. Though Vert is very popular- and I think will be the next sport making it into the Olympics.

Ph: Jaromir Jirman

You have just been awarded recognition in the Guinness Book Of Records and you are in the Skateboarding Hall Of Fame- how do you stay motivated to compete at an international level?

What keeps me motivated at a high-level is training and working with younger athletes like Leiola Kahaku, and keeping in touch with Maggie Harrison in Texas. I thought that I was finished and was wrapping it up at the World Skate Games in Argentina, thinking that was the pinnacle of my career. Getting fourth overall at 63 was huge, and I was totally surprised that I made WSG Italy. I documented my racing at WSG Italy which was the recorded date for my Guinness World Record for oldest skateboard competitor, female. Staying in shape is key for me to stay competitive. I CrossFit four days a week, and swim one day. I’m skating more because of coaching the next generation… but I know my race days are limited.

You are a graphic designer by trade- how much of an overlap is there between the aesthetics of skateboarding and the ability to create visual impact in limited space?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have kept my graphic design focus in the action sports industry. Designing ads in the snowboard, skate and surf industries since the Eighties. I was sort of laughed at when I said I wanted to focus on action sports when I was in graphic design school- and, as you can see, action sports is a great place to focus. It’s a popular industry- and who knew skateboarding would be respected, and worldwide?

 Ph: John Krisik

Can you tell us a little bit about Badass Skatemom?

I designed a mermaid holding a kettle bell and a jump rope just for myself, and many of my friends asked me if I would design a T-shirt and that they would buy it... I started with one sticker and a shirt, and it grew into the CrossFit and Skate markets- it’s been going on for ten years; it’s my side hustle and let's me be creative, and have fun!

Read more about Judi's Guinness World Record achievement here!

Run twice for radness: Judi at the famous Capitola Classic downhill race in 1980. History! Ph: Richard Oyama