Now, although we have made no secret of the stellar performance of the Spanish national skateboarding team, Daniela Terol is an intriguing figure within that squad- in that she comes from a Spanish skate scene (Barcelona) which has evolved relative to the nature of the built environment in which it finds itself- which is to say, most Spanish skaters favour ledges and street skating because the country’s municipal plazas lend themselves to that type of skateboarding.
Daniela, on the other hand, despite hailing from a Catalan plaza paradise actually started out skating mini ramp and vert before taking up street later as her wings spread and the lure of rolling around cities in search of adventure and video clips beckoned.
In fact, Daniela originally represented Spain in both Street and Park, coming a respectable 29th at WST Ostia Park World Championships 2023.However, Street is where she is really shooting up the World Skateboarding Ranking, courtesy of her first-ever WST finals appearance in Rome last June. Currently lying 12th in Women's Street, she is the highest-ranked European in her division.
Although Rome may have been her first WST finals, Daniela also has the Olympic story of a lifetime to tell already, having received a phone call the day before the Paris Olympic Games to say that, as an alternate, she was replacing Colombia’s Jazmín Álvarez - who, you may recall, got hurt in practice right before kick-off.
With a lot of living already done and the makings of a stellar skateboarding career currently at her feet, we asked the almost-17-year-old all-round ripper to share her story so far with our World Skate community.
One and all: meet Daniela Terol!
Ph: Acosta
Let’s start in the classic way: who are you, where are you from, all that?
I’m Daniela Terol, I’m 16- turning 17 this month- and I’m from Barcelona. I’ve been skating since I was a little kid… and skateboarding has pretty much become my life.
Ph: Acosta
You come from a family really into board sports, right? Your dad surfs, and your sister Ivet just joined the WST…
Yeah, totally. At home there have always been boards everywhere. My dad has been surfing since he was young, and thanks to him I discovered those first sensations. I was actually riding a scooter at the time… until one day he let me try his longboard, and it was like opening a magic door. I felt total freedom, like I had found my way. And now my sister Ivet is also competing in skateboarding, which is amazing- sharing this with her motivates me a lot.
Ph: Biondani
People often talk about Jagger Eaton competing in both Olympic disciplines at the World Skateboarding Tour, but you’ve also done both at different times. Can you tell us the story of your first experiences with skateboarding and how you got good at transition skating so early?
I was always drawn to ramps— it felt like flying. As a kid, I would throw myself at everything, doing boneless variations, no complies, slides, Ollies… even though a lot of times I couldn’t even reach the height of the obstacles, I made up for it with imagination and stoke. That made me different: I liked to put on a show, give some spectacle- and it worked: at just 8 years old, I won Extreme Barcelona in Street, becoming the youngest winner ever, and then the FISE in 2018- again, in street.
In Park, I also started standing out really early. At 9, I made the finals at the Vans Park Series, which at that time was the highest level of world skateboarding, the old Pro Tour before World Skate even existed. That same year I placed fourth at the Combi Pool, already doing 540s, 360s… and even today, when the vibe is right, I’ll still throw in a Miller flip just for fun (laughs).
Even though I was also competing in street, everything changed during Covid. We could only move within one kilometre from home, so I started discovering more local street spots and filming with friends, and my sister Ivet. That got me even more hooked on street and pushed me to grow in that discipline. Barcelona has that magic; you always end up skating with people from all over the world.
These days, I consider myself stronger in street, but ramps are in my DNA and I love blending both styles. I was always into those old-school transition tricks from the early ‘80s, and in Spain hardly anyone had seen them- people didn’t even know the names. So I started throwing them into my street runs, especially in pro contests like the STU, different events… and even more underground jams, just to make it more fun and different. At World Skate, I hold back a little because I know they might score me down if I throw something like a Miller Flip… but a Texas Plant? If I get the chance, I’ll stick it in and leave my mark. And who knows, maybe next time I’ll go for a Layback Air (laughs).
I imagine it must get boring for the judges to watch 80 girls doing almost the same runs. Some will like it, some won’t… but I’m having fun, and that’s what matters.
Ph: Lee Leal
You’ve taken down some pretty gnarly rails in your career. How do you balance the rush factor against the risk?
For me it’s all about preparation and confidence. First I test things out, visualise it, wait for the moment when I feel ready —and then I go. The adrenaline and fear are always there, but once I commit, I’m all in. I also try to build a little crew to hit the spot together. Even if some friends just show up to support, it gives me that extra energy to throw myself at it without overthinking (laughs).
Ph: Biondani
Do you think skating big transitions made you less scared to commit to heavy street tricks, like smith grinds on rails?
Yeah, for sure. Skating big transitions taught me not to hesitate and to trust the commitment. I take that same mindset into street: when you throw yourself onto a rail, there’s no turning back —and that mentality came from park. Although on ramps you can often bail safely on your knees with pads, in street there’s no plan B: it’s all-in, glory or nothing (laughs).
Ph: Raisa Abal
Your Olympic story in Paris is incredible: can you tell us what that was like?
It was honestly a dream come true. Just qualifying was already huge, but living it from the inside- being in the Olympic Village, meeting athletes from all over the world… it was insane. Skating there, representing Spain, and feeling all the support really marked me. Now my focus is already on Los Angeles 2028.
Ph: Atiba
Jazmín Álvarez had to pull out with a knee injury, something that’s becoming a hot topic in women’s sports, especially football. Is that something that worries you?
Of course. Injuries are always a worry. I try to take care of myself a lot: training physically, strengthening my knees, listening to my body… I’d rather stop in time than risk a long injury. Also, together with my dad and our team, we’ve started a project to work more specifically on preventing these kinds of injuries, which are up to four times more common in women than in men. There are a lot of reasons for that- I won’t bore you with the details, now… maybe next interview? (laughs)
But seriously, we’re setting up a bio-mechanical study to detect imbalances and weak points in my body, so we can reinforce them and lower the risk of injuries, especially in the knees. It’s still in a very early stage, but it’s going to be really important for my preparation.
Honestly, nobody wants to see what happened to Jazmín or any other athlete. I would have preferred she didn’t get injured, even if that meant I’d missed out on the Olympics. But that’s history now. The good part is, last week I saw her on the podium at a contest, and I was so stoked for her. She deserves it 100%. Big hug to her from here!
Ph: Biondani
At the WST World Cup in Rome this June you made your first final, the only European among the eight finalists- and now you are currently the highest-ranked European woman in the World Skateboarding Ranking for Street. What’s next?
Keep progressing in street. That final gave me a lot of confidence, and I want to stay among the best, building new lines and tricks that push me further every contest. My goal is to establish myself as one of the top street skaters in the world and get to Los Angeles 2028 at my absolute best.
Ph: Kenji
A lot of Spain’s success in the World Skateboarding Tour is credited to the national staff. Tell me about them.
For sure, the national staff is important and it’s always good vibes when we travel with the Spanish team, but in my case the real work goes way back. I’ve been training with my dad for over 10 years- he’s always been my coach, and the key to my progression. For about three years now, he’s also been managing a full team at the High Performance Centre (CAR) in Sant Cugat, working with me in an interdisciplinary way.
The team includes two strength coaches, Txema and Natalia; a sports psychologist Joan, our physio Albert, two sports medicine doctors- Xavi and Teresa- nutritionist Saioa, an academic and sports coordinator Javi, and four skate coaches:Christian, Álvaro, Dani and Roura. And this year we also added a new member: Jordi, a biomechanics specialist, which ties into the study we’re starting, we have high expectations there. So- if I’m here today, it’s because of many years of hard work and a team that keeps getting better every year.
Regarding the Spanish team overall, I don’t know all the details of what everyone else is doing but I can say that whenever we’re with the national squad, the atmosphere is good and that definitely helps.
In my case, though, my results mainly come from the daily work with my dad and this amazing team, which perfectly complements what the federation provides.
Ph: Kenji
Last words? Any shoutouts, any wisdom to drop?
Yes! Thanks to my family, my friends, and everyone who supports me at every contest.
And to the kids just starting out: skate with stoke, have fun.
If you really enjoy it, progression will come naturally.
Ph: Acosta