Five athletes from the Basque province of Bizkaia have traveled to Asunción, Paraguay, to compete against the world’s elite at the World Skateboarding Championships running through October 18, elcorreo.com reported. Headlining the delegation is Bilbao-born Egoitz Bijueska, who enters the international competition following a gold-medal performance in the park discipline at the Sao Paulo world championships in March.
The global tournament arrived in the Paraguayan capital after its originally scheduled September 2025 dates in Washington were postponed due to budget constraints, leading to a quick shift to South America. For the Basque contingent, the championships serve as a crucial milestone offering ranking points for the Olympic qualification cycle leading toward the Los Angeles 2028 Games, while spanning five distinct disciplines.
Asunción Welcomes International Skateboarding Elite
The capital of Paraguay is hosting skaters from across the globe through October 18, with competition spanning park, street, vert, slalom, and downhill events. While the Tokyo and Paris 2024 Olympic programs featured only park and street disciplines, the current world championships in Asunción encompass all five competitive formats, expanding the testing ground for skaters seeking global titles.
Spain’s competitive entry relies exclusively on talent from Bizkaia, focusing entirely on the park and vert disciplines. The U-shaped vert ramp events, characterized by walls that drop straight down at their extremes, open the medal schedule on Saturday following Friday’s opening ceremony. Qualification rounds for vert take place on Thursday and Friday, setting up the first podium battles of the week.
Bijueska and Laso Lead Basque Medal Hopes
Egoitz Bijueska, born in Bilbao in 2010, arrives in South America carrying the momentum of a dominant competitive run. Alongside his park gold in Sao Paulo, the young Basque skater claimed a bronze medal at the series in Ostia, Italy, and swept the podium at the X Games, which included a victory in Chiba, Japan. «Without rain and wind, the feelings are good,» Bijueska stated through the Spanish Federation’s official channels regarding his preparation on the course.
Joining Bijueska as a primary medal contender is Naia Laso, a Bermeo native born in 2008 who secured a seventh-place finish in the park final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Laso also claimed a bronze medal at the Roma 2024 World Championships and finished seventh at the Ostia series in June. Reflecting on the vert venue in Asunción, Laso noted, «It’s quite big, but I see it well,» highlighting her versatility ahead of competition.
Basque Contingent Fills Out National Roster
Beyond the headliners, three additional Basque athletes complete the regional delegation in Asunción. Izei Villacorta, born in Leioa in 2009, makes his world championship debut in the vert discipline following a 31st-place finish at the 2025 Rome world series. Villacorta joins Laso in contesting the vert ramp events alongside his primary focus.
In the park discipline, which utilizes a massive bowl filled with transitions, extensions, and bumps, Gadea Moja and Peio González bring extensive international experience to the course. Moja, born in Getxo in 2009, tackles her fourth world championship after posting a 19th-place finish in Rome in 2024. González, born in Sopela in 2007, enters his fifth world championship appearance, holding a matching 19th-place career-best result achieved in Rome in 2023.
Olympic Qualification Points on the Line
The championships in Asunción carry significant weight for skaters aiming for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, distributing crucial ranking points throughout the global cycle. With park and street as official Olympic formats, performances at world championship events directly influence qualification standings for national federations.
Competitions across the park layout run from October 3 through October 10, providing a week-long window for preliminary rounds, semifinals, and finals. The integration of disciplines not currently featured in the Olympic program, such as vert, slalom, and downhill, offers a rare unified showcase for all facets of competitive skateboarding.
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