Global Vert Skateboarding Standings: Gui Khury and Arisa Trew Command the Halfpipe Race

While the global skateboarding conversation in 2026 is heavily focused on the grueling Olympic qualification cycle for street and park, a quiet revolution is happening on the halfpipe. The mid-season global vert skateboarding standings reveal a discipline completely taken over by a fearless new generation of teenage prodigies. Leading the charge are 16-year-old Brazilian Gui Khury and Australian phenom Arisa Trew, who have established commanding leads in the men's and women's rankings, respectively.[1][5]

In the men's division, Khury's dominance has become absolute. Already holding nine X Games gold medals—the most ever won by a teenager—Khury sits comfortably at the top of the leaderboard. His ability to consistently land 900s and push the boundaries of technical spin combinations has made him the skater to beat at every major stop. Trailing just behind him are 16-year-old JD Sanchez of the United States and 14-year-old Egoitz Bijueska of Spain. The fact that the top three skaters in the world are all 16 or younger represents a total generational shift from the veteran-heavy vert contests of the previous decade.[1][2][3][6]

The women's vert standings reflect a similar youth movement, spearheaded by Arisa Trew. Having won back-to-back titles at Tony Hawk's Vert Alert in 2024 and 2025, Trew has carried her momentum seamlessly into the 2026 season. Her progression—most notably landing 720s and 900s in competition—has forced the rest of the field to rapidly elevate their own trick selections to keep pace.[3][5]

Chasing Trew in the standings are Japan's Mizuho Hasegawa and Mia Kretzer. Hasegawa, who recently made international headlines by posting the highest women's park score ever recorded on the World Skateboarding Tour in Rome, is proving to be a dual-threat across both transition disciplines. The rivalry between Trew and the Japanese contingent is currently the most compelling narrative in women's transition skating, driving scores higher at every event.[3][4]

Because vert skateboarding is not included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program, its competitive ecosystem operates somewhat independently of the World Skate Olympic qualifiers. Instead, the global standings are heavily weighted by marquee events like the X Games and Tony Hawk's Vert Alert, which award up to 3,000 Global Rank points to their winners. This independence has fostered a tight-knit, highly progressive community where skaters are free to focus purely on amplitude and groundbreaking tricks rather than Olympic qualification math.[1][6][7]

Judging in modern vert competitions heavily rewards this progression. While clean execution and style remain foundational, the current scoring systems heavily weight trick difficulty and variety, encouraging skaters to attempt maneuvers that were considered physically impossible just a few years ago. This format has perfectly suited the current crop of teenage leaders, who approach the 14-foot ramps with a distinct lack of fear.[7]

The standings battle will reach its climax later this summer. Skaters are currently preparing for the finals of Tony Hawk's Vert Alert, scheduled for August at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The event, which serves as a massive points-earner for the global rankings, will feature the top qualifiers battling it out on one of the largest halfpipes in the world.[3][8]

For traditionalists who grew up watching the vert boom of the 1980s and 90s, the current standings are a welcome sight. The halfpipe is no longer a nostalgia act; it is once again the bleeding edge of skateboarding progression. As Khury, Trew, and their teenage peers continue to rewrite the record books, the 2026 vert season is proving that the discipline's future is brighter—and higher—than ever before.[6]