The boards dropped. The crowd erupted. Three new champions emerged — and Street Lines 2026 delivered exactly what it promised: speed, style, progression and plenty of moments nobody saw coming.
Thrashers Skatepark was absolutely on fire.
All Photo’s by: Grant McLachlan
On 19 September, Pretoria became the battleground for the 2026 Street Lines Skate Tournament, bringing together some of South Africa’s strongest skateboarders, hungry emerging talent and the next generation of riders for a full-throttle day of competitive skateboarding. Rails were attacked, ledges were conquered, ramps became launchpads and every run came with the pressure of knowing that one trick could change everything.
By the time the final scores were locked in, three new champions had emerged: Luyanda Vukapi in Juniors, Ashley Gindre in Women’s and Ashton Banwell in Men’s.
And that was only the beginning.
Presented by LW Mag and Dragon Energy Drink, in partnership with DC Shoes, Garmin, Insta360 and Side Hustle Skate Shop, Street Lines 2026 delivered a serious showcase of technical skating, creative lines, big landings and the kind of progression that continues to push South African skateboarding forward.
THE PARK BECAME THE BATTLEGROUND
Street Lines doesn’t hand out podium places for simply showing up. Riders had to attack the course and make every second count.
The qualifying rounds consisted of two 45-second runs, with each skater’s best run counting towards the leaderboard. Then came the finals, where the pressure intensified: two 45-second runs followed by four Best Trick attempts, with the highest-scoring run and top two tricks contributing to the final score.
Difficulty mattered, Consistency mattered, Style mattered, And so did the ability to make the entire park work for you. In other words, riders had to bring the complete package.
And the level?
Seriously high.
THIS IS WHERE THE NEXT GENERATION DROPPED IN
The Junior Division delivered an early warning shot.
South Africa’s emerging skateboarders arrived at Thrashers with something to prove, showing that the future of the sport isn’t some distant idea waiting around the corner.
It’s already rolling.
Ayanda Ndlovu and Sereno Khunyani both returned to the Street Lines podium, claiming second and third respectively. But it was Luyanda Vukapi who took control of the day, delivering the performance that caught the judges’ attention and secured the 2026 Street Lines Junior title.
The message was simple.
Remember the name.
Because the next wave is already here.
THE WOMEN CAME TO TAKE THE CROWN
The Women’s Division delivered one of the biggest storylines of the tournament.
Johannesburg’s Thabiso Mashiyakgomo claimed third after putting together a technical performance featuring an Indie Grab over the Box, Boardslide to Fakie, Front Boardslide on the Rail and Front Boardslide to Fakie on the A-Frame.
But all eyes were also on Boipelo Awuah.
Awuah entered the final carrying an extraordinary Street Lines record, having won every edition of the competition since its launch in 2021.
She looked ready to do it again.
Switchboard Slide down the Flat Bar Rail. Crooked Grind on the Curved Box. Smith Grind on the A-Frame Rail. 50-50 on the Flat Bar. She was leading heading into Best Trick. Then skateboarding did what skateboarding does.
It changed the script.
Awuah managed one successful Best Trick another Switch Boardslide down the Flat Bar Rail but it wasn’t enough to hold the advantage.
Then came Ashley Gindre.
ASHLEY GINDRE: THE BREAKTHROUGH ARRIVES
The Johannesburg skater delivered the performance of her young career.
Gindre attacked the park from the Big Wall before linking together a Melon Grab 180 on the Quarter Pipe, 180 Transfer, Ollie over the Pyramid Hip, Rock to Fakie and Kickflip to Fakie on the Pyramid Bank.
Then she turned the pressure up.
Melon Early Grab on the Quarter Pipe. Melon Grab over the Box.
And just like that, the leaderboard had a new name at the top.
Ashley Gindre was the 2026 Street Lines Women’s Champion.
A new champion, A new chapter, and a serious statement from one of South African skateboarding’s emerging talents.
THE MEN CAME READY FOR WAR
If the Women’s final delivered drama, the Men’s division delivered absolute warfare.
Fifteen finalists battled through an exceptionally tight contest, with every landing, technical combination and creative line capable of shifting the leaderboard.
Cape Town’s Ethan Cairns attacked the course with a seriously technical performance, eventually taking third.
His arsenal included a Lipslide on the Flat Bar Rail, Frontside Bluntslide on the Curve Box, Frontside Feeble Grind on the A-Frame Rail, Backside Smith Grind on the Horizontal Rail, Backside Lipslide and a 270 Frontside Lipslide on the A-Frame.
Then he went hunting in Best Trick.
Crooked Grind. Tre Flip Lipslide. Both on the A-Frame Rail. That was enough to secure the final podium position.
But Johannesburg’s Terrence Khumalo wasn’t giving anything away.
Khumalo secured his first-ever Street Lines podium, taking second with a run featuring Lipslide and Backside Lipslide on the Flat Bar Rail, Backside Smith Grind on the A-Frame Rail, Nollie Frontside Boardslide on the Horizontal Rail, Crooked Grind and Nollie Lipslide.
Then came the Best Trick attempts.
Nollie Noseslide on the Flat Bar. Nollie Frontside Feeble on the A-Frame.
Second place. First Street Lines podium.
Serious breakthrough.
YEARS OF WORK. ONE MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH.
Then came Ashton Banwell.
After years of putting in the work, the Cape Town skater finally got his Street Lines victory, and he didn’t sneak over the line.
He attacked it.
Banwell’s winning run was loaded with technical combinations and creative lines, including a Backside 180 Nosegrind on the Flat Bar to Fakie, Indie Grab over the Pyramid, Tre Flip on the Hip, Backside Smith on the Horizontal Rail, Frontside Blunt on the A-Frame Rail, Hald Cab Nose Nollie to Heelflip out on the Floor Box and Nollie Crooked Grind on the Curve Box.
Then Best Trick turned the pressure up again.
Fakie Half Cab Noseslide 270 out on the Hubba. Then a 180 Nosegrind Switch Heelflip out on the Flat Bar Rail.
That combination pushed Banwell to the highest overall score of the competition.
Ashton Banwell was the 2026 Street Lines Men’s Champion.
A maiden Street Lines title. Years of work converted into one very loud breakthrough.
THEN THEY SENT IT ONE MORE TIME
Nobody was quite ready to call it a day.
The Insta360 Best Trick contest brought the riders back for one final assault on the Stair Set, Rails and Hubbas. This was where creativity went into overdrive.
Big tricks. Technical tricks.
The kind of tricks that make you instinctively take a step backwards when you’re standing anywhere near the landing zone.
Then Marci Rodrigues delivered the moment.
His Frontside Bluntslide Kickflip Out to Fakie on the Double Set Rail became the standout move of the jam, earning him the Insta360 Best Trick title and an Insta360 X4 360° action camera.
One final trick. One final statement.
One hell of a way to finish the day.
THREE NEW CHAMPIONS. ONE LOUD MESSAGE.
Street Lines 2026 wasn’t simply about who stood on top of the podium. It was another snapshot of the progression happening across South African skateboarding.
Luyanda Vukapi showed what the next generation is capable of.
Ashley Gindre broke through to claim her first Women’s title.
Ashton Banwell finally converted years of work into a Street Lines championship.
And across the divisions, riders including Ayanda Ndlovu, Sereno Khunyani, Thabiso Mashiyakgomo, Terrence Khumalo, Ethan Cairns and Marci Rodrigues added their own chapters to an increasingly competitive South African skateboarding scene.
Street Lines organiser Ryan van der Spuy highlighted the depth of talent across the Junior, Women’s and Men’s divisions and the importance of providing both established and emerging skateboarders with a professional platform to compete and progress.
For Extreme Sports Action, that’s the part worth watching.
Because the tricks are getting bigger. The technical level is climbing. The younger riders are coming through. The women are pushing the division forward. New champions are emerging.
And South African skateboarding isn’t standing still.
It’s moving, Fast.
2026 STREET LINES RESULTS
Juniors
1st — Luyanda Vukapi — 169 points
2nd — Ayanda Ndlovu — 157 points
3rd — Sereno Kunyani — 150 points
4th — Thendo Masinga — 136 points
5th — Sakhile Lukhozi — 125 points
6th — Omphile Mashile — 123 points
7th — Kamohelo Makhelo — 95 points
8th — Xian du Preez — 95 points
9th — Masen Jones — 90 points
10th — Alex Cholidiza — 85 points
11th — Lagae Moloele — 78 points
12th — Matteo du Preez — 78 points
13th — Ronewa Mudau — 75 points
Women
1st — Ashley Gindre — 377 points
2nd — Boipelo Awuah — 353 points
3rd — Thabiso Mashiyakgomo — 304 points
4th — Sofia Neubold — 219 points
5th — Ntokoza Dludla — 114 points
6th — Sasha Mnguni — 103 points
7th — Mmabatho Kekana — 97 points
8th — Isobel Stuart — 96 points
Men
1st — Ashton Banwell — 668 points
2nd — Terrence Khumalo — 608 points
3rd — Ethan Cairns — 589 points
4th — Molemo Modise — 571 points
5th — Thalente Biyela — 506 points
6th — Josh Beukes — 500 points
7th — Noel Cossa — 490 points
8th — Kelvin Vosloo — 445 points
9th — Byron Rhoda — 403 points
10th — Kyle Kheswa — 352 points
11th — Puddy Zwennis — 321 points
12th — Gazeebo Mokubang — 304 points
13th — Marci Rodrigues — 225 points
14th — Brian Hartell — 189 points
15th — Soso Maribe — 138 points
Insta360 Best Trick
Marci Rodrigues — Frontside Bluntslide Kickflip Out to Fakie on the Double Set Rail.
Street Lines 2026 came looking for progression. It found it. Three new champions. A new generation making noise. Veterans being pushed. Big tricks landing. And a South African skateboarding scene that continues to gather speed.
The battle is over.
The progression isn’t.
Keep watching.
