Wikipedia

Minna Stess

Minna Stess (born April 4, 2006) is an American professional skateboarder and a member of the USA Skateboarding National Team. She won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Skateboarding Championship. She represented the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the women's park event.

Minna Stess
Personal information
Born (2006-04-04) April 4, 2006 (age 18)[1]
Petaluma, California, U.S.
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportSkateboarding
PositionRegular-footed
EventPark
Medal record
Women's skateboarding
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Rome Park

Early life

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Stess was born to Andrew Stess and Moniz Franco, has one brother, Finnley, and is Jewish.[2][3][4] Her father is a consultant in the music industry, and manages her career.[5] Born in Petaluma, California, for high school she attends Petaluma's Valley Oaks Independent Study School.[6][7]

Career

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Early years

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Stess began skateboarding at two years old.[8] In 2013, at eight years old, she became the first girl ever to win the California Amateur Skateboard League.[9] In 2014, during the King of Groms Championship, she became the first female skater to compete in all three skateboarding finals (street, mini ramp and bowl), and was the first girl to win the mini ramp competition.[10] Her parents built a concrete skatepark in their backyard for their children.[11][12][2] She turned professional at 11 years old.[1]

In January 2019, Stess broke and dislocated her elbow, which required three surgeries and several months of recovery.[13][14][15]

In 2019, Stess was named to the USA Skateboarding National Team.[16] She made her X Games debut in August 2019 at 13 years old, and was one of the youngest competitors in the competition.[5][17] In July 2021, she was named an alternate for the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[18]

2021–present; US champion, world championship bronze medal

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Stess won a gold medal at the 2021 USA National Championships in the park competition, becoming the youngest champion in the event at 15 years, two months old.[19]

In October 2022, at 16 years old, Stess competed in the women's park division of the STU Open in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she finished in third place, behind Sky Brown and Sakura Yosozumi.[20] She competed at the 2022 World Skateboarding Championship in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, which was postponed until February 2023, and finished in seventh place.[21][22]

In October 2023, she won a bronze medal in the park event at the 2023 World Skateboarding Championship in Rome, Italy, with a score of 90.80. She became the first American to medal in the women's event since the event became known as the World Skateboarding Championship in 2018.[23][7]

2024 Summer Olympics

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With her result in the 2024 Olympic Qualifier Series, Stess qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[24][25][26] She competed in the women's park event at Place de la Concorde at 18 years old.[27][28] She scored 54.71 in the prelims, and did not advance to the finals.[29][30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Mina Stess". olympics.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Pine, Dan (July 18, 2024). "18-year-old Petaluma skateboarder is ready to fly at Paris Olympics". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  3. ^ "Some Jewish American Athletes to Watch in the Olympics". San Diego Jewish World. July 29, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Kroichick, Ron (July 26, 2024). "Bay Area Olympian's family priced out of a priceless Opening Ceremony in Paris". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Brown, Matt (August 1, 2019). "At 13, Petaluma skateboarder makes her X Games debut". Sonoma Index-Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mina Stess". Playsport. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Richardson, Amelia (October 17, 2023). "Petaluma's Minna Stess, an Olympic hopeful, makes skating history in Rome". Argus-Courier. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Ishmael, Aiyana (May 28, 2024). "Olympic Hopeful Minna Stess Says Prioritizing Fun Is What Makes Her a Good Skater". Teen Vogue. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  9. ^ Merrell, Chloe (May 10, 2023). "US park skateboarding star Minna Stess keeping it real as she bids for Paris 2024: "If I land what I want to land I'll be happy"". olympics.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Frye, Andy (May 19, 2020). "14-Year-Old Skateboard Phenom Minna Stess Is Ready To Conquer The World". Forbes. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  11. ^ "Parenting an Olympic Hopeful: Lessons from the Stess Family". World Skate. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Giambalvo, Emily (May 20, 2020). "Parenting an Olympic Hopeful: Lessons from the Stess Family". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Ingemi, Marisa (January 17, 2023). "The not-so-normal life of Bay Area skateboarding prodigy Minna Stess". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  14. ^ Swanson, Charlie (October 8, 2020). "North Bay Youth Are Ready to Succeed". Pacific Sun. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Riddell, Don (February 1, 2021). "Minna Stess: 14-year-old skateboarding prodigy chases Olympic dream". CNN.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  16. ^ Jackson, John (October 20, 2020). "Petaluma 14-year-old within skateboarding distance of Olympics". Argus-Courier. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Price, Karen (February 27, 2024). "'It's Crazy To Be That Person': Teen Minna Stess Is Gaining Influence As She Skateboards Toward Paris". teamusa.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  18. ^ Jackson, John (July 14, 2021). "Petaluma's Minna Stess named Olympic alternate, competes in X-Games this week". Argus-Courier. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  19. ^ Kounelias, Justin (April 17, 2024). "Minna Stess not trying to "destroy the city" by skateboarding at the Olympics". WBOY-TV. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  20. ^ Jackson, John (October 24, 2022). "Petaluma's Minna Stess finishes third in world skateboarding event". The Press Democrat. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  21. ^ Brennan, Eliott (September 2, 2022). "World Skate cancels Rio Street and Park Skateboarding World Championships, but organisers insist events "will take place"". insidethegames.biz. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  22. ^ Jackson, John (March 20, 2023). "Minna Stess makes final round in world skateboarding competition". Argus-Courier. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  23. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (October 9, 2023). "Gavin Bottger Captures World Title, Minna Stess makes history". teamusa.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  24. ^ Smith, Shawn (June 26, 2024). "Skateboarding 101: U.S. Olympic roster and athlete news". nbcolympics.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  25. ^ Richardson, Amelia (June 24, 2024). "Petaluma's Minna Stess is going to the summer Olympics". Argus-Courier. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Killion, Ann (July 18, 2024). "Petaluma's Minna Stess ramps up for Paris Olympics: 'She's grown up in skateboarding'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  27. ^ Chile, Patricio (July 27, 2024). "Skateboarding makes 2nd showing at the Olympics with young stars". ABC News. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  28. ^ Gregory, Sean (July 16, 2024). "How to Talk Like an Olympic Skateboarder". Time. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  29. ^ McSweeney, Terry (August 6, 2024). "Petaluma residents ready to cheer for skateboarder Minna Stess at Paris Olympics". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  30. ^ "Olympic Skateboarding Results". Cumberland Times-News. August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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