Can you compete in skateboarding as an adult? How I made podium in my mid 30’s

It’s genuinely a question I get asked a lot.

With all the young groms getting so good these days I often have skaters ask if they’ve left it too late to compete when they’re still teenagers, or adults asking if they’re too old or if there’s divisions for them to skate in.

I want to inspire people and give them the confidence that they can compete, even if they’re not already doing 900s by the time they’re 7. So a couple of weeks back (June 2026) I entered my first contest in about 3 years. I’m about to turn 37, have a young baby at home, and wanted to see if I could still compete at a national level. So I signed up.

Rumble Rodeo in Townsville, Stop 2 of the Rumble Pro Tour in Australia. An event I was planning to go to anyway due to supporting some of the athletes competing, but an event I felt I’d have the time and mental space to consider competing myself. Having checked out the park online, it looked like somewhere I’d enjoy and be able to string a run together.

It’s funny how as soon as the commitment to enter was made, the nerves start appearing. Despite having nothing to prove, and no contract riding on the result, there’s still the nerves of performing well…or at least not making a complete idiot of myself.

I planned a few run ideas and set to work getting the tricks up to scratch, and getting the fitness back to be able to complete a 45 second run….which is, wayyyy harder than it sounds. Doing 6-8 tricks, back to back in 45 seconds is exhausting in a way a normal skate session never is.