Hundreds of skateboarding elite from around the world are competing in Budapest, Hungary this weekend in the final qualifying event ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
One of the athletes, Minna Stess, a 17-year-old North Bay teenager, who’s already made it into the record books. Stess is now hoping to lock in her spot in Paris.
Team USA’s Stess doesn’t have to go far to practice when she’s home. Her backyard is what she calls the “best skate park in Petaluma”.
“Honestly, I can't remember when this backyard wasn't here. I've always been around skating. I can't imagine my life without it," she said.
Stess was barely 2 years old when she got on a board for the first time, wanting to ride with her big brother. Her love for the sport and board was instant.
“I've always just wanted to have my board with me. Like. I still always want to have my board with me. I feel like sounds like I feel naked without it," Stess said.
Last October, Stess made history at the World Skateboarding Championship in Rome. She became the first female American park skater to earn a medal at the world event, taking third place.
“Making a career out of something that's fun is, like, probably the best thing you can do. You can make it your own, which is just which I think is just cool. There's no other sport like that, I feel like," she said.
Watch Jessica Aguirre's full report in the video above.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. >Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
