CHIANG RAI – The hills of northern Thailand were alive with noise as skateboard riders, fans, and fast boards took over Chiang Rai for the Thailand Tropical Downhill Race 2025. The event, the highlight of the World Downhill Skateboarding Championships, wrapped up a hard-fought weekend on one of the sport’s most demanding courses.
Set among misty mountains, lush jungle, and winding roads near Doi Tung, the race brought more than 200 of the best downhill skateboarders from around the world. They faced a 2.5-kilometre run that dropped from the highlands into the edge of the city, with tight bends, long straights, and unforgiving speeds that punished even the smallest mistake.
For one weekend, quiet Chiang Rai felt like the centre of extreme sports. Fans packed the route, lining up along hairpins and straights, many waving flags and faces painted in their national colours. Street stalls sizzled with spicy som tam, coolers clinked with Singha beer, and bright tents sheltered spectators from bursts of tropical rain.
The “Tropical Downhill” name rang true in every sense. Riders raced over slick, damp tarmac, with thick greenery on both sides and sudden showers that could turn a fast run into pure chaos. At times, it felt less like a road and more like a soaked theme park ride. As one rider from the United States joked while wiping sweat away, it was “like skating on a water slide from hell, but with palm trees all around”.
In the men’s elite race, all eyes were on Harry Clarke, the Australian former world champion and current world number one. He delivered once again. Clarke defended his title with a winning time of 1 minute 42.73 seconds, holding off a lineup packed with talent and pressure.
Brazil’s Pedro Barros and New Zealand’s fast-rising Liam McKinnon chased him hard, but Clarke held his edge by just 0.12 seconds. The 28-year-old, known for his calm style and perfect timing into corners, punched the air as he crossed the line, his wheels still hot from the descent.
Clarke praised the Skateboard course
“Chiang Rai’s roads feel like pure poetry to ride, fast and flowing, and they treat you well if you respect them,” he said, helmet tucked under his arm. “Coming back here to defend my title feels like racing at home. The noise from the crowd pushed me through those last switchbacks.”
This win gives Clarke a third straight world title and places him firmly among downhill skateboarding’s greatest riders.
The women’s race delivered its own drama and a huge step forward for Asian skateboarding. Rydell Aberico, a 24-year-old from the Philippines, put together a near-perfect run to take gold. She stopped the clock at 1 minute 58.41 seconds, beating the existing course record by a clear margin.
Her bold approach through “Bamboo Bend”, a tight 180-degree corner hemmed in by dense jungle, made the difference. While others braked harder, she held speed and control, pulling away from the field. France’s Marie Dupont took silver, with Australia’s Sarah Jenkins just behind.
Rydell’s win is a major moment for skateboarding in the Philippines, where downhill racing is growing fast on steep, volcanic hills and mountain roads.
“This is for every kid back home riding on cracked streets in Manila,” she said, clutching the trophy as Filipino flags waved all around her. “The heat here is nothing compared to training in 40 degree humidity. We are built for this kind of racing.”
Thailand had its own star on the podium. Nuansomporn Pimchue, racing in her first world championships, captured third place in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
The 22-year-old Bangkok rider, who started as a street skater before switching to downhill, finished with a time of 1 minute 59.87 seconds, only 1.46 seconds off Rydell’s winning mark. Her run was smooth, steady, and fearless where it mattered.
Women Skateboarders on the Rise
As she stepped onto the podium, fans erupted, chanting her name as she shook a bottle of champagne in classic motorsport style.
“I grew up watching riders like Rydell and dreaming about racing with them,” Pimchue said, still catching her breath.
“Chiang Rai feels like my own backyard. To race here with the best in the world is a dream I never thought would actually happen.”
Her bronze medal lifts Thailand’s profile in the sport and sends a clear message to young Thai skaters. From Phuket to Pattaya, more girls and women are already picking up boards and heading for local skate parks and hills.
The weekend had its share of tense moments. A sharp rain shower in the late morning on race day forced officials to pause the action while crews used blowers and brooms to clear standing water. The damp surface left little room for error once racing resumed.
There was also a scare during the junior men’s race, when Canadian rider Alex Rivera crashed heavily and left the course with a sprained ankle. Medical staff responded quickly, and while his weekend ended early, he is expected to recover.
Organisers from the International Downhill Federation praised the Thai team for smooth logistics and attention to detail. Eco-friendly shuttle buses carried riders and fans from Chiang Rai’s lively night market to the start line near Doi Tung, helping reduce traffic on the mountain roads and keeping the focus on the racing.
Riders, crews, and fans swapped stories, compared runs, and took in the mix of intense sport and warm Thai hospitality that has made this event a favourite on the calendar.
Clarke, Rydell, and Pimchue did more than collect medals. Their wins highlight how broad downhill skateboarding has become, drawing talent from Australia, Europe, and across Asia to the same steep, twisting courses. The sport now tests not only raw speed, but nerve, patience, and character.
With the Chiang Rai event wrapped up, attention already turns to the 2026 World Downhill Skateboarding Championships in New Zealand’s rugged South Island. Riders will face a very different backdrop, with cold winds, rocky peaks, and fast alpine tarmac.
Even so, the impact of the Thailand Tropical Downhill Race 2025 will last. Chiang Rai has shown that when the road drops away and the grip starts to fade, those who keep their focus write their names into the sport’s history.
The hill waits for no one, but riders like Clarke, Rydell, and Pimchue have carved their mark into every corner of this course.
