Soaring with contenders at the world’s largest women’s skateboarding event in Encinitas Park

Exposure 2025 was the 14th annual competition for Exposure Skate, a nonprofit organization that started out in 2012 to create opportunities for female skateboarders. That year they had 34 participants; this year, on the first two days of November, there were more than 200 participants from 21 different countries, and thousands of onlookers at their Street, Bowl and Vert events.

According to co-founder Amelia Brodka, a skater herself, there have been other changes over the years. Skateboarding became an Olympic sport in 2020, and there were several Olympians in Exposure 2025.

“And in the beginning, most of our advanced skaters were age 20 to 30,” she said. “Now they’re between 11 and 14!”

If you’ve never heard of Exposure, neither had I, until an afternoon in late October, when my husband and I were on one of our frequent walks through Encinitas County Park. I noticed there was something going on in Poods Bowl, a mecca for skaters that had been rather empty of late. It was suddenly full of skateboarders—all of them girls.

I spent the next half-hour chatting with Britni Waldo, who had four daughters competing, ranging in age from 6 to 17. Skateboarding is a family affair for the Waldos, who come from a small island off the northeast coast of Florida—a two-day drive in their sometimes temperamental van.

The girls and their two brothers all started skating when Goldie, the youngest, turned three. The two oldest girls were in last year’s Exposure; this year, all four were in. Mom home-schools everyone on the road; their dad is a boat captain, and one son stayed home in Florida with him. The older son, Presley, who just turned 15, was here as a helper, getting some skate time in whenever he could.

Over the next few days, we hung out with the Waldos, watching them practice and hearing their thoughts about skating and competing.

Taihlulah (17): “We’re all very competitive—not with each other, but more with ourselves. Skating is my favorite way of expressing myself. I love that at-peace moment you get when you’re using every little muscle and every part of your brain and you land a trick. That’s the best part of skating.”

Coco (11): She was a star at Exposure this year, winning Intermediate Street and Advanced Bowl and marked for great things in the future. What does she love most about skating? “Going up in the air and flying!” She also loves surfing in Florida with her dad. “My three favorite hobbies are reading, surfing, and skateboarding!”

Primrose (8): “I’ve been skating for three years now. My mom is my coach and I have my sisters to always be with. I’d like to be a pro someday…and I’ve got all my family to guide me.”

Goldie (6): “I like skating a lot. It’s fun to see lots of people and have competitions.”

On Saturday, Nov. 1, Prim and Goldie were both upgraded from Intermediate to Advanced Bowl. Goldie was the youngest in her division, and they both did really well for first-timers. And the day after Exposure ended, they were all back in the van, heading for another competition in Jacksonville, Florida.

After spending most of Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Bowl, Sunday, Nov. 2, was our first exposure to Vert, whose huge U-shaped structure had been set up just for the event. Watching the pros skate up and down those 14-foot walls and whirl through midair was an eye-opening experience and interesting to see that even the most gifted skaters can fall. Amazingly, Exposure contestants go through hours of practice and performance each day without ever seeming to tire, and along with the competitive spirit, there’s a real sense of community, with skaters constantly encouraging, applauding, and appreciating each other.

Exposure is always free to see, though they welcome donations to support victims of domestic violence. And now that you’ve had a taste of Exposure 2025, you can be ready for 2026. I know we’ll be there!

For more information and photos, visit https://exposureskate.org