What is the difference between street and park skateboarding?
B · Beginner · The contest · 1 of 4They are the two Olympic disciplines, and the course is what separates them. Street is skated on a course of stairs, rails and ledges, with runs and single tricks. Park is skated in a bowl of curved walls, with runs only. In both, skaters choose their own tricks and five judges score the result out of 100.
How it works
- Two disciplines: the rules are set for "two Olympic disciplines": street and park.
- Two divisions: male and female.
- Free choice: athletes "shall be able to freely choose the type of tricks they will execute, as well as which obstacle and areas of the FOP they will use". FOP means the field of play.
- Alone: in a run, the athlete skates the course solo for a set time.
- Park: every round uses the run format.
- Street: rounds may use runs, or runs followed by single trick attempts.
- Three rounds: a competition typically has a qualifier, a semi-final and a final.
- The same panel: five judges score every run or trick from 0.00 to 100.00.
- The board: a deck with four wheels attached by trucks. Its shape, materials and size are not limited.
- Not attached: the board may not be physically attached to the skater's feet.
- No numbers: skaters wear no bibs or numbers.
The glossary has street, park, the skateboard, the run, the trick and the competition rounds entry.
Tricky cases
Is there a set routine or a list of compulsory tricks?
No. Skaters choose every trick and every obstacle themselves.
Is vert, the big half-pipe, part of this?
No. These rules cover street and park only.
Do skaters compete head to head?
No. Each skates alone and is ranked by score within the round.
Are there rules on the size of the board?
No. The shape, materials and size of the skateboard and its parts are not limited.
Why the rule exists
Skateboarding grew up in two places, city streets and empty swimming pools. The two disciplines keep both. The rules deliberately say little about what a skater must do. The judging criteria state that they "do not discriminate against or restrict skateboarding styles, trick selection, obstacle use".
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Park | Runs only, 30 to 50 seconds | WSK Rules, Competition Formats: Park |
| Street | Runs of 45 to 60 seconds, and single tricks | WSK Rules, Competition Formats: Street |
| Non-Olympic-qualifier events | Experimental formats such as jam sessions may be used | WSK Rules, Seeding Order |
| Vert and other forms | Other rules | Not in this set |
From the rule book
World Skate, Street & Park Competition Rules (April 2025), Definitions, Technical Specifications of Materials and Competition Formats. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: Skateboarding Street & Park Competition Rules and Skateboarding Judging Criteria (PDF).