SLS Miami May 3, 2026: After Juni Kang’s DTLA Heist, Who Can Still Stop Him?
On May 3, the Watsco Center opens its doors for the second American stop of the 2026 Championship Tour. And after what we saw in Los Angeles on April 4, no one in the SLS paddock can pretend anymore: a 17-year-old Korean just rewrote the script.
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Juni Kang’s DTLA Heist
Quick recap for those who missed it. April 4, Ace*Mission Studios in Los Angeles, sold out, insane lineup. Chris Joslin reigning Skater of the Year, Nyjah Huston, Jagger Eaton, Ginwoo Onodera defending his Super Crown. On paper, a rookie has no chance.
Except Juni Kang comes through the Wildcard Jam, crashes the final like a thief, and lands a 9.0 trick on his last attempt. The 9 Club. Highest scoring trick of the day, first participation, first title. The last rookie to do that was Ginwoo Onodera. That wasn’t yesterday.
On the women’s side, Chloe Covell continued her clean sweep in the Takeover format: 3 for 3 since the start, first place, ahead of Daniela Terol and Paige Heyn. At 16, the Australian isn’t pretending anymore. And no one is stopping her.
Miami May 3: The Schedule
Next stop: Coral Gables, Florida. The Watsco Center has hosted SLS before — its ledges and main rail are calibrated for long rails and flips, the opposite of DTLA’s tight street plaza. This change of course favors long, flowing technicians: Yuto Horigome, Sora Shirai, Ginwoo Onodera. It could also reshuffle the deck for Kang, who’s coming off a Takeover format where he shined on flatground and manuals.
The format remains classic SLS: runs + best tricks, live ISX scoring. The top five in each category secure their ticket to the Super Crown in Brazil this fall. Ginwoo Onodera and Rayssa Leal (Sydney winners) plus Juni Kang and Chloe Covell (DTLA) already have theirs. Six spots left to grab.
Who Can Take Down Kang
Yuto Horigome — The Compass That Doesn’t Lie
Reigning Olympic gold medalist, Yuto remains the circuit’s metronome. His lines are surgical, and on long ledges, he’s the one who lays down the most consistent scores in the world. Sponsored by Nike SB, Almost, and April Skateboards gear.
Nyjah Huston — The Rage of the Two-Time Defending Champion
In DTLA, Nyjah couldn’t pull off a Best Trick. For him, losing a tough format is unusual. Miami is his turf: he broke his scoring record there in 2023. If he lands his tricks, he’ll dominate. If he misses them, he’s out in the semis.
Sora Shirai — The Rising Japanese Outsider
Sora missed the DTLA final by a hair. On the Watsco ledges, his cab-flip-noseslide-cab-flip-out combos are among the most complex on the circuit. He’s the one to watch quietly.
The Real Stakes: The Super Crown
Miami isn’t just any stop. It’s the last chance for many pros to snatch their ticket to the Brazilian Super Crown — the biggest check of the season, and the only title that truly matters in the end-of-year Thrasher guides. After this, the doors to the SLS circuit close, and you’ll have to wait until August for Brazil.
To follow the event live, the official SLS stream will be broadcast on YouTube and their app. And if you’re looking for a setup to shred like a competitor, check out our guide on contest-oriented setups. The season is on, and it’s already flipped.
One thing’s for sure: a kid from Seoul who comes out of Tampa Am in November 2024 and lands a 9 Club six months later in his first SLS final, that sends a clear signal to the entire new Asian generation. The center of gravity for technical skateboarding has shifted. And it’s not about to stop in Miami.
