Waikanae teenager shines at Scooter World Champs

Teenager Alana Reardon is a rising scootering star and produced a stunning result against her adult competitors at the recent World Championships in Rome.

With no junior girls category at the World Champs, the Waikanae rider had to enter the open women's class where she would be competing against professionals.

But that did not phase the 15-year-old Paraparaumu College student, who took the championships by storm, finishing sixth in the final to be crowned one of the top 10 riders in the world.

"I didn't expect to do as well as I did. I thought I was going to come last or something. But then I got into the finals and did really well," Reardon said.

"I just kept calm and stuck with my run and did all the tricks I did in my semi-finals. I was pretty nervous when I dropped in and when I completed a good clean run it was a massive relief.

"I got to meet some new riders from England and Europe and it was really cool to be with all the pros again and hang out with them. It was pretty awesome."

Reardon travelled to Rome with her mum and dad and had very little time to come to grips with the skate park used for the World Champs.

"It was huge. It was surreal and the skate park was big and steep and deep. One of the ramps in the bowl was really deep and the biggest ramp I've been on," Reardon said.

"I had to adjust fast to it as we only had two practices. One hour of practice and then right into it."

That short practice time meant Reardon had to come up with her "run" in advance.

"The week before the competition we drew a picture of the skate park (in Rome) and planned what tricks I would do and I would make a line up and create a run," Reardon said.

The judges give the scooter rider's scores based on style, flow, difficulty of tricks, the cleanness of their run and using as much of the park as possible.

"If you fall you lose a lot of points, so you have to be consistent."

While Reardon was the only New Zealander in the women's final, she did have moral support from one of her idols.

"There's a New Zealander, Alexandra Madsen, she's a local in Napier and a pro rider and I really look up to her. I've known her for a while since I've been scootering and we often hang out."

Madsen came second in the women's category at last year's World Champs in Madrid, but an injury stopped her from competing in 2024.

Reardon's rise in the sport has been rapid, with the Kāpiti local only taking up scootering a few years ago.

"I got into it through my older brother Liam, he used to ride scooters and I watched him do it and wanted to ride scooters as well. I got my first scooter when I was 12 years old.

"Doing all the tricks is really fun to do and feels really good. And you get to hang out with all your friends at the skate park and meet new people."

And it was love at first ride for Reardon, who believes that passion has helped her progress so quickly.

"I train almost everyday. I love it so much."

Reardon said her aim is to become a professional scooter rider.

"Yes, I would. I'll continue to do some more international competitions and try to get better.

"There's another competition in Napier coming up for qualifying for a big overseas event, we're not sure which event yet, but I'm keen to compete more overseas."

Her ultimate goal is to get the sport and herself to the Olympics.

"If scootering gets into the Games, I would love to see that happen and love to compete at an Olympics."

Reardon also hopes to encourage other girls and women into the sport.

"Lots of little kids see me at the local Waikanae skate park and I hope I can inspire them.

"I would like to see more girl riders start scootering. It's a pretty scary sport but it's a lot of fun and I'd like to see more people try it."