On December 4th, 1964 the first National Skateboard Championships at the Santa Monica Park was hosted, with 84 participants, including Valerie Perez. While Pat McGee was the celebrated winner there’s rumour that Valerie was actually the first girl to ever do a hand stand via the Hobie Skateboard Team Facebook page stated by Chelsea Hall, owner of So Cal Sk8 & Surf.
Valerie took fourth place behind McGee, Giola Siciliano, Colleen Jones, and ahead of Gail Yarbrough.
She was also competing well the following summer. In the August 1965 issue of Skateboarder magazine a significant portion of the publication was dedicated to the first International Skateboard Championships in May 1965, held at La Palma Stadium in Anaheim, CA. Valerie Perez was a fierce competitor in the girl’s division as stated in the article and it looks like she was competing on a homemade board.
The magazine includes two photos of Valerie, one that reads “Kick-turn specialist Valerie Perez keeps her board moving along in the Women’s Flatland Slalom,” while the other caption states that, “Cameras click for Valerie Perez’s well-done nose heelie in the Women’s Trick event.” The results show that she placed 3rd in the overall standings after placing 3rd in Flatland Slalom, 3rd in Figure Eight, and 5th in Tricks, with Laurie Turner and Colleen Boyd battling for first and second in all arenas.
Beyond this article, little is documented about Valerie but I would be curious to know if she was sponsored by Hobie or the Palisades team, which supported her being there at the contest?
Valerie was nominated for the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2013 and 2014 for “1960’s Women” but has yet to be inducted.
Womxn Skateboard History 