Street League Skateboarding officially steps away from the judges’ booth to deliver an intimate conversation between two of the sport’s biggest names: Rayssa Leal and Chloe Covell.
In the high-stakes arena of professional street skating, few names command as much cultural gravity as Rayssa Leal and Chloe Covell. Hailing from Brazil, Leal — affectionately known as “Fadinha” — shattered the internet at age seven with a viral heelflip in a fairy tutu. Today, she backs up the early hype with a string of historic accolades: Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris, multiple X Games golds, and the first-ever perfect “9” score for a woman in SLS history. Her influence has seamlessly bled into high fashion, cemented by her 2025 appointment as a Louis Vuitton brand ambassador.
Matching that undeniable energy is Australia’s Chloe Covell. A technical prodigy credited with pushing switch skating to the forefront of women’s competition, Covell etched her name in the history books as the youngest X Games street gold medalist at just 13 years old. While the media often frames their frequent podium clashes—including Covell’s massive hometown victory in Sydney—as a fierce rivalry, the reality is deeply rooted in mutual respect. Describing their bond as family, Covell frequently cites Leal as a core inspiration. To capture this dynamic, SLS handed the microphones directly to the teenagers, stripping away the competitor labels for an unfiltered discussion between the absolute best in the world.
Gabriela Batista
Gabriela Batista
Gabriela Batista
Gabriela Batista
Rayssa Leal: What inspired you to get into this skate world?
Chloe Covell: I was six years old at home watching the X Games on TV. It was 2016, and I saw Nyjah skating and just wanted to start.
Rayssa Leal: How important is it to be with your family in competition and traveling?
Chloe Covell: It’s really good. I like to have my dad as the coach because I can travel with the family. Sometimes my whole family comes on the trips, and it’s just good because we can do family things outside of skating, like being tourists.
Rayssa Leal: Sydney 2023. You won. Tell us how you feel.
Chloe Covell: That was crazy. I think it was my second solo win. I was just really happy that I could win in front of the home crowd. The home energy is just different; not having a long flight and just being home.
Rayssa Leal: Who is your favorite skater in the whole world?
Chloe Covell: It changes a lot. For men’s, I think Yuto Horigome is the GOAT. And for women’s—Rayssa! You are pushing the level of women’s skating.
Rayssa Leal: What is your favorite country to travel to?
Chloe Covell: First place is Brazil, for sure. Specifically Rio, because it has the beach and the contest there has such good vibes.
Rayssa Leal: What is your favorite skate spot in the world?
Chloe Covell: In Melbourne, Australia, there is a library with a bunch of good marble flat ledges. It’s really fun there.
Shaun Williams
Shaun Williams
Shaun Williams
Shaun Williams
Rayssa Leal: What is your typical day like?
Chloe Covell: I recently finished school, so now I usually just skate. I like to go for a surf every morning, go to the gym, and do recovery or physio.
Rayssa Leal: What are your go-to Nike shoes to skate?
Chloe Covell: My favorite shoes are GTis, for sure. I like dunks as well, but sometimes they are a little chunky. I like a slim shoe.
Rayssa Leal: I really like Jordans, but I’ve never skated them. I tried to skate in a pair once when I forgot my shoes, but they were so slippery and chunky.
Rayssa Leal: What do you like to listen to when you’re skating?
Chloe Covell: I don’t actually use AirPods because I’m scared it will mess with my head; I like to hear the “pop” of the board. But I always get them to play Sexyy Red over the speakers.
Rayssa Leal: That’s my favorite! They played it for me in Japan last time and I was so happy.
Rayssa Leal: How was your first Olympics?
Chloe Covell: It was crazy. I didn’t stay in the village because I’m under 18—I stayed in a hotel, which was kind of sad. But I got to go there during the day for breakfast and saw so many famous people, like the tennis players.
Rayssa Leal: Same for me.
Chloe Covell: The skating was good and the park was fun, but I couldn’t pull it together. It was a good experience and I just have to learn for the next one.
Rayssa Leal: What has been your worst injury?
Chloe Covell: Last year at Super Crown, I broke my wrist. Or in Paris, I got stitches in my knee the day before the finals—that was bad because it was hard to move.
Rayssa Leal: I’ve never broken anything, but I have “little chips” happen all the time.
Rayssa Leal: If you were not a skater, what would you do?
Chloe Covell: I think I would either be a soccer player or a surfer.
Rayssa Leal: I really like animals… I would want to be a veterinary doctor.
Moderator: What’s it like for you guys being friends and then competing with each other?
Chloe Covell: We stay friends the whole time. The public might see us as rivals, but it’s not like that.
Rayssa Leal: I feel motivated to do my best because I see her doing her best.
Chloe Covell: All the girls just feed off each other’s energy.
