Skateboarding
Skateboarding
What is Red Bull Concrete Heats? Here's everything you need to know
Alex Sorgente's one-vs-one pump track race is bringing a new energy into skateboarding - and anyone can enter.
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For those who think race culture and skateboarding don’t mix, it’s time for a quick history lesson.
Racing has been around since the early days of skateboarding. Well before the televised 1965 International Skateboard Championships featured downhill slalom racing, friends were seeing who could get from Point A to Point B the quickest on their boards around the neighborhood and local contests held races on everything from parks to parking lots. And while slalom racing has had its own specific history in the culture, freestyle skating has increasingly embraced death races, pump tracks, and timed challenges at plenty of high-profile events over the years.
With all that to consider, the bat-out-of-hell speed demons celebrated in today's park and street scenes are about to get their own contest. Red Bull Concrete Heats is a new event from the mind of Red Bull athlete Alex Sorgente, coming to SkateBird Miami in El Portal, Florida this Go Skate Day (June 21, 2026).
The contest will feature timed qualifying runs open to the public with the fastest on the day being placed in a head-to-head knockout bracket to compete for the podium. It’s open to all who want to participate, offering both online pre-registration and day-of sign-ups. To go along with the race day, fellow Florida-born pros Zion Wright and Nikolai Pionbo will be in attendance to host a cash for tricks throwdown and enjoy live music performances.
Red Bull Concrete Heats transforms pump tracks into head-to-head skate race
© Anthony Acosta / Red Bull Content Pool
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What Is Red Bull Concrete Heats?
Concrete Heats is a head-to-head race competition open to all, with the inaugural race being held at SkateBird Miami on June 21, 2026.
SkateBird Miami hosts the first-ever Concrete Heats on Go Skateboarding Day
© Anthony Acosta / Red Bull Content Pool
All the top pros that are at that event skate in the race after. Everyone's just yelling, screaming, and going. It is a really cool sense of camaraderie.
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How does the event work?
The format is simple:
- Open qualifying runs (timed)
- Fastest riders advance
- Knockout bracket (16 or 32 riders depending on turnout)
- Head-to-head races decide the winner
Once finals begin, two riders drop in at the same time, race through the course, and the faster rider advances.
No style scores. No judges. Just speed.
The day is structured to keep things accessible and fast-paced:
- 2:00 PM: Doors open, registration + practice
- 3:00 PM: Timed qualifiers begin
- Finals: Head-to-head elimination bracket
The event is open to the public, with both pre-registration and day-of sign-ups available.
Prize purse:
- 1st place: $2,000
- 2nd place: $1,000
- 3rd place: $500
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How did Alex Sorgente create Red Bull Concrete Heats?
Red Bull Concrete Heats has been on Sorgente's mind for the past few years as pump tracks have been popping up around the U.S. in towns that have previously not hosted traditional skateparks. The idea came from a combination of seeing skaters of all ages enjoy racing around the simple courses, Sorgente's love for motocross, and riding in a few "death races" after major contests like the Copenhagen Open. Death races are basically unofficial side competitions where pros and amateurs pile in and go as fast as they can through a course for the fun of it.
Alex Sorgente has been developing the concept for years
© Leandro Terrile / Red Bull Content Pool
All the top pros that are at that event skate in the race after. Everyone's just yelling, screaming, and going. It is a really cool sense of camaraderie.
With Red Bull Concrete Heats, Sorge is hoping to bring that energy to center stage.
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Why Red Bull Concrete Heats matters now
Another contributing factor for Sorgente bringing up the new event is to break away from the stress leading up to the 2028 Summer Games. Skateboarding is now in its third qualifying cycle leading up to 2028 in Los Angeles, and Alex is looking to secure his bid for the second straight time after finishing 6th in the Men's Park Final at Paris 2024. "This event will be a lot looser. I just want everyone to pull up and come have a good time." While he thinks transition contest skaters will perform well at Concrete Heats, he added that there are tons of talented street skaters that are just as fast.
Regardless of the venue or participants, Sorgente just wants to be on his board after taking some time off due to an ACL injury in 2025. So far in 2026, that has been the case. After taking home the Best Line award at the 2026 Crusher Cup in Salt Lake, as well as sneaking in a Red Bull team trip to Florianópolis after a summer games qualifier in Brazil, Go Skate Day back home in Florida can't come soon enough.
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