Skateboarding in Ghana
Spreading the skateboarding word The pioneers of skateboarding in Ghana are taking to the road in country-wide tours to spread the word on this fun, free and fitness-building sport.
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kateboarding is in essence surfing on land and was invented by surfers keen to keep their balance sharp on days when there was no swell.
Ghana’s nascent homegrown surfing scene has the benefit of world-class waves all-year round, warm waters and beautiful beaches, but conditions here for skateboarding are not as ideal. There are no skateparks, the quality of roads can generously be described as uneven and finding a smooth stretch of pavement is as rare as‌well, Ghanaian skateboarders. Still, when Sandy Alibo set up social enterprise Surf Ghana, the extreme sports enthusiast was keen it would champion both surfing and skateboarding. The French national was introduced to the small group of local surfers in Busua on holiday in Ghana with friends and was as impressed by their willingness to teach others in the community and spread the sport as with their skills in the water. Drawing on contacts she had built up during her time as the action sports strategist of mobile phone company Orange back home, Alibo was able to help out by organising the importing of donated surf boards and get more villagers riding the glassy waves. Time in Busua also introduced Alibo to the village’s skateboarding scene, which at that time began and ended with one man.
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