Female skaters are rolling to equality

By GIOIA DALOSSO HEMNELL

Skate park skating, also known as aggressive skating, may sound scary to most but today there is a growing movement of women that are endeavouring to stake their claim in the traditionally male-dominated environment.

Chicks In Bowls (also known as

CIB) is an international community of roller skaters that aims to encourage women to ride the ramps in the skate park. Merseyside is no different and the local chapter has nearly 600 followers and skaters from all over the region that organise getting together to learn the tricks of the trade.

The organisation, which boasts 300 chapters globally, has, since its humble beginnings in 2012, encouraged thousands of women to meet and empower one another to enjoy the exhilarating sport.

Samara Buscovic is one of the founders of the organisation.

“We have always aimed to encourage women to skate in a place where usually you would only find men skating,” she said. “But more recently we have looked to expand our ideals and values to include everyone, gender diverse, non-binary, women, men, children, older skaters, every size, every ethnicity and every shape.”

Merseyside boasts nearly 20 skate parks with a large majority of those being outside and free to use including ‘Evertro’, the UK’s first glow-inthe-dark skating venue. The angular

Creating a space for women at skateparks, Chicks In Bowls members Amy Basto and Ella Thompson © Gioia Dalosso Hemnell

purpose-built site sitse was designed primarily been men-zones. Skate by leading South Korean artist Koo parks are now changing and quickly Jeong and is a prominent haunt for are becoming a place for everyone. CIB Merseyside members to meet, Corrina McGowen is 42 and started lace up and roll out. skating during the lockdown and

Amy Basto is a 40-year-old mum has begun extending her skills to the of two and came to enjoy aggressive skate park too. skating through a friend that plays “As a new skater, it’s always a little roller derby. “I roller skated as a kid intimidating to learn skills in public and always fancied having a go again for all to see your fails, but it’s also so, during the lockdown, I bought an incredible feeling to show the promyself a pair of skates on the internet gress of those fails that have turned and hit the promenade in New into triumphs and where better to get Brighton,” she said. that practice in than the skate parks,”

“It all came back to me and I came she said. to find I was pretty confident. The jewellery designer, from Ox-

“Once we were allowed to meet ton, Wirral, feels that encouragement up with other people, I joined forces from your peers is a vital part of the with a friend that I knew used the process and it gives her a sense of skate park. She told me about CIB community despite any insecurities. Merseyside and “I’m not saying all parks are totally how there were accommodating to newbies or female little gatherings of skaters, as it’s always been regarded like-minded people as a mainly male environment and that would encour- therefore has its challenges,” she said. age teach each “Some will still say that a skate other.” park is a boy’s playground but times Rampworx, one are changing and woman and girls are of Europe’s largest showing their capability of equal talindoor skate parks, ent either on traditional roller skates, is based in Aintree skateboards, in-line skates, scooters and hosts some of or bikes. the CIB Merseyside “It is getting easier for girls to enjoy gatherings. It offers the outdoor experience of skate parks. free Friday night As women we totally deserve to be slots to all female there as much as anyone else.” skaters in a bid to encourage more women into the sport. “I’ve been going ever since and I’m starting to find a brand-new Some will still say that a skate park is a boy’s ‘ confidence I never thought I’d ever playground have in a place that is traditionally filled but times are with young lads on skateboards.” changing and Aggressive skating originated woman and girls in the USA where skateboarders would are showing empty disused pools and would ride the curves like they were surfing, but since then park and ramp skating have 9 their capability of equal talent’