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She Shredder Portrait Series by Olivia Bohac

We learnt of this beautiful photo series via Cooler Magazine a few months back and we thought we would share it with you guys, on our shiny new website!

Olivia is just 21 and currently in her final year at Falmouth University, here are a few of her own words about the project…

“I think girls are still battling the many preconceived ideas and stereotypes that sport presents to them, but those barriers are continuously being broken down. To entice and increase the number of girls in any sport requires commitment and positivity, and sessions like She Shredders that have been set-up so people can try out the sport or just meet new people to enjoy it with, are a perfect example of moving forward!
Through these portraits I wanted to bring a face and a voice to girls who participate in skating.”

Visit oliviabohac.com or follow her on twitter, instagram or facebook

Helena Long talks skateboarding at the HTC One Park

London skater and very good friend of ours, Helena Long visits HTC One (M8) Skatepark, a pop-up venue in the Old Selfridges Hotel.
The park, just off Oxford Street in central London, is exclusively for skateboarders and its design refers to parts of London familiar to skateboarders – including the Moorgate handrail, the Big Ben road gap and a wall ride at the Southbank.

Click the screen grab below to check out The Guardian’s clip of Helena, where she talks about the spots she grew up skating, and what it’s like to be a female skateboarder in the UK. RAD!

The park is open until 19 April and completely FREE!

Don’t forget about the GIRLS ONLY night on April 3rd, 6-9PM !!

For more information, Click Here

Do you have a little lady shredder? We want to hear from you!

We will be starting a ‘Little Ladies’ series of bios starting from April, through starting the blog, we came to realise just how quickly skateboarding seems to be growing amongst the younger girls and we want to show you some of the UK’s best female mini rippers!

We are starting with the under 12’s, so far we have kids as young as 5 to tell you about!
If you know a little girl who is killing it on a skateboard right now then we want to hear from you!

Upload photos to our facebook page or use the ‘girlskateuk’ hashtag on instagram!
Send us an e-mail over at girlskateuk@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you sharpish!

Look forward to seeing all of your photos!

http://www.facebook.com/girlskateuk
instagram: @girlskateuk

The Best Female Skate Parts Of All Time!

You might have caught wind of Cooler mags article last month on the best female skate parts of all time, if you missed it… here’s a recap!

1) Lacey Baker’s Bombshell

2) Elissa Steamer: Paradise

3) Marisa dal Santo: Zero Strange World

4) Mimi Knoop: X Games Real Women

5) Elissa Steamer: Welcome To Hell

6) Cara Beth Burnside, Jen O’Brian, Mimi Knoop and Lyn-z Adams Hawkins: Getting Nowhere Faster – Vert Section

7) Leticia Bufoni: Children of the Revolution

8) As If and What – The first ever European all girl skate movie, definitely needs a mention in this list. Featuring the top Euro names and lots of Brits. This is Lucy’s section but make sure you watch it in full!

9) ) Vanessa Torres: Getting Nowhere Faster

10) Sarah Meurle: Bellows Freezetried

11) Alexis Sablone: PJ Ladd’s Wonderful, Horrible, Life
Read more at http://cooler.mpora.com/features/makes-me-want-to-go-skate-the-best-female-skate-parts-of-all-time.html/8#TCMU4KWpxYATACGL.99

Save Southbank!

The Long Live Southbank Campaign is dedicated to protecting the Undercroft in its current form. Southbank holds cultural and historical status which is irreplaceable, and its unique architecture and vitality of the thriving community should be present for future generations.

Jenna Selby chats with Cooler Mag about why the Southbank is such an important part of the UK skate scene…

southbank2girls “Though female skater numbers are rising, there are still far more guys who skate. At the end of the day it’s not a “pretty” sport but those who aredrawn to it are some of the most dedicated you find. Although female riders are dotted around the UK, a more concentrated number are found in London, and all of them have skated Southbank at some time during their skate life.

There is always a friendly vibe down there, the skaters themselves form an integral part ofthe tourist attraction that is the Southbank. The enjoyment that passers-by seem to get out of watching the skateboarders also suggests that losing it would take away some of the area’s charm. Southbank is incredibly special to so many people. It is a place where anyone can be themselves, to share time with friends, to be alone, to experience culture outside of your own norm, and all of it is for free.”

Read more over on the Cooler site!
You can also Donate to the cause and Take Action now!
www.llsb.com

Please SHARE this! The more people who know about this cause, the better!

Photography: Jenna Selby & Sam Ashley

5 Things NOT TO DO when buying your first skateboard!

Our friend, Hannah Bailey from Neon Stash, has written an article over on the Cooler website, to help you girls who are new to skateboarding and wanting to buy a board for the first time! She runs us through 5 easy mistakes we should avoid when choosing your very first board…

Don’t Go Cheap!

Yes your local sports warehouse offers a lovely shiny plastic-ey looking number with a ‘cool’ graphic and wheels attached already, but BEWARE! Going cheap will most likely not be cheerful. Morelikely, it will be unrideable. If you need proof, check out the pro’s testing out some $20 boards on The Berrics Extremely Cheap Skates. Ok they don’t do too bad, but if even Nyjah Huston and Curren Caples are having problems, then we’d steer clear.

Don’t Buy A Graphic You Don’t Want To Scratch Up!

the-national-land-8.125-620x412 Sometimes you really, really like a skateboard deck simply for its graphic. That’s ok, they are like pieces of art! But if you really want that graphic staying scratch free, then keep it on your mantlepiece. Your board is going to get destroyed or you’re not doing it right.

Don’t Buy Any Old Size!

Mike-Giant-Classic-Shapes-Skateboard-Print-620x471 You’ve decided to hit the park to learn to skateboard. And a board’s a board right? You might be tempted by that retro looking deck, maybe have an old longboard from years ago or you’ve been waiting to take out your Santa Cruz Homer Simpson head.. but wait they might not be right for progression! If you want to learn to skate in the mini, pump round the bowl, do a few flatland tricks.. best bet is to go conventional and as a girl a 7.75″-8″ will likely do your feet justice. Cruise to the park on your penny, then switch it up.

Don’t Forget To Grip Your Board!

You’ve just bought a new deck and are admiring the wood grain top sheet. Wow it’s so shiny and pretty. Time to put the trucks and wheels on and off you go? Wait a minute, something’s not right here. Don’t forget to grip your board (it could totally happen). If you’re buying a deck, more often than not, you will get free grip tape. Score! And gripping your own board is therapeutic (although you can normally ask the skate shop staff to do it…)

Don’t Decide Not To Buy Your Own Board!

legs You might decide not to invest in a board, just borrow one here and there. But that defeats the point of skating, limiting its accessibility! The fact that you can just grab your board and roll outside! Plus if you have your own board, you are likely to skatemore, so no excuses. Get shopping!