Amid shutdowns, Chinese women flock to skateboarding
STORY: ‘Surfskating’ has taken off amongst Chinese women
Many took up the hobby when lockdowns made summer travel difficult
Clubs, networks and group classes have sprung up across the country
E-commerce giant JD.com reported 80% growth in surfskateboard sales in June
compared with the same period last year
Dancer Duolan started teaching in April
Her class has grown from around 12 attendees to nearly 1,500
[Duolan, Surfskater / Community event organizer]
"I didn't really think much about creating a women's community at the beginning. I don't see it as my career or the core of my life. I just want to have a community for girls to hang out. However, as it coincided with a period when popularity of the sport exploded, and I personally felt that the atmosphere and idea of our community are in line with the needs of the girls who want to try out this sport, thus I brought everyone together. The group has gradually expanded in two months to nearly 1,500 people now."
Surfskating is a novice-friendly version of skateboarding
It’s considered easier to learn and less prone to wipe-outs
It uses a more flexible front-end wheel assembly, known as the 'truck'
to enable deeply carved turns akin to surfing
[Mina Zhao, 40-year-old Surfskater]
"I think my personality has also changed a lot since I started surfskating. I used to stay at home all the time and didn't like sports, but I prefer extreme sports. Surfskating gives me the desire to challenge myself more."
