Skateboarding premieres in the Olympic Games in Equality

This year for the first time at the Olympic Games a sport considered ‘underground’ will have a place, almost an alternative culture: the ‘skateboarding’.With a year of delay, Tokyo 2020 will give the starting pistol at the age of the age of the skateboard.And it will do so in full equality, with teams formed by the same number of men as women.

The tradition of the 'skaters' of gathering to skate outdoors in the streets of any city has granted an urban discipline aura and has generated the two modalities that will compete in the Olympics: 'Park', which is practiced in esplanadas,parks and swimming pools, and Street, who takes advantage of stairs and railings to make the tricks.

The first to qualify with the Spanish team of ‘skateboarding’ for the JJ.Oo has been Julia Benedetti, a 16 -year -old Coruñesa who makes 'Park' and who, together with Danny León and Jaime Mateu, in the same modality, and Andrea Benítez, in the 'street' modality, will represent our country in the capital of Japan.

Benítez was going as the first substitute because it was the number 20 in the world, but when I asked for South Africa, the square that corresponded to the African continent was out.By positive in Covid-19 Candy Jacobs, one of the members of the Dutch team, our 'rider' will be able to participate and make history in these games.Mar Barrera, the other Spanish skater who has fought to go to the Olympics, could not pass.

The three represent the female ‘skate’ revolution in recent decades."They are very hardworking and brave," says Alain Goikoetxea, coach of the Spanish Skateboarding team, qualities that stands out because “in the‘ skate ’you have to go forward, since it is an extremely hard sport”.

Dingy fever, such as skating, is unstoppable.According to the American Sports Data, about 40 million people make ‘skate’ in the world, almost a quarter in the United States.Although it was a mostly masculine sport, today women are integrated and there are mythical names such as Patti McGee or Elissa Steamer, two veteran who made their way, or among the current ones, Lizzie Armanto or Leticia Bufoni.

To the Olympics

The first Spanish classified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, who can also become a legend, Julia Benedetti, says that her dreams are "winning something in the Olympics and being able to live on the‘ skate.Despite its youth, when you see it skating you understand that you are facing a very high level athlete.His videos in ‘Instagram’, in which he performs stunts where he almost seems to fly, stopped for a moment in the air, they leave you hallucinated.

Julia Benedetti has attracted so much, that on the 2020 Tokyo website they dedicated a cover interview.The young woman, who is considered "shy, head and cheerful"The championships do three rounds, but only the best.So I do in the first tricks that I know that they are going well and in the other more risky, calm because I already have the insured points ”.

Benedetti was fond of skateboarding playing with that of his older brother: "I liked it so much that I signed up for the Maroña school and soon I started competing".Now he trains two hours a day and combines his trips with the studies."I get along, but I have to update for the first baccalaureate exams," he acknowledges.

More than a culture

His typical image of ‘skater’ –ser.This authentic ‘look’ has not gone unnoticed by the fashion industry.In fact, specialized signatures have emerged that sell clothes and, above all, shoes with good grip and traction on the table.Among the most popular are Vans, DC Shoes or Etnies, and others such as Adidas, Converse or Nike have designed models that have petado.

Also the music-Punk, Hardcore, Hip-Hop and Rap-is an emblem of this sport and has even given its own genre, the skate punk, with bands such as Dead Kennedys or Green Day.It is actually a culture to which brands such as Dior have fallen, which in 2016 made a catwalk with Skater air, or Louis Vuitton, who designed with supreme the most expensive skateboard in history, of about 49.000 euros.Even one of the new 'reboot' characters from 'Gossip Girl' is played by the Evan Mock model/skater.

There is even more: this summer, Carolina Herrera launches ‘212 heroes’, a fragrance whose bottle is shaped like a skateboard.Among its ambassadors are 'skaters' such as Rachelle Vinberg, protagonist of the films 'Skate Kitchen' and 'Betty', or the model and lover of table sports, Taylor Hill, who recommends practicing this exercise because “there are no limits, anyone can learn.In addition, it is a way of expressing and showing your identity, you can do it anywhere in the world and the feeling of community is bestial ”.

'Skater' community

It is neither aesthetics nor music that unites the ‘skaters’.What generates that deep unit is the skateboard.Something that are clear about the ‘Riders’ Andrea Benítez and Mar Barrera.If the first stands out "the companionship," the second indicates that "no one is going to judge you and you will have friends worldwide".Of course, Barrera acknowledges that it is a difficult sport: “It does not go to the first, you need perseverance and it will be hard but when 'iron' a trick and your first 'ollie' comes out (jump in the air stuck to the skateboard), you will stay hooked".

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"The Olympic Games have been super good.They give us a huge opportunity to all skaters and, above all, women.I think they will bring a lot of equality, starting from the same number of women as men, that there are championships in which it does not happen, ”says Andrea Benítez.Barrera adds that "in the female‘ skate ’a revolution is going to be lived because the level of the girls has risen, they are doing it super good.If you do not train as a professional, you are left behind ”.

A problem, says Andrea Benítez, is that more ‘skateparks’ are needed in Spain.“Sometimes we have to train in parks full of children.We would do better with more facilities, ”he laments and hopes that the JJ.Oo help "take us more seriously".She recommends skate to all people: "It is a form of overcoming, you see your evolution every day and it is an incredible feeling to grow and learn all the time.That's why I got so hooked.With 14 years, he already competed, "he recalls.Now, its goal is the Olympics.

They 'iron'

Another obstacle they must deal with is the salary gap.Although the skaters of the national.The name of the movie ‘Skate Kitchen’, starring a real group of ‘Riders’, arose because they were fed up with macho comments that sent them “to cook”.The film was so successful that HBO created with them the ‘Betty’ series, and Netflix has just released ‘skater girl’.

The veteran Verónica Trillo also used the irony in the name of her platform for equality, thus ironing, playing with the famous children's song and the term "ironing" (skating in her slang).

"In the 90s there were barely female referents.In Spain they skated Begoña Cortés, Ianire Elorriaga, Vanessa Toledano, few more.I told myself that there had to be more girls who were on the scene, but we didn't see them.This need to give visibility and have referents, while inspiring others, was the essence of like this, "explains Trillo," the girls also want to play, have fun and have sensations with the skate or with whatever they want.There is no gender in games and emotions ".

Verónica Trillo, in addition, co -founded in 2019 with Raisa Abal, the great photographer of the skate."We were missing more female presence in the media," summarizes Trillo, while Raisa Abal points out that "women, girls and girls skating are a reality, and the general media generals gradually introduce more content about them, butI think the skaters' scene needed an own means that present the world and where they were protagonists ".

Trillo believes that the impact of the Olympics will go in favor of equality in this sport, "we are in diapers, although on the right track".The 'Rider', which has worked in the Spanish Skating Federation, considers that the athletes of the selection that go to Tokyo "deserve the best to 200% for their effort and commitment".

In addition, Trillo collaborates with the National Skate Committee and the Equality of World Skate, and recalls: “Although in Europe it seems normal for women to compete in the same conditions and for the same awards as men, there is still much to doIn other regions of the world ".That is why they develop projects to achieve “a future scene where girls and boys live it equally”.

In the Tokyo 2020, two Spaniards, Julia Benedetti and Andrea Benítez, are going to compete and demonstrate that the 'skateboarding' is a sport in which women are in the middle of the revolution.Good luck, girls, we are all with you!

WHO IS WHO?

More and more women make ‘skate’ or they stop in this world.They are the most ‘pro’.

JULIA BENEDETTI, la benjamina (16 años)

She has been the first Spanish ‘rider’ to qualify for the JJ.Oo.Compete in the ‘Park’ mode."I like more because you can take more speed," explains the young Olympic, who acknowledges that "I take the strength of my friends and my family" and that he loves music, especially pop and singer Grace Vanderwaal.From his success as a athlete, he emphasizes that perhaps the reason is because "when I do a trick, until I do not come out, I do not stop".That willpower can take it very far in Tokyo 2020.

ANDREA BENÍTEZ, la reina del ‘street’ (26 años)

Spanish champion in ‘Street’, it will be the first Spanish and unique to participate in that modality at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.The 'rider' started at 9 years."At the beginning you are always on the ground, then you learn to fall and become a little ninja".She defines himself as "very big head, I intend to do something not stop.I set a goal and go for him to death ".That made him not back in his career to the Olympics.As a child, his referent was Vanessa Torres, a very pro skater, but now "all Spanish athletes inspire me, who are curing him very much".

MAR BARRERA, sueños de celuloide (25 años)

It was not classified for the JJ.Oo, but still stuck to his table, gives skate classes and, in addition, he dreams of being an actress."The skate has always been attractive to the 'underground' roll, the street way of life, a little party, that has always attracted.But now it's more alive than ever.As Skate's teacher, I see that children are not stopped to school and more and more girls, "he says.

VERÓNICA TRILLO, la activista (42 años)

In addition to a reference, he is an activist for equality with the web asplanchaba and Dolores Magazine, a magazine made by and for women who confused and co -direct with Raisa Abal.

RAISA ABAL, la super fotógrafa (30 años)

Co -founder and editor of Dolores Magazine, began "to photograph skate.Basically, I took them skating.He spent a lot of time until I started skating, and that was when I began to photograph skate every day, "he says.Today is one of the most prestigious portraitists of the 'Rider' scene in our country.

Where do I start doing skate?

The future Olympic Julia Benedetti says that, to skate, the first thing is to fall.But as the ‘Rider’ Andrea Benítez says, "it's so fun, that you won't care".This is what you need to start.

A quality skate.The expert Mar Barrera advises a “standard but good table, that fits with your height and your foot.If not, it is likely to find it to learn ".

Look for balance."See contact with the skate until you take security.Don't go crazy at the beginning, you can hurt you, ”says Julia Benedetti.

Not without my protection."At the beginning, use all protections.Do not think about the tricks, but on feeling the feeling of freedom, ”says Andrea Benítez.

Never give up."If you fall, nothing happens.Still without pressure, forget everything and enjoy.And if doubts arise, ask.The ‘skaters’ help each other, ”says Barrera.

Sign up for a school.If the bug has already stung, look for a specialized center.There are also ‘riders’ who teach and can teach you a thousand trucos to freak out.