The Boardroom Skatepark, Leicester, hosted it’s first girl skate jam, organised by park local Becky Wood in December. There were no competitions, no spectators just a groups of ladies having a real good time ripping up the park, sessioning rails and random blocks. The Birmingham lasses, Katrina and Rogue’s Exotic Emma plus honouree brumster Lois Pendlebury, were first to arrive and they went straight in to hammer the bowl.
Soon after, the London ladies Jenna, Louise, Heidi and Lucy showed up – that was after first sampling Leicester’s finest food establishments. They spent their first fifteen minutes gassing with the others (as in talking – as ladies do) just to let the food go down but they soon got into it. Several more girls turned up. Vans Grom Sam had travelled up by train but the one who’d come from furthest afield, and deserved a good slap on the back for her efforts, was Laura from way down in Cornwall.
The session was soon flowing, Lois was attempting to ollie up the huge 4 set europe gap, which she eventually got. Not satisfied with this, she started trying to kickflip up it though she found this somewhat difficult, as there was not a big run up plus it was fairly whippy. Not to be deterred she fathomed that perhaps she would have more luck if Jenna photographed her whilst she was trying to attempt it. She reckoned that the added pressure would make her land it – which after a few attempts it did! With everyone syked by her landing it, the adrenalin immediately started flowing.
A bollard session soon commenced and Laura was first to ollie it, then Kristina landed a huge pop shuvit over it. Every time someone landed a trick it inspired everyone else to push themselves up a gear. Sam effortlessly pulled off countless backside boardslides on the handrail for Jenna to photograph and Kerri noseslid down the ledge.
With a short respite for group photos, the session quickly resumed. Emma landed a couple of backside 50-50’s on the ledge and smiths on the bowl. She definitely would have won the competition for the best dressed, with her waistcoat-come-t-shirt from the Clothes Show Live?!? Becky and Laura pulled out a combination of flips between them on the bank – fakie-shuv flips, fakie flips, backside and frontside flips etc etc – there was no end to their technical wizardry! Becky however on one landing, slammed pretty hard falling from one block to another on the sharp edged coping. Everyone winced at the broken ribs scenario but thankfully she got up laughing.
Katrina spent a fair amount of time imparting her mini ramp knowledge with the less experienced skaters. Her encouragement really added to their experience and it showed how such an event is really developing an affable close-knit community. Everyone who attended the event believed it was a brilliant idea and had a great time and wish to thank Dave and Becky for their hard work in organising it.
