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How has skating evolved over the years?

Leoma MacNab

Hey man,

It's great to hear from you! I'm happy to talk to you about how skating has evolved over the years.

Firstly, let me tell you that skateboarding has come a long way since it was first invented in the late 1940s. Back then, it was mainly to imitate the sensation of surfing on California streets. The first skaters used homemade boards and surf-wheeled trucks. Over time, the boards started to be made of wood, and the trucks began to be engineered exclusively for skateboarding. In the early decades of skateboard history, there was little space for the sport as parks were banned and it was seen as a nuisance for urban spaces.

With the rise of punk rock, the sport took on a new life. The advent of urethane wheels in the 1970s allowed for more durability and stability. During the 1980s, the sport evolved further through street style. Skaters would use makeshift ramps and various obstacles to perform fast-paced tricks, leading to new approaches to skateboarding worldwide. The “Ollie” (when a skater jumps with his board over an obstacle or down a gap) was invented. The growth of skate culture continued with the rise of professional skateboarders, videos of tricks, and privately owned skate parks.

Nowadays, skateboarding is not only a popular recreation activity but also a legitimized sport that is being introduced to the Olympic Games for the first time in Tokyo 2021. In contemporary times, the sport is experiencing a digital revolution where social media has created a vast skateboarding community that stretches across the globe connected by sponsor, fan, and street culture. Skateboarding also began to be utilized as a medium to promote brand culture and a skateboarder's image, propelling numerous pro-skaters to media stardom.

Another significant change in the sport is its diversity. Today, skateboarding transcends social and cultural barriers as people around the world enjoy the community and self-expression the sport provides.

In conclusion, skateboarding has come a long way from its roots to become an industry and an Olympic sport with over 50 million skateboarders worldwide. It has been fascinating to watch the evolution of skateboarding over the years, and who knows how it will continue to change.

Hope this information helps you. Looking forward to catching up soon.

Cheers!