Katya Shengelia: “There are no age limits in skateboarding”

Talented and ambitious Katya Shengelia started skating when she was only 14 years old, and for more than 10 years she has been successfully competing in all-Russian and international skateboarding competitions. Now Katya is one of the most famous athletes in Russia. And it is not surprising, because she was even born on June 21 – the International Day of Skateboarding.

We met with Katya and found out how she started skating and performing, her plans for the future, her training and the development of skateboarding culture in Russia.

– Katya, how did you start skating?
– From childhood I was a sporty girl. Together with my brother we practiced soccer and basketball. Sometimes he would tell me that I couldn’t do something, like a somersault, so of course I would do it (smiling). I always liked exciting things. But I didn’t get up on a skateboard right away, first snowboarding came into my life. And then the guys on the slope advised me to ride a board in the summer. So I got on a skateboard for the first time when I was 14 years old. Then I found out that on my birthday (June 21) all over the world celebrate Skateboarding Day. I went up to my mom and thanked her. I don’t think she even realized why (laughs).

In high school I did soccer, basketball, volleyball, sambo, track and field, parkour and even rock climbing.

– When did you realize you wanted to do this for the rest of your life?
– Like I said, in the beginning I fell in love with snowboarding. I even watched the weather forecast to see when the first snow would fall so I could go snowboarding (laughs). And after two years on the slope I decided to try skateboarding. At first I combined skateboarding and snowboarding, then after that I switched to skateboarding. The choice was made!

– What sports did you play as a child?
– At school I did soccer, basketball, volleyball, sambo, track and field, parkour, even rock climbing for a few years. Ballroom and sports dancing for a while.

– Tell me, when did you start competing?
– At the age of 18 I got to the first international competition in Prague. Of course, before that I participated in smaller contests in Russia.

– And what was the moment that became a new starting point for you in your career?
– I think participating in the X-Games is the most memorable moment. The first time I got there was in 2015. They were held in Texas and it was really hot. We went and rode and got into SLS. SLS is a street league, a very high level competition for any skateboarder. While the X-Games includes competitions in all extreme sports, the SLS is a world series of street competitions for professional skaters only. They are held in several stages, and it is very hard to get there.

– There’s probably even more training after that! How many times a week can you be seen on a board?
– I ride until I lose my pulse. It’s not hard for me, I just enjoy it.

There are no age limits in skateboarding. I have a friend who was 40 when he first got on a skateboard.

– By the way, how do you train in winter? Still, skateboarding in Russia has a certain seasonality…
– It’s boring and not so intense. We don’t have many indoor parks. You come to the same playground, with the same figures. Despite that, I try to work with my attitude, it’s important that what you do brings you pleasure.

– You’ve been skating for many years now. How has skateboarding changed during this time?
– Skateboarding has recently become an Olympic sport. The Russian Skateboarding Federation has already appeared since last year. These guys are doing a lot for the development of Russian sport. Recently we even visited Naryan-Mar with them. We held a demonstration performance there and installed a skate park. Last year we traveled to Yaroslavl to the opening of a new site and held competitions there. Afterwards, the guys from the local skate shop told us that the next day all their skateboards were taken away. What the Federation is doing on a global level is working: there are more kids getting on boards, the streets are more comfortable to skate on, there are competent and diverse skate parks. It’s very cool!

–Are there more girls at the competitions?
– Yes, of course. It’s worth noting that there are more guys and girls. Also, a lot of people are getting on boards at an early age. When I started skating, there were very few kids. Everyone mostly got up on a skateboard at 15-16 years old.

–How old do you think you should put a kid on a skateboard?
– The most important thing here is not to force the kid. There is no age limit in skateboarding. I have an acquaintance who was 40 years old when he first got on a board. Now he skates normally.

– What should you look for when buying a board?
– Everything except the picture. My advice, don’t just look at the picture when you buy a skateboard. At first I had a problem with the board. Skate shops didn’t have small skateboards, basically everyone ordered the big ones. I, for example, only started using small boards after a few years of skating. Before that I used to skate on big skateboards. Though I performed various tricks, but then I realized that small boards are more comfortable to control.

– Name three skate parks in Moscow where you like to skate?

– Among all of them I can mention the new skate park, which is located near the CSKA metro station. LSD skate park near Prospekt Vernadskogo. And the third site is in Perovsky Park.

5 tips for beginners from Katya Shengelia:

• If you are bad with balance, develop this skill separately, see a coach.
• Be sure to put on a helmet before every practice.
• You should not wear new clothes during the first practices. A better solution is a homemade t-shirt and light pants.
• Train with professional skateboarders. They will be able to better explain to you how to perform this or that element, so you will start progressing faster.
• Come to skate parks, skate and be careful!

To see Katya’s performance, along with other and foreign skaters, will be possible on September 22 in Moscow during the World Cup of skateboarding.