How Women Revolutionized Skateboarding

Skateboarding has largely been male-dominated since its inception in the 1950’s. However, it’s important to remember women too have been there since the very beginning. These women have been out there jamming on the ramps and rails with just as much expertise in their skills as their male counterparts. Nowadays, women skaters have grown exponentially and have been blossoming up all over the place. Between 2008 and 2022, women have taken huge strides in increasing their success within the sport. Women deserve this recognition for their accomplishments and are being noticed more and more as their involvement continues to rise throughout the world. Women have made skateboarding more fruitful, prosperous, fearless, and unique; and they have done so since the beginning.

Born August 23, 1945, in Santa Monica, California Patti McGee was the first female professional skateboarder and the first Women’s National Skateboard Champion in 1964. By 1965, Patti became a pro skater for Hobie Skateboards, where she toured the United States. Patti went on to be featured on two magazine covers in 1965: Life Magazine (May) and Skateboarder (October). In 2010, Patti McGee was the first female skateboarder inducted into the IASC’s (International Association of Skateboard Companies) Skateboarding Hall of Fame. She also holds the world record for the fastest woman on a skateboard, at an impressive 47mph(76kph). Thanks to Patti McGee, women skaters have had a classic icon to remember ever since the sport’s inception.

The popularity of skateboarding amongst women has gone up and down over the years, but has since been consistently gaining massive popularity among female athletes. Now in 2022, we have some of the best female skateboarders in the world going head to head in the Olympics and X-Games. With more and more women seeing other women competing, the competition of female skateboarders keeps them pushing the limits of what’s possible. These feats go to show that women are immensely capable of anything they put their minds to. Here at Townskate we welcome and celebrate all women and their achievements! Some notable skaters in 2022 are Alana Smith of Arizona, Samarria Brevard and Lizzie Armanto of California, Rayssa Leal and Leticia Bufoni of Brazil, Alexis Sablone of Connecticut, Elizza Steamer of Florida, and Margielyn Didal of the Philippines. Let’s do our part to recognize the importance of women and their impact in the world of boardsports.