Madras Wheelers: Skateboarding in Chennai gets a shot in the arm with it’s first ever skatepark 

There may not be a better time to be in Chennai if you love skateboarding, the latest sport to be inducted into the Olympics, for the 2020 Tokyo edition. Chennai will see its first skatepark being launched on OMR this Saturday, and with around 200 people expected to attend, co-founders Sai Krishna Tej Reddy and Abhishek Shakenbake have arranged for multiple competitions starting from 3 pm. Abhishek, a pioneering skater in the country who heads the country’s only professional skatepark builders, HolyStoked Collective in Bengaluru, says that the 4,500 sq ft Chennai park is their biggest in India yet (compared to the 14-odd other parks across the country). He thanks Sai for approaching them to build it. Sai elaborates, “I was thinking of how best to utilise this piece of land, as I did not want to make it a residential property. I wanted to do something different with it, so I researched about the kind of sports that are not prevalent here, and I zeroed in on skateboarding.” With obstacles like rails, ledges, ramps and pyramids, Madras Wheelers is designed as a flow skatepark, where skaters can employ various transitions in their movement without actually stopping, and improve their all-round skills in the sport.  

Gear up

For the group of around 30-40 young skaters in the region, Abhishek says that the only options of places for them to visit and hone their skills so far were DIY makeshift setups in Mahabalipuram and Poonjeri. “Now they will have this park all for themselves, and naturally they are excited,” says Abhishek, adding that his team from HolyStoked Collective will be coming down for the launch, along with 40-50 skaters from other states. “The skaters will be inducted into membership programmes, and will be coached with a fine balance of focus and fun,” says Abhishek, saying that the age group of their students range from from four to over 40. “What’s key is to find out to what limit you intend to extend yourself to, and accordingly we will customise the curricula,” he continues. Sai adds that the skateboards and protective gear, provided by Decathlon, will be available for rent at the premises, on an hourly basis. 

Seal your wheel

Talking about the importance of the rise of skateboarding as a culture in the city, Abhishek says that the launch of the park is only the beginning. “It is vital for aspirants to have ample space to play, and parks are their dream, where they won’t run into any trouble with authorities,” says Sai, adding that young prodigies like Kamali Moorthy (the popular eight-year-old on social media who hails from Fisherman Colony near Mahabalipuram and is the first girl skateboarder in the region) and others like her are the future of the sport. Abhishek says, “With Madras Wheelers, we intend to aim big and look to encourage everybody to take up this sport,” adding that besides skateboarding, there are also facilities for other related sports like two-wheel scooter, BMX and roller skating. “There are also three neem trees around which the park has been built, which give the place the vibe of a natural environment,” he says.

Launching on June 23. At Raju Nagar, Thoraipakkam, OMR. Rs. 150 for an hour, Rs. 2,000 for a monthly membership. Check their website for details about classes and timings.