FEATURE: Longboarding In New Zealand

Longboarding is a sport that has taken off all around the world and has in more recent times hit the shores of New Zealand. It has possessed like-minded kiwis to get out and enjoy the concrete waves our little corner of the world has to offer.

This alternative form of skateboarding isn’t all about the usual flips and tricks you would see with conventional skating, it has returned to the roots of boarding, that was originally designed for surf style cruising and carving, and with the advance of the techology we have also begun to see the world of downhill skating.

It involves a deck much like a skateboard but generally longer, wider and with larger trucks and wheels that provide more stability and response, also there are a huge range of shapes and sizes to suit anyone.

It truly is a sport that has something for everyone. Whether it's casual skating around the waterfronts of our beautiful cities, or riding the hills scattered all over our country. Longboarding is gaining popularity because of how easily accessible it is, there is no need to wait for the snow, get into the icy oceans or trying to find a decent spot or skatepark to rip up, with so many styles to choose from anyone or any age or fitness level can to it. It’s as easy as walking out your front door onto the asphalt.

Many people see longboarding as a dangerous sport, but if done properly it’s just as safe as cycling. Most riders that skate on our roads wear the appropriate protection, such as a helmets (often full face) specialized gloves, further knee and elbow padding is highly recommended, and for the people qualified to travel at higher speeds usually leathers. The first thing the longboarding community teaches to new-comers is "know you limits". Anyone going at a high speed knows how to stop, which involves either "foot breaking" (a controlled technique that involves the rider taking 1 foot off the board and placing it onto the road cause friction) or a "coleman slide", also called a "shut down slide" (which involves the rider placing one hand on the road and using their body weight to position the board horizontally causing them to slide to slow down or stop.) It’s also a priority of the longboarding community to make sure all riders obey the road rules, such as staying on the far left, sticking to the speed limit and following traffic signals.

Local groups all over the country, from Auckland to Hawkes Bay to Wellington and all the way down to Christchurch and Wanaka work hard to provide a friendly atmosphere for anyone who wants to give it a go, while contributing to their communities promoting safe skating and organising events. There are also online communities such as neednotollie.com (NNO) and gravitysportsnz.org (G.S.N.Z where you can find the names of groups and how to get in contact with them, which are constantly growing with more people eager to start longboarding. All of these communities and organisations are urging riders to be safe and wear all necessary protection while still encouraging people to get out there and have fun with the sport and learn new techniques. These communities are simply all about the sport, they are very laid back, it’s not about how old you are, the clothes you wear, or how good you are, it is all about spreading the stoke!

With the growth of the sport many New Zealand companies have come onto the scene to provide Kiwis with an awesome range of both local and internationally made Longboardboards and products.

These New Zealand made products, not only provide riders with quality made gear, but also put back into the community and the sport, through offering funds for local events and races. The local stores that provide these products for New Zealand riders are all working together to ensure New Zealand riders get a wide range of products at a reasonable price by working co-operatively instead of being in direct competition with each other, which is a fine example of the friendly, family like community New Zealand longboarding has built.

People starting off in the sport can purchase a setup from anywhere between $150- $600, there are boards of all shapes and sizes for every different aspect of skating. Newcomers should also purchase the necessary safety equipment before trying anything ambitious. The many communities around New Zealand are always more than willing to help out new skaters and offer advice. They give tips on anything from which boards, trucks and wheels to purchase to techniques on how to push, footbreak, slide and tuck.

Longboarding is a very diverse sport that can appeal to many different walks of life. It’s a great mode of transportation that’s quick and free, with no parking costs. It’s also an alternative form of exercise that is fun and easy for everyone to participate in. It can be a good way to get the family out from in front of some screen or console to enjoy the scenery with a light cruise. There is also a professional side of the sport which cannot go without mention. It involves high-speed racing down some of the longest and fastest hills in the country and should never be attempted by anyone without the proper knowledge, equipment and ability. Everyone involved in this sport enjoys riding together and having a fun time as safely as possible.

Feature by Max Gordy and Racheal London. Photography (in order of appearance) by Mark Bridgewater, Seth Price and Anna Johnstone.

Have you ever tried Longboarding? Are you interested in Longboarding now that you have seen this article?