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Kamis, November 21

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Chinese ladies are turning to skateboarding as COVID shutdowns continue

Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Beijing resident Mina Zhao decided to attempt surfskating after feeling trapped by the Chinese capital...


Image: Reuters

Berita 24 English -Beijing resident Mina Zhao decided to attempt surfskating after feeling trapped by the Chinese capital's partial COVID-19 shutdown earlier this year, which closed gyms, parks, and other facilities.

Zhao, 40, who enjoys skiing, became a devotee of surfskating right away, promoting it to dozens of other mothers who have already purchased their own boards. She even got her husband and son interested.

Zhao stated, "I think skating is having a great influence for my career, even for my life. It has helped me lose weight and alleviate concern over my child's education."

Since the spring, surfskating has gained popularity in Chinese cities, especially among women. This beginner-friendly form of skateboarding uses a more flexible front-end wheel assembly, or "truck," to enable deeply carved turns reminiscent to surfing.

Zhao claimed that surfing provides her a sense of success and that the upbeat mood it gives her inspires her to travel, dress more colourfully, and even, for the first time, dye her hair a lighter hue.

"Through this activity, we hope to learn more about who we are. Being ourselves is more significant than conforming to the world's stereotypes of us "She spoke.

It also has a relaxing effect, according to her. "The worse it is for your child, the more concerned you are. I occasionally just skate about the basement; when something happens, I feel like a man who smokes a few cigarettes outside "explained Zhao.

Surfskating, which is thought to be simpler to learn and less prone to crashes than other types of skateboarding, also benefited from the excitement surrounding snow sports in China this year as Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Without snow or even a slope, a surfskater may carve turns similar to those made by a snowboarder.

The number of clubs, networks, and group classes has increased.

According to its organiser, a professional dancer named Duo Lan, a free weekly class for women near Beijing's iconic National Aquatics Centre, or Water Cube, has increased from a dozen regulars in late April to over a hundred.

One of her older students, Zhao, plans children's activities and began surfing in May when she was unable to conduct events because of the lockdown.

SURF FEELING

The 29-year-old Chen Yanni attempted to break out of lockup by surfing after noticing the activity on her social media posts.

She got hooked right away.

Chen, an IT professional, remarked, "You feel so liberated.

"Then there's the paradoxical feeling that, despite being close to 30, I suddenly feel quite young. I adore this sensation. It feels like being a teenager once more "She spoke.

Online searches for skateboarding, and specifically surfskating, have increased in China. A retail and lifestyle recommendations app called Xiaohongshu reports that searches for the term "lu chong," which is Chinese for "land surfboard," increased 50 times in June compared to the same month last year.

When compared to the same month last year, sales of surfskateboards increased by 80%, according to e-commerce behemoth JD.com.

Revenues at one of the five "Burning Ice" skateboard shops in Beijing increased by over 300 percent this year, according to a store manager who wished to remain anonymous.

The store sells surfskateboards, which may cost anywhere from 400 yuan ($60) to more than 4,000 yuan, and these boards account for almost 50% of the increase, according to the salesman. About 70% of the stores' sales are made by women.

Some claimed that COVID made summer travel challenging, so they took up the sport as a pastime.

The 34-year-old Yoyo, a financial professional, part-time diving coach, and surfer who had been downcast about the lockdown, said, "I get the impression that I have returned to the beach."

Summer heat is intense, but I feel liberated because of the wind in my hair.

(1 Chinese Yuan = 6.7633 Renminbi)



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