4.30 pm in Gia Dinh park, Go Vap district. Families and young couples sit on benches and on the grass, while employees and school children start pouring out into the busy streets. Near the park entrance, three youngsters walk with a strange board in their hands. They unpack their things and start skateboarding in the alley. By-passers stare at them in surprise, as usual. They are skateboarders from the SKS (Skateboard Saigon) Crew. “I started skateboarding four years ago”, Tung says. Tung is a twenty year-old teenager, short hair with an ear piercing. He is one the first skateboarders in Saigon. “Skateboarding started in HCMC four years ago”, Tung says. “I started with one college friends and we were the only ones as far I can remember. At the time, there was nowhere to buy a skateboard. So I had a viet kieu friend bringing me one from the US. He taught me the basics and some tricks. That is how I started.”
After a few minutes and a little demonstration, he continues: “Most of I what know in skateboard, I learned it myself. I download tons of videos on the internet. Tony Hawk is of course my favorite. Tony Hawk was a US pro-skater, he won several titles since he started his career when he was eleven. Eleven year-old, can you imagine that? His videos are amazing. He created most of the tricks that every skateboarder in the world uses. I also watch the annual X-Games competition on TV. It features not only skateboarding, but also roller, bike, it’s interesting. For sure, skateboarders in the competition are amazing. The skate park is for Street Skating. They have rails, stairs etc, just like the urban environment. That is so cool!”.
Skateboarding in HCMC is indeed mainly Street Skateboarding. Skateboarders use the urban environment as a huge playground. There is s Skate Park in An Phu but the entrance fee is usd3. “We don’t go there very often”, Minh says. Minh, nineteen year-old, long hair, wears a black T shirt. “Why should we pay while we can skate for free on the street?”, he asks. “The fun part of street skating is actually to find the good spots in the city, where we can be creative with the urbanised settings. We use stairs, ledges, handrails, whatever we can find… when it is allowed! Because you know, we had some problems before with security guards. We scouted many spots and many times, we ran into security guys who would not allow us to skate in the area. In Phu My Hung for example. My god, the place is so gorgeous for street skating. Lots of stairs, lots of handrails, underground parking lots, cute little parks… but also tons of security guards in every corner! We tried to discuss with them but they would not listen. We continued and found a place where there would be less guards, but we were always finally caught by a patrol. They said we were risking a fine so we left definitely”. Tung comes back after few “nose” (skating in equilibrum on the two front wheels) on the sidewalk: “Then we found this spot here in Gia Dinh park. Well, to say the truth, we were originally skating on the other side of the street. Security guards told us to leave. I heard that later there had been a fight with other skateboarders. That’s too bad. So for now, we can skate here. Only God knows for how long!”
Skateboarding is just starting in Vietnam. It first started in Hanoi ten years ago. “In Hanoi, they are better skaters”, Phuc, twenty six year-old says. “They have lots of spots, a good urban environment and also less security guards! Some skaters are even sponsored by Chinese equipment brands. We know each other very well. The Saigon and Hanoi skateboarding crews are like family. We all chat together on the net, commenting latest videos, tricks or equipment release. There is no rivalry. We share the same passion for skateboarding anyway. I will go to Hanoi next week and meet with them. I go to Hanoi frequently on my way to China, where I buy stuff for my shop”.
Phuc owns the one and only skate shop in HCMC, located at 113 Nguyen Huu Can street, Binh Thanh district. He opened the shop one year ago, after he graduated in Graphic Design. “Well, I never worked in graphic design so far but I could use some knowledge to design the logo of my shop”, he laughs. “I prefer selling skateboard equipment now. I sell skateboards, T shirts, shoes, well, the proper equipment to practise the sport, which is helpful. I can still remember when I started skating wearing flip-flops… that was kind of dangerous, I could have hurt myself badly. When we come to the Gia Dinh park, some twelve year-old teens want to do the same but they usually wear flip flops. First thing I recommend is to buy shoes. It is not mere fashion. It is also for safety. The only way to control and have grip on the board is with your feet, therefore your shoes are very important!”
5.30pm, Gia Dinh park. Around twenty skaters are now practicing their tricks. Bypassers sit around and watch them admirative. The “rookies” observe and learn with the “elder”. They all know each other. Tung shows them a trick that he is the only one to perform: “ollie” (jump) above a motorbike. He puts the bike in the middle of the alley and other skaters stop and sit on their boards to watch him. He gains speed pushing on his feet and he jumps, leaving everyone breathless. Applause. “ It took me one year to achieve this ollie”, Tung comments. “I started with some obstacles I was building myself. Then I tried with a bike, then a motorbike. It is a technical and a psychological challenge. Technically, you have to gain speed and push hard on the back feet so the skateboard nose points in the air. From a psychological point of view, well, it is more complicated. There is a psychological barrier for sure. But if you are not afraid to fall, hurt yourself and break a wrist, well then, it is a piece of cake!”
