skate on Attitudes in Gibraltar have always been very positive towards sports. Whether it’s football or tennis, parents try their hardest to get their children interested in the various sporting activities that take place on the Rock. Children are particularly encouraged to take part in team sports. Extreme sports have been very much in existence in Gibraltar, but haven’t been received with much enthusiasm. Speaking to David Clark, one of the local skateboarders in Gibraltar, he tells of the stereotypes, the new skate park, different extreme sports and his inspirations. In previous years there was a Skating Association, with skaters using the Coaling Island skate park, however, the ssociation has been dormant for a number of years, which meant that only people already interested in skating knew where to go, otherwise there was no one to guide them. As a result, skaters have been taking part in the sport solely for themselves, without much chance to compete with people from other countries. The new skating park, recently inaugurated at Landport, means new people are now trying out skating in Gibraltar. As people walk through Landport Tunnel a quick glance at the skaters doing their tricks has led to a heightened interest in the sport. Autumn months in Gibraltar traditionally see a higher interest and more new skaters try out the sport, because summer is too hot and winter can sometimes be too wet. One of the problems with being a skater is the stereotypes that come along with it. The skaters in Gibraltar are trying their hardest to break through these stereotypes, and contrary to common perception are more than willing to accept new people into the skate park. There is a zero tolerance towards drug use on the premises initiated by the skaters themselves. “I’d like to see more children getting involved with skating, because it’s so much fun, so I wouldn’t like to do anything or see anything happen at the skate park that would hinder these children from approaching us,” David says. There are various activities children can get involved in other than skate boarding, there’s in-line skating and bmx biking, both of which are very popular. But David admits “boarding gives me the most thrills, it’s more of a challenge”. The injuries incurred from extreme sports don’t go unnoticed, but it seems they aren’t something which actually affects the way David feels about these sports. Now, with television and youtube highlighting all the different tricks that can be done, David finds he has become more adventurous. His inspirations are Rodney Mullen who comes up with various tricks, and Bob Burnquist, famous for having skated the Grand Canyon in the United States. David says skaters are a “pretty chilled out race”, more than willing to welcome different people who want to try out the sports. Apart from seeing more children try out skating, David would like to see more girls getting involved. His dream would be to see Gibraltar have a National Skate Day, where people can skate all day. So stop by at the skate park, and see what it’s like, you never know, you might just be venturing into a new and exhilarating hobby

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