There are amazingly skilled skaters who fly under the radar – and quite often we wonder why they don’t have a wider audience? With this series we’d like to give space to talents who are enriching the skate world with their creativity. This time: Gisela Rodriguez from Cordoba, Argentina. She shreds on her skateboard as well as on roller skates.
What was your first love? Quads or skateboards?
My first love was quad skating. I started around 2018. It was a really hot summer, I was having a bad time and my derby team was inactive. I needed to distract myself and with two friends Cami and Fede, we decided to go to the skate park where I met three powerful friends that do quad skate.
When did you start skating ?
I started to quad skate around 2018. With skating it was more bit by bit. I was gifted my first board in May 2018, but started using it around August or September the same year. I arrived to the sessions with my skates hanging and my board on my hands (too heavy to carry). Once I was done rolling on quads I would use my board. In the beginning, I didn’t want to use it because I was scared to injure myself and not being able to roller skate. It was like this for a long time. In mid 2019, I changed my board and trucks so my skateboard was perfect. I practiced the tricks all the time, new challenges came and I had more control while falling. That motivated me. I love both disciplines.
Tell us a bit about the roller skate scene in Cordoba?
The skate scene in Cordoba is huge. We are surprised how every day there’s more people joining in. The summer I started skating, I met Clari Aarrigoni, a skater friend that I love and admire a lot. Around that time the quadskate.cba page was created on Instagram and Facebook, we admin this page with a lot of love. There where demos on multiple events that allowed us to spread even more. Several events organized by the quadskate.cba crew were achieved. Then, Carlite created a little school through which the growth of quad skating was promoted. In 2020, after quarantine restrictions weren’t so strict anymore, the skate parks were one of the few places that the police wouldn’t frequent often. So many people started to skate as a pastime and they ended up liking it. Every day, we receive messages by people who want to skate and there are more than 200 active skaters at the moment.
Which is your favorite skate spot in Cordoba?
My favorite spot is a main square in Córdoba called Plaza San Martín. It’s has all you need, like ledges, stairs, and a nice floor. It’s a place where many homeless people live and during the week is full of people who circulate around there. The best time to skate there are the weekends.
What’s the best skate trip you’ve ever been to and where would you love to visit?
My best skate trip was last year to Santiago de Chile, where I met and skated with “Las Cabras” it was beautiful to be able to share with skaters from somewhere else and they treated me like a “Cabra”. I was fascinated with the skate parks and the street spots. I also visited viña del mar and skated with Mariela who took me to the sea, we did street and finished the session in the skate park in front of the lake.
Do you have a favorite or preferred style?
I see the skate park as a place to train and apply it to the streets, but I love to skate bowls, it allows me to flow in a way that I don’t find on the street.
Favorite tricks you go for everywhere you show up?
I love sliding rails or ledges.
What do you do if you are not skating?
I spend time with friends or work on my computer. I also like to take pictures (Check DogDays #6 for Gisela’s pics of Luz Alen).
Tell us your perfect soundtrack for chill skate session?
Eyedreess – Can I see you tonight?
Make sure to follow Gisela Rodriguez @giselarrrrrr on Insta and check out more of “Under the Radar” skaters such as Mary Pop Wheels or Anastasija Kukic.
Interview by @octopolly
Photos by @so.niic