Covid-19 lockdowns breathe new life into roller skating, as sales go through the roof

November 12, 2020

Auckland classes are booked out and boot sales increasing as young and old pick up the pastime.

In another very 2020 move, a combination of Covid-19 and TikTok have breathed new life into an old sport - roller skating.

The family favourite is making a comeback. Classes are booked out and boot sales are through the roof as young and old slip on the skates and give it a whirl.

“It's a bit of a worry when you're more about the accessories sometimes more than the skill - but that’s part of the enjoyment of it,” Clare told Seven Sharp while skating at ActivZone in Glenfield, Auckland.

Macarena Carrascosa has competed at world championship roller skating events and teaches four classes a week at ActivZone - and they're all full.

“On Friday nights I get 40-50 people in a class,” she says.

“We just found with lockdown they want a new hobby. They love coming to skating and feeling the wind in their hair and practising their new moves.”

Belinda Hope from Skate NZ described one of the reasons behind the resurgence.

“International ice skaters couldn’t go to their rinks to train so they ended up all buying rollers skates or inline skates so they could train at home during their lockdown.

“They made cool little videos showing their tricks and at home training and they've taken off on TikTok etc and everyone's gone, 'That looks really fun, maybe I could do that too'.”

Seven Sharp’s Mary-Jane Aggett went to try it out for herself in the video above.

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