WATCH: Local skaters just roll with it on Durban Promenade
Founder of the group, Vicky Kettle, explained that they are a community skate crew that help you roll with it without feeling out of place.
IT doesn’t matter if you are a newbie, a lapsed roller skater or someone who is semi-skilled on in-line or quad skates, all are welcome at HopSkipSkate on the Durban Promenade.
Founder of the group, Vicky Kettle, explained that they are a community skate crew that help you roll with it without feeling out of place.
Kettle said her endeavour was a way of bringing the roller skating community together so they never have to skate alone.
“There was always a need for a social skating group in Durban, especially after the Covid-19 lockdown hit. Durban’s first-ever Roller Derby team, which I was also a part of, couldn’t host its fresh meat intakes once or twice a year where they teach skating. Eventually, I decided to explore this opportunity to enable and empower others on how to learn to roller skate and just enjoy skating along our beautiful promenade,” Kettle said.
“I chose the name HopSkipSkate because skating is fun. You just don’t want to skate, you want to hop and skip into happiness without necessarily hopping or skipping. It was really about bringing positive vibes. We are open to anyone and everyone, and we host a monthly social skate along the promenade which is open to any wheels. We just want people to come as you are and release your stress – it’s certainly not a competitive environment,” she said.
Another roller skater who enjoys in-line skates, Amy Wyatt, said since joining, she has been embraced with love.
“I also have a background in skating from Roller Derby, and I haven’t been out here as often for the social skates, but I love to support friends. When I heard about what Vicky was doing, I felt I could help those with in-line skates specifically. If you check out the Instagram page, you’ll see we are a diverse, awesome group of people who are welcoming,” Wyatt said.
Echoing those sentiments, Westville resident Stephanie Millar said she’s established common ground with her fellow skaters.
“While skating has always been on my radar, I was looking for a skating community of like-minded people to have fun with. I have definitely found that with HopSkipSkate. I actually found out about Vicky’s endeavour through her Instagram page, and this is really about having fun and giving back to those who are new to roller skating,” Millar said.
The group meets every second Sunday of the month on the Durban Promenade.
To find out more, follow them on Instagram at the handle @hopskipskate.
