The power of the internet means no matter the time zone, you can see what’s happening on the other side of the world. So intrigued to know what’s up with the female skate scene in Australia, we got in touch with Esther Godoy of Girls Skate Australia. The only platform of its kind down under, she’s the perfect person to educate us…

My name is Esther Godoy, I do many, things. Professionally and primarily I am a web developer, I taught myself programming after being incredibly displeased with my current work situation at the time (which was a high school teacher) since learning to code my world has opened up. I have used my abilities to create online communities, primarily GirlsSkateAustralia.com.

The idea for GSA came about many years after I had ended my days of being an avid sponsored skateboarder. I had let skateboarding go for a year or two and my motivational levels were at an all time low. I still carried the passion for skateboarding within me but I just could not be assed getting up to go and do it. I felt like if I had a community around me to help get me stoked again that that would totally help, I figured if I felt this way then there must be heaps of other people out there who felt that way too. So I  booked a ticket up to the Gold Coast where I met up with Izy Mutu and Shannon Cranko, together we had an amazing week of skateboarding and need somewhere to pop the clip we had made online, and thus justanotherfemaleskateblog was born.

After a year or so of uploading random photos to a shitty wordpress blog I started learning to code. I used Girls Skate Australia as a training project for me to develop my skills. I didn’t really think it would go beyond anything for me and my homies to enjoy, but fast forward 24 months and here we are! It’s huge!

There has never been any official support for women in skateboarding in Australia, so Girls Skate Australia has created a huge boom in industry support and female participation.

Skateboarding has been incredible for me, I learned so many things and saw so many places as a young person attributed to the opportunities I was given within skateboarding. I met my best friends through skateboarding, so many adventures!

I just want other women to be able to have access to the same experiences and I want the industry to wake up and start supporting and acknowledging some of the amazing lady shredders we have here at home.

The scene was pretty dead until GSA came along, now with the support of the whole collective we have clinics, comps and tours every other week. The ladies who have all come together in Australia to make it happen are amazing. The fact that it has grown so exponentially should be attributed to all of the people who have been involved. Girls from all over the country, they know who they are!

When I first started skateboarding it was much more authentic. I feel like thats what the ladies scene is like now, anywhere in the world you go, you got a friend!

I was a huge tomboy, I copied everything my brother did, we used to go down to Fitzroy bowl every weekend on our bikes. Mark (her brother) got a skateboard and I got rollerblades. A week later I was filled with regret, my brother went on school camp and while he was away I stole his skateboard and ended up chipping the nose. When he got back he made me get my own!

GSA has given me a reason to get back on board, between clinics and our ‘mini tours’ I feel like I’m away every other month. Not to mention connecting with all the skateboarding ladies internationally. Life is good!

Find out more on Girls Skate Australia!

And check out these Aussie skaters, Esther recommends keeping our eyes peeled for: Izy Mutu, Shanae Collins, Soph Roth, Poppy Starr to many to name!