The ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics has reignited people's interest in the action-packed, gravity-defying extreme sport of skateboarding, boosting demand for training, equipment and professional events.
With skateboarding being recognized as a new Olympic sport in 2020, the enthusiasm to participate in this activity has surged. In China, the number of skateboarders in recent years has exceeded 10 million.
"I come to here everyday. I just love it," said a skateboarder.
"I've been practicing for more than two years. Every time I practice for one day. I feel this activity is super exciting," said another skateboarder.
URIDE is one of the venues for skateboarders in Beijing. The place not only offers them a practice site, but also a one-stop service for training, equipment and professional events. There are at least 10 such comprehensive skateboarding parks in Beijing. There are more than 200 skateboarding venues and over 400 clubs across the country.
"I've been practicing the basic move on the ground for this trick for two months. I practiced a lot," said Chen Muye, a student of skateboarding.
"My son started learning skateboarding no more than two years ago. It's great to see his passion for this sport. If he wants to be a professional player in the future, I will do everything I can to support him," said Chen's parent.
Extreme sports like skateboarding help to expand an already flourishing market. One of the main pillars is education. According to official data, in the past two years, there were more than six million new skateboarders in China, mostly between the ages of 8 and 12. And the skateboarding coach in TOYPARKS has witnessed an increasing number of younger participants coming.
"It's of great significance for related training industry after skateboarding has became an Olympic event. There are more parents willing to let their children train as professional athletes. I now have more than 40 students. There has been a great growth in the past two years," said Zhang Yu, chief coach at TOYPARKS Beijing Langyuan Station.
Meanwhile, more skateboarding enthusiasts are spending money on equipment.
"These are the surfskates. The price is about 2,000 to 4,000 RMB (around 280-560 U.S. dollars). The average price of this skateboard for training is several hundred RMB a piece, and professional trainers will change the board once a month or so. Our sales have increased significantly in the past two years," said Kang Yan, manager of TOYPARKS Beijing.
Data from Market Moniter shows the global skateboard market was nearly 15 billion yuan (around 2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, and China's skateboard market topped 4 billion yuan (around 560 million U.S. dollars). It estimated the scale of the global skateboard industry will reach 17.7 billion yuan (around 2.5 billion U.S. dollars) by 2029, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 3.46 percent for the next five years.
Skateboarding frenzy in China boosts market demand
