Skateboarding, one of the newest Olympic sports, has inspired Canberra skaters. They hope that a new Tony Hawk-inspired half-pipe in Belconnen will help local athletes make it to the Olympics.
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00:00Katie Pike started carving it up just four years ago.
00:08I just love the fact that you can show your personality and style through something you
00:13love like skating and I just love the feeling of achievement and resilience you learn along
00:18the way.
00:19The 18-year-old Scottish import narrowly missed out on making this year's UK Olympic team.
00:25She's hoping the new vert ramp will help her to catch them on the flip side at the 2028
00:31Games in Los Angeles.
00:32This is practically on my back door, it's five minutes from home.
00:36Previously I had to travel to Sydney most weekends as well as the Gold Coast so this
00:41will save me a lot of money and stress.
00:45Built more than 30 years ago, Belconnen Skate Park previously had a half pipe but it was
00:50lost in past upgrades.
00:52It's been a bit of a missing piece that other Canberra skate parks don't have.
00:57It means that the upcoming Canberra skaters and Australian skaters have got a ramp that
01:02is world class so when they go to international events they're used to the transition and
01:07the size of the ramp.
01:08The new addition is already proving to be plenty of fun.
01:12Some people say it's like the Fountains of Youth and I suppose most sports are but this
01:18Fountain of Youth makes you fly and that's the best thing about it.
01:21You can do what you want and no one's telling you what to do and you're at your own pace
01:27with everything.
01:28With many showing off their sick moves.
01:31What tricks can you do?
01:33I can kind of do an ollie.
01:35An ollie?
01:36Can you show me right now?
01:37Okay.
01:38It's pretty hard to get another part off the ground.
01:45But for skaters, scooter riders and BMX bandits alike, it's struck the right balance.
01:52And with a little hope, it'll be enough to take local talent to new heights.
01:57Just providing those facilities that those elite level skaters can practice on, we'll
02:01see huge progression in the sport and in local talent as well over the years.
02:07No longer just a pipe dream.