Board Women

Founder of the iconic movement, Cheer up Luv, Eliza Hatch is a force to be reckoned with. She’s an award winning feminist, photographer, educator, speaker and curator. She’s spent the last 8 years working to highlight the voices of sexual assault survivors, break down taboos around sexual assault and drive awareness of misogyny in society. However, more recently Eliza has become known for covering her own journey into the world of skateboarding, and translating some of that analysis of gender barriers to this new space. I’ve really enjoyed following her content about visiting new parks for the first time, and highlighting some of the internal narrative we all have that can, at times, get in our way. What I didn’t know was that there had been a blip in Eliza’s journey. She had been called out by someone who was a well known male figure in the skateboarding scene, who stitched one of her social films, and eviscerated her in the process. The content went viral, but not only did it affect her in the online space, it started to creep into the real world. It resulted in Eliza beginning to question whether she should create this type of content at all. In some ways it positively reframed her relationship with the sport, and rather than professionalising her journey, running events and creating content, she embraced the pure joy of the journey. However, it’s clear the impact is still relatively raw, and it’s frustrating that anyone has to deal with this kind of harassment online. We cover this (the first time she’s spoken about it online) and so much more: Her journey into skateboarding (and more recently surfing) Finding a more mindful relationship with skateboarding The journey of building Cheer Up Luv Photographic Essays with collective Transkaters LondonDeveloping positive self talk and your own journey of progressionEliza is super self deprecating, but I really recommend her skateboarding content when it does appear, it’s doing a great job of breaking down barriers in this space. Her social accounts are below if you want to find out more—--------Host: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma Chalabi https://weareboardwomen.substack.comhttps://www.instagram.com/elizahatch/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/cheerupluv/?hl=en

Snowboarder, mother, activist, feminist, producer, the list of Kimmy’s achievements as a professional snowboarder and beyond is endless. She’s an icon of the snowboarding industry, the first female snowboarder to land a double backflip in the park, multiple time winner of rider of the year.Despite all of that, it’s her role as a vocal ambassador for women in the sport that really stands out for me. She has created events and platforms to accelerate women in snowboarding, but that focus peaked in the last year with the release of her film, ‘Butterfly in a Blizzard’. Initially created to chart her journey into motherhood as a professional snow athlete, the film resulted in covering five years of Kimmy’s life as she navigates the birth of her first child, the death of her mother, childhood trauma that came to the fore as she embarked on motherhood herself; and later (as if this wasn’t all enough), advanced breast cancer resulting in a double mastectomy. It’s a film that makes you question just how much one person is capable of overcoming, but what really connected with me was that it is the most honest portrayal of navigating parenting as working parents that I’ve seen on screen. Kimmy is articulate and humble, and I loved talking with her. In this episode we cover: Being at the peak of her career and finding out she was pregnant Choosing to stand up to sponsors to ensure they supported her contractuallyDeciding to publicly portray the real story of parenthood + being a professional athleteThe film evolving to cover more than they ever expected as a family Why she chose an all female crew to bring the film to life Navigating cancer & family & choosing to come back to snowboarding And so much more. This one is searingly honest, and it sucker punched me more than once as it chimed with my own experiences of parenthood, I hope you enjoy it. —--------Host: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma Chalabi https://weareboardwomen.substack.comFind more on Kimmy here: https://www.instagram.com/kimmyfasani/Watch the film here: https://www.butterflyinablizzard.com/

An interview with Emylia Hall, best-selling author, snowboarder and skater.One of my favourite things about board sports is the people you meet, but I hadn’t realised when I started this community that it would lead me back to someone I was friends with 15 years ago.Emylia was then ‘Mimi’, the very cool girlfriend of the best friend of my boyfriend at the time, an effortless snowboarder cruising down the mountain as I struggled to deal with the flat spots on the mountain.Fast forward to now, and reading an article in The Guardian written by Emylia Hall, author of the best-selling Cornwall based mystery series ‘The Shellhouse Detectives’, talking about the power of taking up skateboarding in your 40’s, and I realise they are one and the same person:“As a “later skater”, what I’ve come to realise is that everything seems impossible until you try it. Every minuscule achievement, every incremental progression, feels epic, and each experience hard-won. There’s a lesson in that.” - Emylia Hall, The Guardian, June 2024Emylia is on a strict writing schedule, having been commissioned for 7 books in the series she is writing, and skating provides a much needed escape for her brain. We haven’t written much on Board Women about the connection between skateboarding and creativity, but they are clearly intertwined.“A lot of writing is about trying stuff and just exploring different avenues, trying different things with characters, trying things with plot, seeing what happens and when it doesn’t work, just rewriting and rewriting. I’m having to find a new way of working, and I’ve got a new routine because of that. But what that means is desk time is really intense, and so I really cherish the time that I get away from the desk, and skateboarding is absolutely my release.”Board Sports provide that elusive escape for your brain that so many of us crave in mid life. The life jenga that we deal with on a daily basis (Mimi has a son, coaches other writers, and also runs an organisation called The Mother Ship, encouraging mothers to be writers) needs an outlet, and board sports hit the spot in a way that no other sports can.This interview is a true ode to the wonder of skateboarding, its relationship to the creative process, and what it is to accept the status of being a beginner again in your 40’s. We cover:Emylia’s journey into snowboarding, and several seasons on the mountainLockdown and skateboarding and being an ‘unlikely skateboarder’The uphill learning curve of being a beginner (and how amazing it is)Starting The Mothership and getting mums to believe in themselvesHer skateboarding future & what success means nowIt’s a warm, inviting hug of an interview, I hope you love this one.Host: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma Chalabihttps://weareboardwomen.substack.com/

“A real bucket list is that I’d love to have a cover of one of the skateboarding magazines. It’s something that’s never quite got there for me, for whatever reason. I need to do a banging trick on something cool.” Lucy Adams Ask anyone who their favourite figure in female skateboarding is and Lucy Adams will normally get a mention. Not just because of her history of winning competitions, and latterly her role in presenting at global skateboarding events such as the Olympics, but because of the work she has done in giving women access to the sport, and her appreciation of the cultural importance of skateboarding overall. In her role at skateboard GB, she’s helping to entrench skateboarding as a philosophy, emphasising the connection and playfulness it offers, at a time when the world is focused on the competitive side of the sport. She’s focused on young people appreciating that their journey through the sport can be so much more than competitive achievement, especially at a formative time in their lives, given that many of the top skateboarders average out at age 14. We’ve tried to make this podcast work for a while now, but what was fantastic about the opportunity to finally chat to local girl (she lives up the road and is originally from Horsham) Lucy, was understanding more about the challenges she’s faced as a mum alongside her love of skateboarding. It’s challenging full stop for sports people ageing out of competition and finding their route through the sport (we saw the same challenge with Jenny Jones, olympic snowboarder, in our interview here). Add to this parenting two small people and finding the time to still get out; alongside ageing and your body not being quite as responsive as it used to be; and skateboarding (in the way you want to) becomes perennially difficult. Lucy is known as much for her own skateboarding prowess as she is for opening up the sport for others. Events like Push the Prom and groups like She Shredders were some of the first in the UK to really bring skateboarding to new audiences, and paved the path for the many micro-communities that exist today to bring people into the sport. This is a conversation that makes you realise we’re all experiencing the same parenting challenges, and ageing humps, whether we are professional sports people, or not. We cover: How Lucy got into skateboarding (and pretending to her parents she was swimming)The importance of active parental role models Prioritising the things that give you energy as a parentCreating a space for women and girls to skateThe Cultural Capital of Skateboarding Finding your own route to progression Enjoy! And please do share, the more we build the audience for the podcast, the more fantastic guests like Lucy we can get on the show. We'll be back in September with our next episode which features Emylia Hall, author of the popular Shell House Detectives series, keen skateboarder and snowboarder, talking about the importance of board sports and her creative process. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss it! Caroline Board Women Founder—-----------Host: Caroline Keylock Producer: Selma Chalabit 

Sometimes the best communities spring up from a personal desire to simply just meet more people.  Amy Scott-Pillow and Emily Jones, the founders of @weskatesoton are a living, breathing example of this truth. Since starting this female led, open to all, skateboarding community in 2021, the pair have become inseparable, often mistaken for being a couple. One of the challenges of opening up board sports to all communities, is whether to make them closed off, gated environments for that community, or whether this makes the problem worse. The @weskatesoton crew have managed to bridge this divide perfectly, creating a welcoming space, online and off, for people to embrace the fun of skateboarding, and find their own place in the culture. The community is now an official CIC, and they have run events like their recent exhibition and film ‘We Skate, We Vibe’, showing that skating isn’t just a sport, it’s a form of play and self-expression. This conversation explored so many topics from the very personal (Emily’s journey with breast cancer and going into early menopause) to the contrast between real life experiences of male skaters (always positive) and their online experiences (somewhat abhorrent). We cover: How We Skate Soton came to life Making a Skateboarding DocumentaryDealing with Skateboarding Trolls (positively) Skateboarding x Breast Cancer x MenopauseThe Wonders of The Bert Slide Stepping away from Instagram And one final bit of advice from the ladies if you’re just starting out in the world of skateboarding, “Everyone was a beginner at some point. Everyone will remember that feeling of first stepping on a board and being like, oh my god, what am I doing? I'm stepping on a plank of wood with wheels on. What is this?”—--------------Host: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma Chalabi

Is surfing or skating or snowboarding your source of joy? Are they the thing that keeps you going & mentally happy? Have they helped you overcome something big? On Thursday 15 May 2025, we brought a brilliant panel of women together to discuss just this, as part of Mental Health Awareness week:@ram_scorchskateschool - skate coach who credits skateboarding for giving her mental space @fortyandpushing - jacquie is a skater who took it up later in life & believes the sensory side helps regulate our systems @lisabaxter_ part of the leadership of @theboardmumsclub and has used skateboarding to navigate life working in trauma and safeguarding, as well as dealing with family illness @India from @resurfaceuk - psychologist who runs surf retreats that combine surfing + therapy @surfconfidencecoach Danni who helps surfers find their joy This was the second of our Confidence Sessions, and the conversation included:personal storieshow we can feel addicted to this new source of joywhy community is the unlock to traumahow we are all seeking mental escapeJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenweareboardwomen.substack.comHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON

Sam Metcalfe, otherwise known as @surfin.sam or @justolderskate.sam, is an incredibly inspiring surfer and skateboarder in her 60’s, having started both sports later in life. What you may not know if you follow her, is that Sam was the UK windsurfing champion for 8 years. And competed in the world championships - an astonishing fact that came out in our conversation. Humble, and yet focused and determined to achieve the goals she sets herself, Sam is truly admirable. This is one not to miss, and there’s plenty of Northern humour thrown in. Episode highlightsSam’s love of the outdoors and adventure instilled by her dad.   Her younger days as a wind surfer, and becoming a champion.Taking up surfing and skating in later life, and sharing the passion with her sons. The story of the mini ramp in the garden.“Mad woman of Saltburn” - skating round her home town at 5am when she was first learning.Finding her “fountain of youth”.More about Sam:@surfin.sam @justolderskate.samJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenweareboardwomen.substack.comHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON

This was the first in our new Confidence Sessions - a new series of online events which will be included with our upcoming membership. We thought we'd put this one out as part of our podcast to see what you think of it, so please do tell us your thoughts - what works or doesn't work, and what you'd like more of in terms of live events. This event was recorded on zoom and took place on Thursday 27 March 2025. It included a stellar line up of women to talk all things injury: how it affects you, how to come back from it physically, emotionally and mentally:Emily from @moceanfit: online training & wellness for women learning board sports in 30's and beyondDanni Unway aka @surfconfidencecoach: Danni helps people feel more confidence and joy in surfing & come back from traumaShannon Dunlap aka @skaterlifeisrad: mum, massage therapist, nurse on a mission to practice and promote safety while learning to skateboard, especially while ageingAnnika Rudolph aka @annikarudolph: team rider for Crown Boards, ambassador for Long Board Girls crew, based GermanyLizzie Bird aka @lizziebirdmoves: osteopath, author of MOVES, surfer and paddle boarderJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenweareboardwomen.substack.comHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON

Sally is the founder of Yonder, the brilliant surf brand and community with a surf school at its heart, and a particular focus on getting more women in the lineup. “I don’t think people ever ask themselves where there aren’t women in the lineup….it’s a huge conversation that really doesn’t get talked about.” Sally works hard to explore and combat the issues that keep women out of the sea, including the drop off during motherhood, and she’s helping to build a strong and inclusive surf community in the North East where she’s based. Episode highlightsThe importance of learning how to fall safely.  Yonder - not just an inclusive surf school. The whole approach is different. “We’ve created a blueprint for that kind of service.”Giving women the confidence, skills and knowledge to be an integral part of the surf community. Exploring why women stop surfing after motherhood, and how to combat this trend - including finding time, loss of confidence, and the urge to want to be good straightaway. The differences between the skateboarding and surfing communities.Coming back from two major injuries - a snapped arm and a lisfranc injury. Keeping life simple - or trying to!More about Sally:@sallymcgeesurf@surfyondersurfyonder.com@tombingphotoJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenweareboardwomen.substack.comHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON