Russian Skater Girls Show Off True Grit and Fashion Sense

Nastya, 15, was born in Saratov and moved to St. Petersburg at the end of last year. She started to skateboard in April.

A young Russian girl with a NY sweater skates on a long board in front of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

Lika (L) and Lera wear panama hats while carrying their skateboards along Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg.

Sophia (L), 14, and Sasha, 15, were practicing tricks at Gorky Park in Moscow.

Nastya, 19, was given her skateboard as a birthday gift by university classmates.



She started skateboarding in May, two weeks before this photo was taken. She said she is a Master of Sports candidate in skiing, and skateboarding is good summer practice for her.

Katya, 19, was skating toward VDNKh Park in Moscow.

Alisa, 25, a stylist, said she tried skateboarding for the first time about 10 years ago. However, she recently took it up again because she ''needs some outdoor exercise'' and biking is not her thing.



Alisa said more girls are skateboarding today partially because it's a fashion trend, but also because skateboards have become more accessible, both in terms of price and variety.

Olga, 26, was practicing riding a skateboard with her boyfriend for the first time. The couple had just bought the board that day.



Olga said they would normally come to the park with just one foot scooter between them, and they decided to buy a board so that each of them would be able to ride something. They plan to take turns.

Nastya (L), 16, and Polina, 16, traveled to Moscow from Lubertsi, a suburban town, to ride in Gorky Park and along the Moscow River.



They said there are few places to comfortably skate in their suburban town.

Olga, 18, was practicing skateboarding at Gorky Park in Moscow.



An advertisement student, she said she likes extreme sports. Attempts by her parents and boyfriend to talk her out of getting a skateboard didn't work. She said she fell only once on her first day on the board. The was either her fifth or sixth day on her board, she said.