Board Women

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:[email protected]: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

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:@[email protected]@tombingphotoJoin the Board Women movement:[email protected]: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Having taken up skating in her 40s and continuing to skate in to her 50s, Indigo says of herself “I am the opposite of a typical skateboarding story.” War orphan, skater, academic, campaigner for inclusivity in skateboarding and founder of Respect is Rad, Indigo brings so much to the skating space. There’s a lot to talk about in this episode, so grab a cuppa and settle in. Episode highlightsFalling in a bowl jam.Indigo’s journey in to skate boarding in her 40s - learning with men.Dismantling gates and opening up the world of skate boarding.Staying punk through skateboarding - “I’d rather carry a skateboard than a briefcase”.Bringing the world of skateboarding in to a university setting.The inspiration behind Respect is RadCelebrating progress as older women in skateboarding - staying authentic.More about Indigo:@goodwillhunting@respectisradPeople and groups mentioned in this episode:Esther Sayersskateistan.orgFestival ConnectJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

The phenomenal Demi Taylor is founder of the London Surf Film Festival, author of several surfing books and producer of The Big Sea - this years break out film bringing to light the darker side of the production of Neoprene, and therefore, much of the surfing industry.This was a phenomenally interesting conversation, not least because your assumption would be that brands who are so keen to push their green agenda in the surf space would be on board with the shift to environmentally friendly wetsuit solutions on hearing the news that the production of Neoprene is giving a whole community cancer.But, despite the team on the film trying to involve many of the central brands in the industry, many of them have simply ignored its message.There's a lot to get through, so this episode is a bit longer than usual.Episode highlights:The Big Sea - the juxtaposition between the stunning visuals and the hard hitting storyHow the film came aboutThe hope to bring brands on board“We think we’re activists just because we surf, and we’re not” - overcoming complacency in the surf communityDemi’s journey in to surfing and how she and her partner Chris came to write iconic surf travel books Demi’s role as a mid life woman in the industryStarting the London Surf Film Festival and the importance of storytelling in driving changeCan Caroline find a natural rubber medical cover for her cast? More about Demi:@[email protected] in this episode:Looking Sideways with Matt BarrJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Having achieved all she wanted to in her snowboarding career (she’d won the X Games 3 times), Jenny Jones suddenly had the opportunity to take part in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. At the age of 33, she became the first UK athlete to win an Olympic medal at a snow event - a bronze in the women’s slopestyle. She is now a mum (having had her baby Wilbur at the age of 43), a TV presenter, podcaster, surfer and skater, and snowboarding coach. Episode highlightsFalling - not on a board, but holding a baby!The impact of the financial crash on snow sports and sponsorship. Being at one's peak and unexpectedly reaching for a new peak - the call from Team GB about slopestyle being in the 2014 Winter Olympics.Recovering from concussion and still making it to the Olympics at the age of 33…and smashing it. Sharing the joy of being on a snow and surf board with ‘bump’.The bliss of becoming a mum at 43, despite being called geriatric.Jenny’s surf journey and moving to Devon to do more surfing. Setting up snowboarding workshops and retreats that focus on mindset as well as board skills. It’s time to get back on a skateboard and finally get that 'rock to fakie’.More about Jenny:@jennyjonessnowworkshopbyjennyjones.comThankUSnowboarding podcast - episode with Jenny JonesJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Learning to skate with your mum tends to be something that applies when you’re a kid, but in the case of Britt and Kaz it happened when they were 30 and 56.Two years have now gone by and they are both hooked. They now have a considerable following on instagram as @2girlssk8 Britt says of her mum Kaz:“I got my first kick flip because of my mum, and I still tell myself something she tells me. The phrase she said to me was ‘knees up buttercup’ because I just wasn’t bringing my knees up. So now in my head I’ve just got ‘knees up buttercup, knees up buttercup’.”The conversation is full of energy and a commitment to help each other learn, which is really magical and beautiful to listen in on.  Episode highlights:Getting in to skating together as adults and as a mum and daughter duo.Overcoming fear of judgment.Skating and mental health: Kaz on the life saving effect of skating on her levels of anxiety.Learning together - the ups and downs.Groups mentioned in the podcast:Foenix CruisersJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography: Clare KeylockArtwork: Rozi Wan Rimli Music: Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Yvette Curtis is founder of Wave Wahines, a club she initially set up for her eldest child to have a safe space to surf. Since its inception eight years ago, it has broadened out to include both girls and women from all communities, as well from the LGBTQIA+ community, and it’s become known for fighting for diversity and inclusion in surfing.Episode highlights:how Yvette became an accidental founderhow Wave Wahines included mums over time, not just girlstime for action - why there’s still so much to do for diversity in surfingfeeling like an imposter + why it’s an advantagethe WSL decision to be in Abu DhabiMore about Yvette:@yvette_cave@wave_wahineswavewahines.co.ukOther guests mentioned in this episode:Creating a safe space - Merida MillerJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

You'll know Lindsey as @hotmomsofskateboarding on instagram. Since launching her account and her skateboarding journey in January 2024, she has built a large following and created quite a stir online. She’s a vocal champion of the the right to joy for women, and she challenges the patriarchal system that can make some women feel like they don’t have a place in the sport.“I want other women to know that their joy is valid. The pursuit of their own joy is not only valid, but it’s crucial to having a full, experiential life”.Lindsey took up skateboarding in her late 40s after a few years of sitting on the sidelines watching her daughter learn and feeling jealous. It was when she saw a video posted by @auntyskates that she realised that the sport could be for her as well. She took a leap of faith by going on a retreat in Costa Rica with @auntyskates, and has never looked back. Episode highlights:The retreat with @auntyskates in Costa Rica - a week of freedom and joy and girlhood.Creating an online presence - finding a community of female skateboarders.Dealing with the patriarchy - showing the authentic life of what it is to be a woman.In a patriarchal system, female joy is not prioritised, but you can go against this ideology and live a fully explosive, joyful life. Dealing with trolls - pushing back. Getting through a very intense traumatic period - coming through and finding beauty in the darkness. Finding the balance between parenting and feeding your own joy.More about Lindsey:@hotmomsofskateboardingOther guests mentioned in this episode:I feel like I’m flying - Oorbee Roy aka Aunty SkatesFeel the fear and drop in anyway - Esther SayersJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Amy, aka @oldlady_skater, is an inspiration to us all. Having skated as a child, and even represented Vans, she stopped whilst still at school, and only took it up again at the age of 42 after her kids were grown up (her kids weren't in to skateboarding). Now she is 60 and retired, she spends much of her time in the skate park. She’s an advocate for pushing a little, taking a few risks, and seeing where it might get you.“Once you have it in your mind that you know you can do it, doing it is easier. It’s when you don’t think you can do it that you have a problem.”Episode highlightsTrying to master backside disasters and falling a lot. Getting in to skateboarding as a child - "my parents got divorced and it was a good distraction".Trying out for Vans and getting in to the team.Having children early and focussing on being a mum.Getting back in to skateboarding at the age of 42, and never looking back. Now 60, retired, and at the skate park all the time, often with friends of all ages.Loving the skate parks you used to hate.Finding a following on instagram as @oldlady_skater.Being diagnosed with ADHD and why skateboarding is good for an ADHD brain - “you have to be present and skateboarding forces you in to that presence".Amy's advice: Take a few risks. Put your pads on and try hard things.More about Amy Bradshaw:@oldlady_skaterJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

As Chief Marketing Officer of Finisterre, Bronwen Foster-Butler is passionate about how women are represented in the brand.“Is the woman leading or is she following? Is she on a big wave or is she on a smaller wave? It’s being aware of biases that we’ve internalised around how women are represented, and trying to challenge them.”  Episode highlights:Surfing dressed as a carrot at the Finisterre summer party.Bronwen’s journey into surfing in her late 30s.Growing up on a ski mountain and learning at the age of 2.Being one of the only female snowboarders, and becoming a coach.Finding a love of the sea later in lifeWhy women are becoming strong and how Finisterre shoots for the female gazeMore about Bronwen:@[email protected] the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Having admired skateboarders for decades, music and culture photographer Sarah Brownlow took the plunge and tried it out for herself in her 40s. She says of that experience:“I got on it and I absolutely loved it - the feeling of flying and doing this thing that was so difficult and so dangerous, but so rewarding. A light went on and that was it, I was hooked.”Sarah went on to become a skate coach and eventually founded @brighton_girls_skate_club. Her mission is to show girls and women that skateboarding can be for them.Episode highlightsGrowing up in a world where girls and women didn’t skate and where there was no encouragement to do so.First experience of the ‘buzz of the board’ - on a snow board.Moving to Bali and photographing skateboarders at Pretty Poison nightclub.Learning to skate board back in the UK - “I was pretty addicted from the off”. Learning to coach on the ‘Get Rolling’ scheme alongside pros such as Lucy Adams and dealing with imposter syndrome. Sharing the passion - teaching girls to skateboard at Brighton Girls School and founding a skate school.More about Sarah Brownlow:@sarah_brownlowsarahbrownlow.com@brighton_girls_skate_clubBecoming a coach:SkateboardGB Get Rolling Coaching CourseJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

SUP racer extraordinaire Gemma Palmer-Dighton @getgemma is a #Shepaddles ambassador. Her mission is to demonstrate to others that the sport is open to all, and to improve its accessibility. When Gemma began to get in to paddling she struggled to find representation of black paddlers, and she’s determined to change that. Gemma has done some incredibly hardcore paddle races including the Great Glen (92km), and has set up an entire SUP community #SUPHuntingdon to bring people together around the sport.Episode highlightsThe beauty of being on a board in nature.How turning to SUP to rehabilitate an injury, sparked a passion for competing in the sport.Becoming a #Shepaddles ambassador with a mission to broaden representation.Building community around SUP.Getting out of a tight spot during the Great Glen.More about Gemma Palmer-Dighton:@getgemmaGroups and races Gemma mentions:@paddleuk@greatglenchallengeTrent 100Join the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Recorded live at the Tremula Festival in Brighton on Saturday 21 September, this week’s episode is a different format to usual. Five inspirational women, all of whom are passionate about board sports, share their innermost stories and tips about confidence: having it, losing it, re-gaining it and holding on to it - all through the prism of being on a board.Featuring:Sarah BrounlowSam Hadad Gemma Palmer-DightonDanni UnwayNicky WoodhouseThis panel kicks off a new series of events that Board Women will be putting on across the country - The Confidence Sessions. We’ll be looking for panel members to be part of these future events, so if you’re an instructor, someone who runs a community, someone who took these sports up later in life, or a confidence/women’s health specialist, and you fancy taking part in a Confidence Session, contact us @boardwomen.More about Tremula:Special thanks to Francesca Turauskis of the Tremula Network for hosting Board Women at this year's Tremula Festival.Join the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

A lawyer for her whole career, Marianne realised one day that enough was enough, jacked it in, and retrained as an endurance coach in swimming, triathlons and more recently in Surf Fitness. She picked up surfing and snowboarding in her 50s and runs the SurfFit class I go to in Brighton each week and is quite simply, brilliant.Episode highlightsMarianne's love of fitness & how it inspires confidenceChanging attitudes to age and activityBringing women together through communityWhy coaches have a responsibility to inspire & supportHer F**k you response to the snowboard coach who told her she was too old!More about Marianne:@marianneclarkptGroups Marianne mentions:Ocean [email protected] the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Author of ‘Struggle: the surprising truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life’s shittier moments’, Grace’s take on struggle fits brilliantly in to the world of board sports, and so we're delighted to be back after the summer break with this episode. Grace is an award winning speaker, author, chief encourager and struggle strategist, and for before joining this chat, she gave skateboarding a go for the first time.“This thing we call struggle is quite often the place where we learn, where we discover, where we stretch, where we might find something that that we wouldn’t have found otherwise….sometimes it’s not until we find ourselves in struggle that we discover what we’re made of.”Episode highlights:Struggle as the birth place of our best work. Shining a light in the middle of the tunnel, rather than trying to get out of it.With curiosity, what are the rich learnings we can glean from our moments of struggle?Skateboarding for the first time - the power of invitation to try something new. Understanding the four stages of competence.High functioning fear - what is it and how does it limit us?More about Grace:gracemarshall.com@gracemarshallninjaOthers mentioned in this chat:yellowhatskateschool.com@yellowhatskateschoolJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

In our last episode before the summer break (we're back in September), I talk to the phenomenal JoJo White @jojolecook, who has admirably managed to combine her career and passion for boarding from the outset. After studying journalism at Bournemouth Uni, where she squeezed in surfing in to her studies wherever she could, she landed a job straight out of college working on Onboard Snowboarding magazine. She helped to launch the magazine online from the mountains of Chamonix. She then did the same for @surfeuropemag from Biarritz.She is now co-owner of All Conditions Media with Matt Barr of the excellent @welooksideways podcast. An avid surfer and snowboarder in her 40s, Jojo is now a mum of two, who knows the reality of juggling roles and finding time to surf.Having seen the boarding industry evolve over the last 20+ years, she has some unique and fascinating insights to share, particularly on how girls and women fit in. Episode highlights:Starting out in a male dominated industry: life as a journalist on boarding magazines, and reflections on how the industry has changed and is changing for women.Partnering with Matt Barr to create All Conditions Media, a communications company that works with leading brands in outdoor sportsFostering a progressive, inclusive working culture in the company, and moving it to a ‘donut’ employee owned model where “everyone with a seat at the table has an equal role to play".“Sainsbury’s or surfing?….surfing is the ultimate in self care”.The importance of finding time for oneself to do the thing you love.The changing face of board sports: how they’re becoming more inclusive for girls and women. "Sliding sideways well in to our 70s" - you're never too old to try out these sports, but make sure you focus on strength and conditioning too. More about JoJo:@jojolecookAll Conditions Media@allconmediaGroups JoJo mentions:Lusty Surf Life Saving ClubJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Danni Gallacher @danniinthewild is the founder of @girlskateuk and the exceedingly beautiful @theskateretreat which cleverly combines learning to skateboard in a natural and calm environment. Danni is an icon in the world of skateboarding, and this conversation gives a deep insight in to what has inspired Danni to do the work she does, and what she is planning next. Episode highlights:How Danni combined her love of nature and skateboarding to form the one of a kind @theskateretreat.Skateboarding as a teenage girl.Why she started @girlskateuk and how her role as a community builder has changed over time. How she’s ‘dug’ into her love of foraging and her new book ‘The Forager’s Almanac’.Why women need to break out of gender specific spaces when it comes to skateboarding.The growing space of skaters in later life.More about Danni:@danniinthewild@theskateretreat@girlskateuktheskateretreat.comgirlskateuk.comJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s episode is a bit longer than usual and features two guests - Harry and Nessy of Ride On Retreats - a luxury surf and yoga business. Both keen surfers, as well as beginner skateboarders, these lifelong friends bought the business from a mutual friend, and are busy turning their dream in to reality. It’s a really inspiring story. Episode highlights:How Nessy and Harry came to join forces and co-own Ride On Retreats. How they function as a team.Why they came so late to board sports, and the positive effect it is having on their lives and that of their families.The importance of family support as you try new things.The power of cold water swimming.The chair of awareness - Surfers Against Sewage.Take the first step - sign up for a lesson.More about Harry and Nessy:rideonretreats.com@rideonretreatsPlaces and people mentioned in the chat:Stockwell SkateparkYellow Hat Skate SchoolSurfers Against SewageJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Host of the Everyday Adventure podcast and founder of Resilience At Work, Nicki Bass is an occupational psychologist and TEDx speaker. The focus of her work is to help organisations develop the leadership skills and resilience of their people. An ex-army officer, Nicki is also a talented snow boarder and surfer in her 40s. Episode highlights:Failure is an important part of learning.How the Everyday Adventure podcast came about.Reframing adventure - What does it bring to you? What’s the feeling you get? It can be found everywhere and in the every day. Finding awe and wonder in the every day.Recording the TEDx talk - it wrote itself.On being an army officer.Developing Resilience At Work - tips and tricks on developing resilience.Board Sports and resilience - going just beyond your point of comfort.Why women are now coming more to board sports.Get started by choosing something you love and starting small. More about Nicki:resilienceatwork.co.ukinsta: @everydayadventurepodTEDx talk: The Life Changing Power Of Everyday AdventuresJoin the Board Women movement: boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Caroline Paul is author of New York Times best seller The Gutsy Girl and more recently Tough Broad: from Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking - How outdoor adventure improves our lives as we age. Whether it be walking mindfully and with awe in your neighbourhood, bird watching, hiking, surfing, or wing walking, the stories in Caroline’s new book are truly inspirational. When we’re constantly told that ageing is a slow decline, these stories remind us that as we grow old, and responsibilities may start to fall away, we can have the time of our lives and age in a fulfilling way. Episode highlights:Falling on a one wheel.Tough Broad - a quest to change the narrative of ageing.Skateboarding through grief and loss.Wing Walking - seeking courage and finding ecstasy. Cultivating awe in your daily life.Simply being outside is good for you as you age - the science says so.Being in your 60s can be a great time of exploration and adventure. The five drivers of healthy ageing.More about Caroline:carolinepaul.cominsta: @carolinembpaulJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Known for her amazing freestyle routines and tricks (including handstands on her board), Cornely @raizortail has competed in the European Championships, having taken up the sport in her late 30s.As a child she'd always wanted to skate, but she didn't want to stand out more than she already did, and so she decided not to. Now in her middle years, she's fully embracing 'dancing' with her board.Episode highlights:Getting in to skateboarding and joining forces with other women - Dorks On DecksGrowing up queer in a Christian family, and not wanting to stand out more.Freedom and energy - "skateboarding makes me a better mum, partner and worker".Freestyle skating is like a puzzle of tricks you shove in to one another - the weirder the better.Taking part in the European Championships.Skateboarding is like dancing.The skate community is such a warm and uplifting community - "I totally fit in".Cheer for each other and for every single baby step you take.More about Cornely:Insta: @raizortailGroups Cornely mentions:@dorksondecksJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Introducing Board Women, the podcast - an exploration of women, board sports and confidence.Get on board. Join the movement.boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost - Caroline KeylockProducer - Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Get ready for the infamous @auntyskates. Oorbee is well known for her social media images and videos of flying along on a skateboard in a saree. Oorbee began her skating journey in her 40s after deciding she no longer wanted to sit on the sidelines, whilst her husband and children had fun. Now almost 50, she has made skateboarding her career, inspiring women around the globe with her teaching, retreats and Tiktok and Instagram posts. “I’m so freaking lucky that I get to call myself a skateboarder. This is not what I imagined my life to be at almost 50 years old.”Enjoy this half hour of infectious energy and enthusiasm, and tell us what you think. Episode highlights:The journey from being a kid who wasn’t allowed a bike to a women skating huge bowls.The unexpected rise to fame through social media posts going viral.Skateboarding through grief and loss.Coaching and encouraging others.Representation and skating.When you feel fear, that’s the time to take action.More about Oorbee:Insta: @auntyskatesauntyskates.comJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Dress Like A Mum founder, Zoë de Pass is an extreme fan of snowboarding, having spent 3 years doing a 'season'.“It’s just like being on top of the world. It’s like breathing out a massive breath. Going up that first chair lift and looking down the mountain, my shoulders drop, there’s relaxation. I just love it.”She now runs her own snowboarding retreats, and last year ran a surfing one too. She’s also designed her own eyewear.Episode highlights:How @dresslikeamum came about and how it's evolved.Zoë's passion for snowboarding & how she's made it work.Her board retreats & women trying new things.Why as women we sometimes get in our own way.How her concept of risk has changed as she's got older.Finding confidence in her new sunglasses business.Setting boundaries in social mediaMore about Zoe:@dresslikeamumDress Like A MumZoe De Pass EyewearJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Danni is a transpersonal psychotherapist, as well as surf confidence coach. Much of what she has to say about surfing applies to all board sports, so listen in - this episode is packed with lots of tips and wise advice. “When we go out and surf, whatever is happening in our real lives is almost an exaggeration of what is going on in our lives. Because we experience such highs in surf, especially in that honeymoon period, where we catch our first wave, it’s this high we are constantly chasing. And because we’ve felt such a high, we have to experience the lows that go with it; and the higher the highs, the lower the lows. So that is why, in surfing, emotions are so exaggerated, and it’s almost like our capacity to feel grows within surf.”Episode highlights:It's good to fall.Finding surfing later in life: “When I found surfing, it became this anchor to who I was as a person….I felt powerful.”Surfing is pure presence: ‘When you’re in the flow with the surf and the ocean, it’s pure freedom. Nothing else matters.”Running surf confidence coaching workshops.Surfing as a relationship cycleBeat the inner critic.Importance of mindset pre surfRegaining confidence post injury / incidentMore about Danni:Insta: @danniunwaytherapyDanni Unway TherapyGroups that Danni mentions:Newquay Women’s Surf ClubJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Sam is an award winning writer and editor specialising in action sports, the environment and the outdoors, having written for @huckmagazine @guardian @thetimes @telegraph @financialtimes and many more.She’s a snowboarding and surfing enthusiast and I love her attitude to seeing everyday as a privilege that she gets to do these sports,“It’s slightly morbid to say, but with something like snowboarding I’m conscious of how many more days am I going to have on the mountain, in terms of the years you have left in your life, the climate crisis. That sounds like a depressing thought, but I don’t see it as depressing, I see every day on the mountain as a privilege.”We talk about so much, but I particularly love her focus on continuing to have adventures even when you have a family. It can be easy to let that stuff slide, but life is so much better when you stay fulfilled.Episode highlights:Sam’s ToysRUs skateboard in the 80’sFeeling lucky to do these sports at 47Being a lifelong intermediateThe frustration of criticising middle aged womenBeing an adventurous mumGetting people to care about the environmentMore about Sam:@samhaddadClimate and Board SportsGroups and people Sam mentions:[email protected]@sophiehellyer@stephaniegilmoreJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Having brought up 2 sons as a single mother, and cared for her parents, Jo Moseley decided to welcome in a new adventurous chapter in her life when she entered her 50s. In 2019, she became the first woman to stand-up paddle board coast to coast from Liverpool to Goole, litter picking along the way - 162 miles in total. She documented the ups and downs of her journey in a beautiful film ‘Brave Enough - A Journey Home to Joy’. Part of her motivation for doing the trip was that she’d lost some of her friends to cancer. Life, she realised, was short and needed to be lived to the max. She has written a book about paddle boarding in Great Britain, and is about to publish a second book about stand-up paddle-boarding in the Lake District . More recently, she has taken up skateboarding. ‘I’ve always wanted to learn to skateboard. I was growing up in the 70s, my brother had a skateboard but ‘girls didn’t skateboard’. There were no skateparks, nowhere to have a lesson. It just wasn’t seen to be a thing that a girl from the north would do. So skateboarding is the thing where I said ‘you can be a beginner, you can invest in some lessons. The minute I went for that first lesson, I loved it.’Episode highlights:Paddle boarding coast to coast - the plan and the reality.‘For the first time in months, I felt like a warrior and not a worrier’.The impact of losing friends - honouring their creativity. Going through peri-menopause. Becoming brave - taking the next step, and the next step. Taking up skate boarding - ‘I love being a beginner’. More about Jo:@jomoseleyjomoseley.comPlaces that Jo mentionsLS-TEN.org@LS-TEN SkateparkJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

As founder of Project Fearless, Merida Miller has made it her life’s work to empower young girls and gender fluid youth to take on new things, fall, and get back up again. Merida was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where failing was accepted, and even encouraged. Through Project Fearless, she aims to create that safe space for others to learn and fail, and ultimately to grow. Project Fearless offers a variety of activities, but it’s best known for its skateboarding programme. It’s even come to the attention of big brands like Nike. Episode highlights:The psychology of falling.Setting up Project Fearless.Before Project Fearless - designing snowboarding clothing.Being Hype Girl - cheering people on and creating a ripple effect of impact.Boosting confidence through learning how to fall and get back up.Role models: more women and gender minority coaches are needed.Building teams is an important basis for Project Fearless.Merida’s story with board sports - “snow boarding is my first and greatest love”. Moving to the Netherlands and getting in to skateboarding - Dorks On Decks.Mums want to get involved too.Creating safe spaces for girls and gender minorities. “School is not necessarily a safe space, so it’s important to have spaces outside of school.” Find your comfort zone and then get a little bit out of it to get in to your growth zone.  More about Merida@[email protected] and groups that Merida mentions:@dorksondecks@womenskatetheworld@skateparknoordJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

The fantastic Nick Woodhouse is founder of Sister Motion, a business she set up to close the gender gap in commercial production, led by female teams. “7% of commercial directors and women are only 11% of creative directors are women and this is why we still have these lazy outdated stereotypes of women in the commercials and the content we’re fed”She became analytical about gender stereotypes when she had her daughter Nancy. Providing Nancy, and girls like her, with strong female protagonists to look up to, became a driving motivation for setting up Sister Motion. Nicky is an avid surfer (and was a skater when she was in her teens) and this passion has spilled in to her work, informing many of the clients that have bought in to her all female talented teams. Episode highlights:Taking the slams - falling in surfing and falling in the business. Sister Motion - “comes from my own lived experience. I was often the only female on a shoot, other than hair and make-up.”“I want my daughter Nancy to have better role models in commercial content and adverts.”We need to change the statistics in the broadcast and advertising industry.Journey in to boarding - from teen skateboarder to avid surfer. “In an ideal world I would surf every day.”The joy of surfing - “surfing is my new high.”Social media is encouraging more women in their middle years to try out these sports.Surf etiquette - finding your space in a male dominated environment. More about Nicky:@nickywoodhouse@sister_motionSister MotionGroups Nicky mentions:London Surf ClubSurfing England@sauntonsurfsistersJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

“It is good to have some older women showing up and skating and showing that it is possible for all ages.”Jane Falconer-White is a 49 year old mum who took up skateboarding just before lockdown, and practiced throughout lockdown in her garage. She specialises in freestyle skating and was the only woman from the UK to compete in the European Freestyle Championships 2023. She has documented her journey on instagram @skatejanefw.Episode highlights:Taking pride in bruises - “the more you fall the more you lose the fear of it”. Rock to Fakie - what it is.Getting in to skateboarding just before lockdown and then learning at home on the internet.Skateboarding has adrenaline and excitement, but it’s also about being in flow and being relaxed.Freestyle skateboarding - what it is. Taking part in the European Freestyle Championships with Mike Osterman’s board.Instagram - “it helped me to document my journey”. It’s great for networking, but be careful not to compare yourself.Skating at home in the garage in the winter. Being supported by family. Skating helps with mental health as well as physical health and peri-menopause. More about Jane:Insta: @skatejanefwPlaces and people Jane mentions:The House Skatepark@mike_ostermanJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Stefanie Sword-Williams is the founder of the brilliantly named F*ck Being Humble We wanted to feature confidence coaches on the podcast, and Stefanie was top of the list. She helps women everywhere learn how to promote themselves, and increase their confidence. Stefanie tours globally, giving talks and training sessions to employees of top brands as well as individuals. She has written a book about her ideas, and has a large social media following at @fbeinghumbleEpisode highlights:Stefanie gets on a skateboard for the first time.Why Stefanie set up F*ck Being Humble in 2018: self-promotion is not a dirty word.The business hit a nerve and went viral.Managing imposter syndrome.Reflect on the big and the small wins.Overcome shame and fear of judgment.Stefanie learns a valuable lesson on the streets of New York: “Sit with discomfort - the payoff could be extraordinary”.Find a ‘F*ck you’ song and a celebration song.Make sure you have a safety net - a group of cheerleaders and positive people.More about Stefanie:fuckbeinghumble.comInsta: @stefaniesw and @fbeinghumbleJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

“Skateboarding always made me happy. It gets your blood flowing, gets your mind off your troubles - it’s a mood changer. I really do think I skated through menopause.”Skating bowls in her 60s, Marlene talks about skating at an older age, menopause, recovering from falls and coming back to skating after a heart attack. She was one of the founding members of @100percentskateclub in Canada, creating safe spaces for girls and women to skate. On top of this, as @imagemaven, she is a YouTube photography tutor. Episode highlights:Coming back from a big fall. The journey into skateboarding - from teens to now.“I’ve found my tribe”Creating community - the 100percentskateclub - making space for women and girls.You don’t need to belong to a team and it doesn’t matter how good you are….and it’s exciting and inspiring to watch.  You’re not too old - resisting dissenting voices. “I’m a sensible skater - I don’t skate when it’s wet and I only take calculated risks.”The joy that skating brings - the flow. “It can turn a bad day in to a great day.”Coming back to skating after having a heart attack.Start slow, and find your own group or  start your own club. More about Marlene:Insta: @imagemavenYoutube: ImageMavenPlaces and clubs Marlene mentions:100% Skate ClubLater Skaters GangJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

“When you get to 40, you realise there’s not much time to do what you’ve dreamt of doing and having time for yourself. I think we always realise that doing things for ourself makes us better parents, better friends and better relationships so I think it’s nice to strike out and push our comfort zones a little bit and try something new.”Hayley Lawrence aka @middleagedsurfmum tried surfing many times in her life, but it became her whole life in her 40s. She’s now a writer, works with The Wave Project charity as a coach, and founded both a local mums surf group, as well as a travel company specialising in surf holidays for families.Episode highlights:“The ocean is there to humble us.” It can be frustrating at times and some days you just have to give up. It’s not about doing it for anyone other myself" - that makes it easier to deal with the more frustrating days. “You feel really rinsed….it’s the best feeling.” It's all worth it though.The long journey in to surfing.Surfing with the family and surfing as time out from the family. “It’s the only place no-one can get you.”Setting up a surf mum’s group and a travel company.Surfing in the Hebrides and Senegal. More about Hayley: @middleagedsurfmumFamily Surf Co.Places Hayley mentions:King SurfThe Wave ProjectJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

As CMO of Habito, a challenger fintech in the world of mortgages, Abba took the company to become the biggest sponsor in UK Skateboarding history. She worked tirelessly to help build and renovate skate-able spaces across the UK and support the UK Skate Championships. Skating and mortgages don’t seem a natural match, but it worked. It also mirrored Abba’s journey into skateboarding on a personal level as a 40+ woman. Now 50, she is still an avid skater and surfer. She has since joined Circa5000, a UK based ethical investment platform. She plans to connect the brand to surfing, in a similar vein to how she connected Skateboarding to Habito. In this conversation, Abba talks about both her branding and her personal journey in to the world of skating and surfing. Episode highlights:How Habito came to be the official UK Skate Championships sponsor.Creating more spaces for communities to skate.Don’t be scared of skateboarders - skateboarding can drive out crime.We need more skate coaches.Circa 5000 and impact investing and surfing.A personal journey in to surfing and skateboarding. Boomtime for skateboarding.Just get out there and do it.Companies mentioned by Abba:HabitoCirca 5000Jimbo Phillips Places mentioned by Abba:Noah Surf HouseBay Sixty6Groups mentioned by Abba:Concrete WavesSkateboard GBMySkate Join the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost: Caroline KeylockProducer: Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Esther Sayers is a role model to us all. Her name comes up in so many conversations in this community; it seems all roads lead to her. She took up skateboarding at the age of 47, and continues to enjoy the sport to this day, despite a substantial injury to her fingers. She runs the MA Arts and Learning program at Goldsmiths and brings her experience of skateboarding in to her academic work. In this conversation, Esther touches on coming back to skateboarding after her injury and overcoming fear to do so; what a drop in is; skating without pads; ageing and menopause, and subverting the narrative of decline; and how skateboarding has changed her relationship with her children. Episode highlights:The battle scars of fallingThe feeling of skating without pads (when it’s safe to do so)Bowl skating, dropping in, and gaining confidence Strategies on overcoming fear (especially after an injury)Skating as a familyMenopause, ageing and skateboardingMore about Esther:@esthersayersDr Esther SayersPlaces Esther mentions:House of Vans SkateparkJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost - Caroline KeylockProducer - Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe

Known globally for her graceful and seemingly effortless moves on a longboard, Valeriya is a brilliantly talented skateboarder and the founder of @the_longboard_camp and co-founder of with @axel.massin. Their Insta films are so popular that one of their clips has been viewed 13 million times. Valeriya now runs sold-out skate camps throughout the year, and hundreds of students have completed her online course.In this conversation, Valeriya explains what longboard dancing is, and how she came to it; why she set up the Longboard Camp; how women of all ages are stepping in to this arena; the importance of welcoming in difficult feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome; and how she is now trying to find more of a balance in her life again. Episode content and highlights:It’s ok to fall. What is longboard dancing?Feeling the flow - let your moves unfold. You’re never too old to start.Welcome the feeling of insecurity - lack of confidence is a part of it.It’s ok to be ordinary and to fail.Burning out and finding a balance again. Choose better and set priorities. Taking a break from social media.Skating is a happy moment of flow and expression.More about Valeriya: @valeriya_gogunskayaThe Longboard Camp@the_longboard_campJoin the Board Women movement:boardwomen.co@boardwomenHost - Caroline KeylockProducer - Selma ChalabiPhotography - Clare KeylockArtwork - Rozi Wan Rimli Music - Brother Brother by Benjamin Caleb Johnson, performed by BENSON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Board Women at weareboardwomen.substack.com/subscribe