Getting your skate on in Florianópolis                          Back to JOUR 440 Page

by Grant Eads

The skateboarding “scene” in Florianópolis is alive and well, but still a little small for a city of around 300,000 people. Often overlooked at an international level or overshadowed by São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Floripa boasts four public skateboard facilities, countless urban architecture obstacles for creativity and a batch of fresh talent.

“Some people would say that skateboarding is dead [in Florianópolis] because there are only about thirty or forty real skateboarders left and the streets are so rough”, said Cassio Rodrigues, 19, a Floripa skater. “But anybody who grows up here, knows where all the spots are.”

Skateboarders undertake a discontinuous edit of architecture and urban space, recomposing their own city from different places, locations, urban elements, routes and times. The city for the skateboarder becomes a tourist’s postcard where various spaces are compressed into an irrational [in time and space] view, according to Iain Borden, Senior Lecturer in Architectural History at Bartlett University in London.

Skateboard parks are spread throughout Florianópolis (Photo by Grant Eads)

“Vulcão” at UFSC, the “nove do Centro”, and “PC3” are examples of urban Florianópolis architecture labeled strictly weekend spots, while anybody can find and skate Eduardo Pinto Correa or Pista do Estreito on weekdays without any hassle.

The public skateboard parks are scattered throughout Florianópolis, but locals will stress the importance of experiencing the real skate spots the city and surroundings have to offer.

“Skateboarding in Floripa is one way to experience the city, it will give you different views of the surroundings”, said Guga Testinha, 22, who recently moved from Porto Alegre, another city known amongst skateboarders as a great place to visit. “But if you think here is good, then you haven’t seen Porto Alegre.”

Public spaces are also adapted and used by skateboarders in Floripa (Photo by Grant Eads)

Brazilian skateboarders like Rodrigo TX, Carlos de Andrade, Fabrizio Santos and Rodrigo Lima have all had much success as cross-overs professional skateboarders to the United States and reportedly seek out the south of Brazil in places like Florianopolis and Porto Alegre for new territory when in the homeland.

“Skateboarders in Brazil cannot only skate to make a living, they must have other jobs; in America, professional skateboarders can have a good life”, said Alexsandro Correa, Floripa skateboarder, speaking on why most professional Brazilians eventually leave and drop sponsors for a career with companies in the United States.

Skateboarders enjoy the ride in Floripa, although they say it's impossible to live from the sport alone in Brasil (Photo by Grant Eads)

Although skateboarding in Florianopolis creates its own style unique to southern Brazil, many of the current trends, fashion and style comes directly from the United States, and more specifically from southern California. But then again, Brazil is not the only place where this occurs. 

Skateboarders do not attempt to understand the city, nor do they try to document it. Skateboarding leaves almost no text to be read; its marks an assaults leaves virtually no discernible script for others to translate and comprehend. The kinds of marks on concrete blocks, ledges, stairs and handrails are about the only “text” left by the art/sport/activity of skateboarding.

The freedom and creative of skateboarding is what draws people from all countries to communicate through repetition and style.

Start Pushing.

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