@hell_on_quads team skaters: @986_____ , @ambarmb , @moonsunwitch_ and @luibog_ / photo: @_aartemisaa_

Hell on Quads is a sponsored flow team, created back in 2014 by Alexandra (@moonsunwitch_) and Carolina (@986_____) in Bogotá which has since grown into a full crew of local talents from different cities all around Colombia.

The crew has been working locally to help grow roller skating by hosting multiple events in different cities, giving lessons, inviting international skaters to come to Colombia to get to know the local community and more… @hell_on_quads is all about sharing their perspective on roller skating, and bringing awareness on how the growth of roller skating in their environment is fueled by a collective of individuals and their efforts (since it is really hard to acquire gear in Latin American countries)

This past November the Hell on Quads crew visited México which is an amazing, growing community full of and passion for roller skating and lots of talent! During the trip, they hosted a series of encounters to get to know more of the local skate scene and their talented individuals. The massive city is one of the biggest capitals in Latin America, full of culture and stunning spots all around the city.

The local crew @chicasenquads helped make this encounter happen and put in a lot of work to find the perfect spots and get help from many local collectives which proved to be a great opportunity get to know them better!  

Here’s our conversation with @Chicasenquads:

Q: Give us a brief introduction of what is “Chicas en Quads” !

A: We’re a collective from Mexico City, started in 2020. Our main goal is to create safe spaces for people to start roller skating!

Chicas en quads skater: @himekolau / photo @_aartemisaa_

Q: What do you think is the hardest part of roller skating in Mexico?

A: There is a lack of resources, affording the right equipment to skate is hard and we feel there’s a need for support from the industry to keep the sport growing. We usually must save for months to be able to buy gear, wheels, and replacements. It is not unusual to see amazing skaters ripping on the most thrashed gear and they deserve the best! 

Q: How do you feel about the event now that is done?

A: The impact of this event was amazing! We had people from all over the country traveling to be part of it. It also opened doors for various spaces and organizations that helped us make it happen, and its outcome was helping the sport to be more visible, and proving that female skaters also deserve a spot in it. It gave us the motivation to keep pushing our projects and have more people join in! 

Friday night at @rabiosomx / photo: _aartemisaa_

Q: What has been happening for the group and what are the future plans?

A: Chicas en Quads wants the roller skating community to keep growing, we want to travel to more states through Mexico; this year we went to Querétaro and Celaya for the first time, but there is so many places we want to visit. We want to inspire all level skaters and spread the message, roller skating is creating community, finding friends, moving your body, having fun…there is so much more behind it.

Shout out to Chicas en Quads: @himekolaulau @karinatiti @vissertornasol @_harakiri_kitty @torus_brnl !

Part of this experience is portrayed on this video, where everyone enjoyed being on their wheels and learned something new!

We also had a chat with @hell_on_quads about their experience traveling for the first time abroad as a team:

Q: Why did “Hell on Quads” decide to visit Mexico?

A: The main reason was to share this experience as a group! There is something so rewarding with sharing skating with people that live skating the same way. We have been friends for a long time, some of us had the opportunity to visit other communities and this was the chance to do it together. México feels so much like home, the kindness of their people and amazing culture is what inspired us to do this trip. We have been chatting with the local skaters for a long time and they are so talented!

@hell_on_quads team skater @alejandratm _ / photo: @_aartemisaa_

Q: What do you think are the similarities of roller skating between both countries?

A: Roller skating for us is a community thing. We understand that skating as a safe space to share and grow, and most of us understand the struggle to acquire the equipment and opportunities in our spaces. The vibe at the events were amazing, everyone was cheering, trying, bailing, standing up! The motivation and joy we get from skating, seeing all this amazing people rip on thrashed out skates and gear… We just love the feeling; the fire of this encounter was a dream.

Q: How did you feel once you realized the size of the event?

A: It was mind-blowing, people came from all over the country to be part of this, we loved teaching and learning from them. To be honest, we all said at the end of the event that it felt like home. We were so stoked people were excited to skate with us, it’s really humbling and made us feel like we were part of the community even as foreigners. 

Hell on quads team skater: @moonsunwitch_ / photo: @_aartemisaa_

In summation, I would like to address the thing that resonated the most with me after this whole experience: there is no way to fully portray the amazing energy we shared during this event! Part of creating these projects is to show the other face of roller skating in Latin America. There are many negative things people may associate our countries with, but we share a deep feeling of resilience as we grew up in situations where we only find comfort in community. The way we shared skating and our experiences was so joyful and revealing.

Here are some amazing Mexican skaters to follow: @vrendasannicolas / @addiroller / @turount / @diablomarino / @amitam_x / @ iztapasauria and many more!!!

My invitation is for you to research some more on this amazing communities, you will find the kindest and most talented people willing to share skating in the most genuine way! 

Hell on quads team skater: @986_____ / picture: @_aartemisaa_