Katja Djukic "KATESKATESS" is an amazing roller skater from Slovenian that has been consistently improving and honing her craft. Katja is a multi-faceted skater who free skates, coaches at the Blading Camp for their quad weeks and competes in roller skate contest in Europe. Katja is a well-rounded skater who pours her love for roll skating and the community into many different outlets.

Recently, Katja premiered her first street roller skating part featuring iconic spots in Barcelona and her hometown in Slovenia. We chatted with Katja about her filming process, roller skating from her perspective and her coaching experiences!

Q: How and when you did you start roller skating?

A: I started roller skating with roller derby in Ljubljana back in 2014 and started ramp skating 2 years later. I got introduced to ramp skating at a derby boot camp in Milano when I saw Irene (doom_394) and a few other girls skating on ramps! It blew my mind! That moment was transformative and I fell head over wheels in love and was instantly hooked! I have also seen the video of Moxi and S1 helmets - x helmet co which fueled my passion, making me go to the skatepark nearly every day.

Q: How would you describe skating in Slovenia? How is your experience now that you've been around other European countries?

A: Skating in Slovenia is hard since we do not have a lot of skateparks except indoors which are basically a tiny room with a mini. All we have are more than less street parks built for skateboarders. We don't have any skatepark with an object higher than 2m, even this is very hard to find. So, the most challenging part was always to keep skating even with very limited space. I have been lucky to have gotten the opportunity to coach in multiple EU countries, where they treat roller skating differently! Mostly I love to visit Belgium, Ireland and Germany! The communities there are the best and most supportive ones! I try to go out of my country and skate in proper skateparks, but mostly I am afraid since I am not nearly used to all the high objects and of course you are not risking getting broken bones in another country. That is why I try to visit Barcelona as many times as possible, since they have so many street spots and skateparks and nice weather. Also, people there are skating every day! I skate mostly alone in Slovenia but have a group of BMXers here with whom I skate now and they are really great! I miss roller skaters, and I wish I had someone who skates way better than me to get motivated and improve faster.

Q: Congrats on your first video part! How was the process of making it?

A: Your appreciation means a lot! I spent January and February 2023 capturing most of the clips in BCN with the help of Kenneth (ragnaroll) on weekends, and two additional days filming in Slovenia during the summer with my friend Ivan. Admittedly, I made a mistake by waiting to release the footage; I now realize the value of sharing clips sooner to avoid feeling like my efforts are outdated. Lesson learned!

Q: Which was the most challenging trick or spot?

A: The most challenging was definitely the besos waves in BCN. I remember coming to this spot in 2018 and I was amazed by everyone who jumped over this damn high fence! My wish back then was that I will have the guts to jump over a thing like this! And last year we went with Kenneth (ragna) and Jaime (@srkalavera) just to check out the spot again and I tried multiple times, just jumping at the end and see if I am missing a lot to do the whole thing. And I was missing about 50 cm at the beginning, it seemed impossible. After getting some good jumps I concentrated on putting my skates directly under my bottom and I somehow jumped unintentionally over the fence. I know that sounds stupid but that is what happened. We were all shocked haha. I have a video on IG where you can see my surprised face as I jumped over, as well as the spectators behind me sitting with open mouths. People do not really see how difficult this spot is to skate since there are millions of kids and parents who don't give a shit and are annoyed by all the skaters coming there. They don't move, they don't care and they will intentionally snake you! So it was very very difficult! But this is my biggest achievement, I am very proud I have come over this fear and little me would be very proud!

Q: You are also a returning coach for Blading Camp: How is this camp held and what you like most of it?

A: Yes! Blading camp holds a special place in my heart! It's not just a favorite place, but a cherished experience. The incredible folks behind the scenes and my dear fellow coaches are more than just colleagues, I know it sounds so cliche but it’s true! They're my favorite people. The support I receive from them goes beyond skating; it's personal, and words can't quite capture it. The camp itself is nothing short of amazing. There's so much to rave about, but let's keep it short. Picture this: a week filled with adventure as we travel to two different destinations every day, exploring the coolest skateparks and cruising in a bus. Our home is a beautiful traditional Spanish home located in the mountains, where the shared rooms and bunk beds bring back the carefree vibes of a summer camp. In between intense skate sessions, we always make a water break, where you have the chance to jump into a lake or the ocean, and take a refreshing pause to fill up your batteries. The organization is topnotch and you're never hungry or thirsty. Yet, what steals my heart every time are the people. The bonds I forge in that short week feel timeless. I meet individuals who, within a day, become a part of my life, and by the last day, I'm left wanting to bring them all home with me. You know who you are! :* Witnessing individuals conquer fears, finding the motivation to step out of their comfort zones, is an immense joy and it never gets old. With the fantastic team of coaches, we share the best times and the best laughs. What I treasure most about the camp is the freedom to be myself. People accept and love you for who you are. It's a place where coolness is just being authentically you! Hahaha!

Q: You wear protective gear on the full part, it's surprising to see people doing this: what's your take on this?

A: Yes I do! I always wear my protective gear and I cannot skate without my helmet. I have been skating a lot without protection but looking back I feel like I was very foolish. I have seen a bunch of people getting injured to this degree that they had to stop skating, even learn to speak/walk again. Some never recover and I feel like I do not want to play this game. If I can, I will protect myself as much as I can since I want to keep rolling for a long time! Honestly, for me personally I just think it is extremely dumb to skate without a helmet since I am one of the clumsy ones.

One time I skated street without a helmet I fell on my back while doing a fakie 360 and I was lucky that the spot was small and the hit was not serious, but it could have gone very, very wrong if I wouldn't have a very strong neck (from headbanging) to keep my head off the ground. But to be honest I have noticed that each time I skate without protection I will fall on that exact spot. When I wear all my gear I 99,9% never fall. I do not know why this happens each time, but I learned my lessons through the years fighting through pain and not being able to skate without constant fear of getting injured again. Despite sounding like a safety conscious grandma, I prioritize safety over being considered "cool." Honestly, I never understood this mentality, for me you are not looking cooler if you are skating without a helmet, but I see this is a trend now. But yeah, you do you I do me :D I know myself and I would rather wear a helmet.

Q: What's next for Katja?

A: This year I mostly want to focus on myself and train my body to get more control and to trust myself more. I feel like my fear of getting injured is growing by the day so I need to take action on that. I will be filming a lot of street skating, since my dear boyfriend Matej bought a really cool camera and now I don't need to ask around filmers who would spend time on my project (it is not that easy). I have a demanding full time job, but I am endlessly grateful for the support I get from my colleagues and bosses which allow me to work remotely so I don't fall into a deep spiral (they know I have no proper infrastructure to improve my skills). This year will be great, filled with a lot of skating!

You can check Katja's part "FUNISHMENT" following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IS8_CsSl4

IG: @kateskatess

Photos by @matejzan