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Young alumni

Elissa Mah

24 July 2023

BCom Marketing 2011, BCom(Hons) Marketing 2011, BA Chinese 2012

Champion Downhill Skateboarder

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You’ve competed in the World Skate Games and been crowned the four-time Asia Pacific Champion! What got you into downhill skateboarding originally?

I fell into the sport by accident! I started skating while I was at UC, back in late 2010 when longboarding was going through its first boom period. My brother and his friends were skating, so I gave it a go too and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could balance and skate around. Gliding around on a board was an extremely freeing sensation, so I kept at it. 

I was aware of downhill skateboarding through the Garden City Sessions crew but thought it'd never be for me, due to the hassle of extra safety equipment needed and fear of getting hurt. However, a couple of years later I went through a fairly big life event that caused me to reevaluate who I was and what was important to me - I tried a bunch of things and downhill skateboarding stuck! Skating hills requires your full focus, so it's great for clearing your mind since you have to be fully in the moment. 

When you started, did you ever see yourself representing New Zealand on the world stage? What does representing NZ mean to you?

Never! I grew up as an extremely unsporty kid - I was that kid at school to be the last picked for team sports - and on top of that I was extremely shy. I never had a sporting hero growing up, as it just wasn't something I could relate to. Turns out it was a matter of finding the right kind of sport/physical activity for me. 

Representing NZ in my chosen discipline is a huge privilege - I love being able to put our tiny little nation on the map and showing the rest of the world that hey, we exist, and hey, we actually do alright on the world stage. I also think it's cool that I can do this in an unconventional sport and as someone who was discouraged from activities like skateboarding because I am female - if you care about something, you shouldn't let stereotypes and the naysayers hold you back.

What has been your favourite competition or downhill course to date?

It's hard to pick a favourite, as different racetracks and events stand out for different reasons. Two events come to mind though - I raced the European circuit in 2019 before covid shut down the world, and Kozakov in the Czech Republic was unforgettable. Kozakov is one of the longest-running races in the world and is famous for a track that is both fast and technical, and the parties almost every single night - it did not disappoint. I also was lucky to be hanging out there with an amazing group of international skate friends, which made all the difference. 

The other event was my first time on the Visayan Longboard Trilogy (VLT) in the Philippines, back in 2016 - VLT is an almost two week-long tour across events on three different islands in the Visayas region. Once again, we had the best ever crew of skate friends and it was the perfect balance between skating crazy concrete roads and a tropical island holiday. The Philippines is also home to probably the most enthusiastic downhill skaters I've ever met, who shred on whatever gear they can get their hands on - skating with them teaches you to be grateful for what you've got. 

You’ve been a key influence in helping to build a strong longboarding scene here in Christchurch? What led to your involvement with Garden City Sessions?

The "longboard" disciplines that we do are definitely quite niche and as such, Garden City Sessions is really the only group in Christchurch that focuses on things like downhill skating, longboard dancing, distance skating and other non-skatepark related types of skateboarding. Most longboarders who seek a group to skate with eventually find their way there haha. 

Skating has really changed my life for the better, so I want to help more people discover it - especially other women - and feel that sense of empowerment from successfully learning a new thing. Plus, building a stronger scene means more friends to skate with :)

While studying at UC you completed a BCom and a BA. What advice would you give to a new student looking to complete a double degree?

It's not scary! If there are two different fields of study that you're interested in, definitely consider giving both a shot. Talk to other students who've gone down the same path as you and ask lecturers of the courses you're interested in what the workload is like. 

What highlights have stayed with you from your time at UC?

The staff and the environment. I had several lecturers across Marketing, Chinese, and Japanese who were not just great at teaching, but genuinely cared about their students and wanted to see us succeed - it makes a real difference to your uni experience. The campus itself was also just a really cool place to be in, with lots of courtyard spaces amongst trees and quirky buildings, and great for exploring by board. 

 

Check out Elissa Mah, one of our Sporting Legends profiles in our 150th Alumni Showcase here.

Photo Credit: Peter Meecham

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