BENGALURU: Picture this: You casually pick up your waveboard, walk on a busy pavement and then you’re on a roll, quite literally. While this may sound like a dreamy sequence from a high school webseries on Netflix, this is actually the scene at Cubbon Park, especially on weekends, with increasing number of youngsters picking up waveboarding as a hobby.
The waveboard, which is quite popular in USA and Japan, is slightly different from a skateboard, which has four wheels. On the other hand, a waveboard has just two. Pavan M Shekar, who has been practising waveboarding from the last 2.5 years, says in this sport you can cruise around with ease and have fun. And the best part, there’s no age limit to pick up the skill. “This has only two wheels, which rotate 360 degrees. You just have to wiggle the back wheel of the board to accelerate and the front wheel controls direction. It’s all about balance,” says Shekar, who is also a waveboard coach at Bengaluru Skaters community and can be spotted at Cubbon Park every Sunday. “I have coached more than 20 students. Since it is a growing community, I don’t charge anything,” he further adds.
For Akhila C, a financial analyst, it was about picking up a new skill and as she felt ‘roller skating is too mainstream’. So, waveboarding came in as a perfect fit. “We have a group of skaters and practice together and help each other,” says 23-year-old Akhila, who emphasises that since it is summer, many youngsters are taking up the activity.
As waveboarding is flexible and allows the person to move in a zig-zag manner, the individual can practice in limited spaces. Amith Krishna, who is a chef by profession, picked it up during the lockdown period. “I knew how to skate, so I tried my hand at waveboarding. Due to the lockdown, I wasn’t able to step out for practice. Since my house is quite spacious, I practiced it at home,” says Krishna, adding it is a sport that can be learnt quickly.
Lakshmi Jagadeesh, a Class 12 student agrees. Jagadeesh initially wanted to learn skateboarding but eventually picked up waveboard owing to its ease factor. “After completing my Class 10, my sister asked me what I wanted as a present and I asked for a skateboard. But when I visited Decathlon, I found a waveboard which I found interesting. I learnt it myself,” recalls Jagdeesh, adding that a waveboard costs between Rs 4,000- Rs 5,000. Jagadeesh, who usually practices at Cubbon Park with a group of youngsters, hopes that the roads improve so she can use it as a means to commute within the city.