The Toronto-based Babes Brigade skateboarding group recently made their second pilgrimage north in as many summers. At the urging of team members Amber Moffatt and Chantal Garcia, who have ties to the North Bay area, the inaugural Babes Go North trip took place in summer 2016. The idea was to assemble accomplished female skateboarders, pack up a few vehicles with supplies and head to North Bay while stopping at prime skating locales along the way. The trip was such a success, that the group organized version 2.0 for July 2017.
Babes Brigade was formed as a collective of female skaters who shone in the skateboard world despite the male-dominated history of the sport. Steph Battieste felt that the female segment of the skateboarding population was not getting their due as far as media coverage and acceptance so she spearheaded the group that meets weekly to skateboard together.
Moffatt says that this year's event, and the attention that the original garnered, led to sponsorship by Vans apparel and recognition online on the King Skateboard magazine website. "We have a lot of talented ladies in the group," with skills beyond skateboarding. Garcia filmed the trip and took photographs along with Stella Grob. Journalist Aimee Robinson kept a written account of their adventures that later appeared in the magazine article.
"The video, photos, and article to me, personally, is an achievement," continued Moffatt. "King Skateboard magazine is huge in Canada. To have the team featured in something I was able to plan with my best friends is surreal."
The team showed off their considerable skateboarding skills in a video shot by Garcia, highlighting their adventures in July. A PG-rated excerpt of the video can be seen here. Visit the Babes Brigade YouTube channel here and select "Babes Skate North 2.0 Full Edit," for an uncensored, complete version that, as a warning, includes some profanity and shadfly eating.
The women made a game of this year's trip, teaming up to complete a series of challenging tasks ranging from arm wrestling to cliff jumping to getting a stranger's phone number. The trip kicked off at Dunbat Skatepark in Toronto and made stops in places such as Huntsville, Bracebridge, Bonfield and at Talon Chute. After viewing the finished video, it is clear that the ladies enjoyed their second summer trip north.
"Really we just try to have as much fun as possible and having a group of girls that will accept you for who you are, and are so supportive, is a gift. Our passions bring us together," said Moffatt, reflecting on their journey.
