Cara Beth Burnside, known as CB by her friends hails from Orange California. Born there July 23, 1971. Her passion for skateboarding began the early 80’s when she was ten, skating at the Big O skate park. The 80’s experienced a surge and rebirth of skateboarding. After a low the in late 70’s and the start of the 80’s. Cara was dedicated, her love for skateboarding radiated as she skated for many hours at a time.
Hitting up vert ramps and pools, big airs, inverts, slashing the coping, sweepers and more. She didn’t go unnoticed, stunning her male counterparts whether they liked to admit it or not. Cara skates fast, full tilt for the love of skateboarding knowing that it’s not just for the guys. The Big O became a second home where she wanted to spend all her time.
This resonates so much with me, I call my home park my second home. The joy and healing that I feel skating there helped me battle my anxiety being outside. And being only one of two girls at the park.
Cara said skating a male-dominated space was difficult at times: “It was intimidating as the only girl out there with a vibe of feeling out of place”. “Certain guys would look at you like you were an alien or something, like what are you doing here”. On the other hand, Christian Hosoi, Tony Hawk, Dany Way and more had her back.
Meeting Duane Peters
She recalls meeting Duane Peters and how he instilled in her the do or die, take the slam, get up and just do it core way of skating. Having a love for skateboarding will take you a long way, pay you back over and over with fun, joy, good times and a great community. Cara was active in other sports becoming one of the first extreme female athletes, her skills expanded to soccer, karate, football, and snowboarding.
Again I feel it, you know one thing that kept me going back to the skate park is a warm and welcoming skater we call “Old School”. Much in the same way Duane Peters and the other prominent skaters had Cara’s back. It’s helped me become social again, though I’m still not that great at it outside the skate community. We skaters know what a special thing skateboarding is with its many benefits.
Snow Boarding
Cara took up snowboarding because of the opportunity to make a living, though she really wanted to just skate, it was hard back then. Cara became one of the top 5 female snowboarders in the world. And ranked second 1995. She placed fourth in the winter Olympics, 1998. Cara said, “I’m going to make some money snowboarding so I can go skate”.
There were no skateboarding competitions for women, no establishment, but despite that, she skated against men in their comps pushing the limits. It’s why she’s a well-known pioneer who helped to actually establish women’s skateboarding. Cara was the first female skateboarder to have her own signature shoe with Vans. These beginning steps were big for women’s skateboarding and the girls who would skate in future years to come.
I’m one of those girls, I’ve been skating since 2015 and I couldn’t get outside before I discovered skateboarding. And I found it because of Cara and women like her. I saw them on YouTube videos, my connection to the outside world then. Living life to the fullest, taking life to the edge. The idea sparked in me, “this might get me outside, help me heal from depression and anxiety. And I can still escape people if I’m flying by them”. Little did I know that it would connect me with them again.
Action Sports and Hoopla Skateboards
Cara started Action Sports Alliance, a nonprofit organization to advocate and empower women’s skateboarding. To make sure they get what they need at events, the recognition they deserve as more women start skating, bringing their abilities to the community.
Cara also helped create Hoopla skateboards with Mimi Knoop supported by Skate One, and George Powell. It’s all about supporting female skateboarders now and into the future. She really wants to see skateboarding grow as a whole. When she sees others pushing themselves and helping each other out it’s motivating, which grows inspiration to keep making a difference.
Women's Skateboarding
Women’s skateboarding has come a long way because of women who have ripped and shred before us. A lot more girls are skating today, but at the same time, it is still new, growing in many communities around the world. When I started skating at my home park there was only one other girl there.
We quickly became friends started skating together. In the time since more girls have begun to show up. They have told me and my friend how we inspire them, helping build confidence. As of 2017, we had 5 women show up for the annual skate comp at my home park, we had a women’s division.
The visibility of women in skateboarding today. Has expanded into music videos, commercials, with growth into the skateboarding magazines. Another milestone Cara made taking the cover of Thrasher in 1989. It is an exciting time to be a skateboarder. I think we are seeing skateboarding grow as a whole with the accelerated participation of women these days. We have a common bond to break new ground.
Individuality
Like many skateboarders, structured environments just didn’t work for Cara. She is goal oriented and all about making it happen on her own. Doing whatever she wants to do. We see this, just figure it out, individuality a lot with skateboarding. It is a powerful path to take for one’s self.
People who create and change things often step out on their own, entrepreneurs figure things out and they are skaters as well. Cara’s advice is, “if you want to do something, you should do it no matter what people say”. “And you should hang around people who support you”. “It won’t always be easy, but you’ll be stoked you stuck with it.
Cara Beth Burnside was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2015.
By Andrea Biggs, go skate share the love.
Sources; Wikipedia for known facts, YouTube videos for interviews and quotes, Thrasher, Transworld and independent videos. The Skateboard Hall Of fame YouTube video Of Cara's induction. My own experiences in skateboarding.
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