The Secret History of Skateboarding in the USSR: A Look Inside the World's Only Soviet Skate Museum

Growing up in Latvia after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, stories of life under the USSR always felt surreal, almost like a spy movie. Tales of neighbors reporting on each other for criticizing the party or even getting arrested for watching Arnold Schwarzenegger movies seemed too far-fetched to be real. Yet, alongside these restrictions, there were also stories of free top-notch education and guaranteed jobs. It was a complex, paradoxical era. Meeting Gleb Bentsiovski, an old-school skater from Belarus, gave me a new perspective on the Soviet era, revealing a vibrant skateboarding scene that thrived behind the Iron Curtain.

Gleb, who is about 15 years my senior, experienced Soviet skateboarding firsthand. Beyond running a skate shop and school and heading the Belarusian Skateboarding Federation, Gleb founded the world’s first and only USSR skateboarding museum, Скейт-Музей СССР (Skate Museum of the USSR). This museum is home to an extensive collection of Soviet skateboards and memorabilia, offering a glimpse into a unique chapter in skate history. The more I learn about skateboarding, the more I realize that the boards in Gleb’s museum, including my first one, represent a special piece of skateboarding’s global story. While skateboarding took off in sunny California, it also found a way to flourish in the USSR, proving that skateboarding is a universal passion, regardless of where it’s practiced.

Table of Contents

The Genesis of a Skateboarding Museum

What inspired you to create the museum?

Gleb explains that the idea came about in 2005 when he owned his first skate shop in northern Russia. He noticed that young people were buying boards without any emotional connection to them, quickly replacing them without a second thought. The boards all seemed the same, lacking any individuality. This sparked his desire to collect the old boards he had skated on in the past.

He felt it was essential to showcase the origins of modern skateboarding, believing that “without knowing the roots it is impossible to grow further.” He emphasizes that understanding the history of skateboarding fosters a genuine love for the activity. Without it, he argues, it’s simply a “brainless activity,” a series of physical motions without deeper meaning.

A Unique Museum Concept

How does your museum differ from other skateboarding museums?

While there are other notable skateboarding museums around the world, Gleb’s museum stands out due to its unique concept. Unlike museums in the US or Berlin, which often focus on general skateboarding history or rotating artifacts, the USSR Skate Museum is organized into specific departments. These include:

A world skate history department
A history of Brazilian skateboarding
Soviet skateboarding history
A section for Soviet DIY boards (“Gleaming the Cube”)
A department dedicated to skate-related art

The Soviet skateboarding section is the museum’s focal point, highlighting how the USSR’s isolation shaped the sport’s development. The museum showcases artifacts that illustrate the challenges and innovations of skateboarding in the Soviet Union, revealing that the lack of access to information and socio-economic conditions profoundly impacted the sport’s evolution there. Gleb initially aimed only to collect skateboards, but as he delved deeper, he realized that memorabilia and artifacts were crucial to fully narrate the unique story of Soviet skateboarding.

Skateboarding Behind the Iron Curtain

How did skateboarding emerge in the Soviet Union, given the restrictions on information?

Despite the Iron Curtain, skateboarding information trickled into the Soviet Union in the mid-1970s through various channels. In 1977, an issue of the Soviet magazine Science and Life, featured an article about skateboarding, specifically mentioning the Signal Hill Speed Run. This showed the government was aware of the sport, even though it had little to do with Soviet culture.

By 1978, DIY skateboard construction manuals started to circulate, acknowledging skateboarding’s growing popularity. That same year, in the Estonian Republic, the first Soviet skateboard, called Rula, was produced at an air pollution sensor factory in Võru. The wheels were manufactured in Bobruisk, Belarus. This was the beginning of Soviet skateboard manufacturing.

Soviet Skate Manufacturing: A Story of Ingenuity

So, the first Soviet skateboards were made in random industrial factories?

Skateboards were indeed produced in various factories throughout the USSR. For instance, the Ripo skateboards were made at the Red Star factory in Riga, Latvia, which also manufactured mopeds. The Red Star factory was the first to produce polyurethane wheels. Later on, other Soviet republics joined in, using existing materials and resources to create unique skateboard designs. By the mid-1980s, up to 15 factories were producing skateboards, each with its own unique features and materials.

Government Influence and Cost

How did the government permit such activity?

The Soviet government did not officially promote skateboarding. However, they didn’t prohibit it either, likely because it was a youth activity that was apolitical. Over time, the government also saw the potential for manufacturing and control, recognizing the popularity of the sport among the youth.

How much did the boards cost?

Skateboards were relatively expensive, ranging from 26 to 55 rubles, while the average wage was around 100-150 rubles. Despite the high cost, good models were always in demand and often sold out quickly. Some skaters even traveled long distances to purchase boards directly from the production line.

Skateboarding in Soviet Media and Culture

What was it like skateboarding in the USSR?

The movie Courier was one of the first films to feature skateboarding, exposing it to a wider audience. Later, films like Primorskij Bulvar showcased the skills of top Soviet skaters, like Edzus Konošonoks and Gints Gailitis, who were able to perform hippy jumps and other tricks. These skaters were even treated like professionals, staying in fancy hotels and getting paid for their performances.

For the average skater, skateboarding was simply a way to move around and have fun, accompanied by the rebellious sounds of rock music, dirty jeans, and long hair. It was known as “Soviet Skate and Destroy.”

The Rise of Slalom and Street

When did you start skating and what was it like?

Gleb began skating in 1988, still during a time of strict Soviet rule. However, with Perestroika, some information about the outside world started to come in. During this time, slalom was the most popular discipline of skateboarding and even an official sport. Many cities, especially in the Baltics, had skateboarding clubs and enthusiasts. The first mini ramp was built in Liepaja, Latvia, in 1984. Later competitions and federations were formed, with some athletes even traveling to Europe to compete.

Street skateboarding gained popularity in the second half of the 1980s, as many skaters were not as drawn to slalom. Street skating became more about exploring the city and having fun with friends. Then, the release of Thrashin’ and Gleaming the Cube in Soviet cinemas had a massive impact.

The Impact of American Skate Movies

How did American movies make it to USSR cinemas?

The fact that American skate movies like Thrashin’ and Gleaming the Cube were shown in Soviet cinemas is somewhat mysterious. However, their impact was enormous. These movies showcased a new world of tricks, boards, and professional skaters, inspiring a new generation of skaters in the USSR. Many skaters from post-Soviet countries recall these films as a pivotal moment in their understanding of skateboarding. Police Academy 4, featuring the Bones Brigade, further fueled the DIY spirit, with kids trying to replicate the sparks from their wheels.

These films shifted the focus away from slalom and towards street skating and vert ramps, while also influencing Soviet skaters’ fashion with torn jeans, hightops, and fingerless gloves becoming popular.

The DIY Era of Soviet Skateboarding

You mentioned a DIY section, were people building their own equipment?

The DIY culture in Soviet skateboarding was born out of necessity. Due to the scarcity of spare parts, skaters had to improvise and build their own equipment. This era of DIY also stemmed from the desire to improve the available boards to meet the needs of the expanding community, whether it was for slalom or for the street.

Skaters reshaped tails, modified parts, and even constructed boards from scratch, with some enthusiasts going as far as pouring their own trucks and wheels. This small-batch manufacturing helped skateboarding survive until the mid-1990s, when skate shops finally opened in Moscow, and borders became more open allowing skaters to import equipment.

Collecting Soviet Skate History

How did you find the boards in your museum?

Gleb began collecting boards slowly, starting with his own, along with help from friends from the second wave of Soviet skaters. He also spent a lot of time at flea markets and libraries. He now has over 700 artifacts, including 300 boards. Some are rare, like the early Estonian RULA boards. Others are more common, while some are prototypes. He’s still hunting for a few missing models of USSR boards. He also has world skateboards including early German and European boards, showcasing the global development of skateboarding.

Brazilian Skateboarding and Global Connections

Why did you start collecting Brazilian skateboards?

The Brazilian section of the museum came about because Gleb was fascinated by the development of skateboarding in Brazil. Like in the USSR, the industry there had to develop independently, due to economic difficulties preventing the import of American products.

He was inspired after meeting a Brazilian skateboarder and learning about their vibrant skateboarding culture, which included locally produced boards, shoes, and media. After visiting Brazil, he added a Brazilian corner to the museum, showcasing their history and dedication to the sport.

Visiting and Supporting the Museum

How can people visit or support your museum?

The museum is open for private tours with prior signup, offering a more personal and informative experience. Gleb tailors each tour based on the visitor’s skateboarding knowledge. He believes that an in-person visit is much more rewarding than an online tour, as it allows visitors to experience the artifacts, and the atmosphere of the place firsthand.

The museum is facing financial challenges due to the pandemic and reduced visitor numbers. Anyone interested in supporting the museum can make a donation here to [email protected].

Conclusion

Gleb Bentsiovski’s USSR Skate Museum is not just a collection of skateboards; it’s a testament to the universal appeal of skateboarding. The museum highlights how skateboarding can flourish even in the most unlikely circumstances and also showcases the creativity and resourcefulness of skaters. It’s a reminder that the love for skateboarding transcends borders, ideologies, and challenges. The museum is a must-see for anyone interested in skateboarding history and the unique stories that shaped it.

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