The Silver Maiden: 71-year-old skateboarder Lena Salmi challenges aging norms in Finland
Many people feel afraid to start a new hobby because they think they are too old. Age should not be a barrier. Skateboarding taught me to fall and get back up. What does it matter what others think? Life is more fun when you dare to be yourself.
- 5 days ago
September 14, 2024
71 year old Lena of Finland holds the longboard that features her image. | Photo courtesy of Lena Salmi
HELSINKI, Finland ꟷ As a 71-year-old native of Helsinki who has been skateboarding for 10 years, the stereotypical image of a person over 60 falls apart when it comes to me. Society often sees us as frail and forgetful. They associate us with a nice hot cup of tea and wearing slippers in our retirement.
Christened the “The Silver Maiden,” or my favorite, “Scandal Skate Granny,” I hope to skate until I am 80 years old. This summer I learned a lot of new tricks and plan to keep doing it. I accept the image of me as a skateboarding grandmother, and I intend to change the stereotypes.
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Lifelong athlete discovers skateboarding quite by accident: enters new, magical world
By 1963 at the age of 10, I followed my sister’s lead and began swimming competitively. I loved nature and being outdoors, even longing for winter to arrive so I could ski every day. Leaving my home in Etu-Töölö, we traveled to Seurasaari where I practiced ski jumping on the cliffs of Väinämöinen. It felt amazing
Gliding down the hill, I felt the wind all over my body, interacting as if it were talking to me. Sports became like an attitude for my life. I swam throughout my long career as a journalist, often riding my bicycle to the Helsinki Olympic Swimming Stadium, just a few kilometers from my home. This particular experience led me to longboarding at the age of 57, almost by accident.
Having a very nice bike, I feared it might be stolen outside the stadium. One day, it occurred to me: “Well, let’s buy a longboard, then.” I figured I could ride it to the stadium and fit it perfectly in the locker room. This decision led me to my new and most beloved sport, and by the age of 61, I developed a great love for skateboarding.
When you start riding a skateboard as old as me, you feel the freedom to make mistakes. My passion grew by the day as I rode through the streets. Plastic wheels against asphalt creates the most wonderful sound in the world. I began seeing kids carrying boards, their eyes shining with enthusiasm. I decided to find out where they were going and followed them to a skate park at the zoo where a new and magical universe opened up for me.
From taking help from the kids at the skate park to helping others
The first time I arrived at the skate park, I stood and watched, afraid the young people might laugh at me. It turned out, the laughter was only in my head. I encountered wonderful people there. Suddenly, they began approaching me. “Who are you,” they asked. “Have you been doing this for a long time? What do you want to learn?”
The reception proved dramatically different from what I expected. I began moving amongst the other skaters, eliciting positive attention and supportive comments. Soon, I became one of the pack. Every time I skated people came to talk to me.
My age did not matter at all. Though hard to explain, it seemed like a magnetism drew the kids and teenagers toward me, and they gave me good advice. I never wanted to be treated like an “older” skater, but rather a skater interested in improving her skills. Learning new tricks, suddenly, I felt very happy rolling around and using my imagination to create moves that made me feel alive.
As the four wheels of the skateboard support my entire body, the asphalt makes a heady sound underfoot. My knees and ankles bend, guiding the oscillating movements, while my body and mind transform. It becomes all smiles and happiness. At 61 years old, you are no longer in a hurry. You have your whole life right in front of you.
As part of this journey, I offer free classes in skateboarding and a variety of other sports to children and adults, including those above 60. Some have cancer or are in recovery. When teaching skateboarding, I begin carefully, spending enough time to help them overcome their fears. Everyone feels a little scared at first, and when I detect it, I offer them my hand.
A life changing trip to Africa: handing out skateboards
Before discovering skateboarding, I rarely traveled. Then, in 2017, friends living in Uganda invited me to their home. At first, I felt fear. Based on misconceptions, I imagined extreme scenarios, but I refused to let that stop me, and I bought my ticket.
Soon, a man from Finland who owns a skateboarding company heard about my trip. He gave me skateboards, wheels, and sneakers to distribute in Uganda. The trip quickly took on a real purpose for me: to give away these items to Africans interesting in learning to skate. I flew to Uganda and contacted some people in charge of a skate park there.
When I handed the items over, I saw a sparkle in the eyes of the people and a vital energy ran through my body with each expression of love. With the nearest skateboarding store thousands of kilometers away, and with little resources, they never could have obtained the tools to ride.
During that visit, I also visited Mount Atlas, rising 2,700 meters above sea level. To ascend, you must be in good physical condition. The group warned me, afraid my age might impact my ability to climb, and I would become a burden. I simply smiled, took the straps of my backpack in both hands, and moved forward.
The trail – covered in trees, roots, and water mirrors – proved fantastic. I started at the end of the group but slowly advanced to take the lead. Though I felt fatigue during certain sections, I overcame every obstacle to reach the top. Standing there, surrounded by beauty and embraced by nature, I took a deep breath that filled me with strength. I would soon return to Uganda.
Woman treks back to Uganda in 2019 to build a new skate park
Many young people in Uganda fall victim to violence. With little to do, a skate park offers something special. We campaigned to raise money, and a community gave us the land for free. Two years after my first trip, I returned. With the skate park finished, I watched as the kids rolled on their boards and I felt a deep emotion.
Standing on the side of the track, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be transported by the magic sound of voices. I heard the murmurs as they shared tricks and strategies, laughed, and sang. I heard wheels turning, boards sliding, and the speed of movement like music. The young people even splashed the park with art and cool graffiti. I sustain the project to this day, going back year after year to bring skateboards and practice with the kids.
Back home, I began noticing the graffiti as if I woke up to it. The unique spectrum of shapes and color felt unmatched. At one time, I thought these scenes were not for me, but I became curious. Skateboarding allows you to see your city with different eyes. Little by little, I saw graffiti as a gift and wanted to participate.
After buying a couple cans of spray paint, I found a wall I could legally paint two kilometers from my home. I began learning and while not the best artist, I am sure I had the most fun doing it. Time passed and the Finnish skateboard company Tikari asked me to paint some of their graphics. “What an honor,” I thought. Oriented toward a youthful audience, I needed to leave out nudity, snakes, skulls, and guns. The art resulted in many lovely comments.
Woman inspires people all over Finland and around the world to be courageous at any age
When a punk museum opened in Helsinki, I gave myself a mohawk for the opening and became the photographer’s favorite model. Not long after, Liebe Skateboards offered me a contract for that image to appear on their boards and skate products. I felt immensely happy.
For me, this whole experience is about breaking barriers. I never had this much fun at 30 years old. My motto now is, “We ride till we die!” I wish nothing different for my life, other than a better singing voice! Yet, even that allows me to be bold. As a sports fan, in the stands, I sing the chants loudly, not embarrassed at all.
I always say, “Don’t just admire. Do it yourself with courage.” Many people feel afraid to start a new hobby because they think they are too old. Age should not be a barrier. Skateboarding taught me to fall and get back up. What does it matter what others think? Life is more fun when you dare to be yourself.
People living in their prime years often think they will realize their dreams in retirement. I say, “No! Set the stage and do it now.” Knowing I have the right to live my life and take the plunge increases my well-being and the well-being of those around me. When you have fun, you share that joy with others.
I consider myself a happiness expert – even acting as Finland’s “Happiness Ambassador,” guiding the international press, social media influencers, and ordinary people to the edges. I like being the “crazy village gal,” and freeing others up to do the same. If one day, my body can no longer handle skateboarding, I will continue to swim. I know “someday” will come, but for now, I keep on sailing.
