Three-week rollerskating competition kicks off

Roller Nation in Tottenham has been running events like this since 2019 as homage to ’50 years of hip hop culture’, reports Olivia Opara

A local rollerskating rink has brought the skating community together to celebrate the sport through a three-week jam skate competition.

The first round of Battle Jam, on 9th August, saw 20 skaters at Roller Nation in Tottenham competing in one-to-one impromptu jam skating performances to a variety of random music styles selected by a DJ. The performances were judged by the audience and the competitor with the most support proceeded to the next round.

The competition follows an ‘all styles format’ in which a skater has 45 seconds to dance to a range of music such as rap, pop, breakbeats, funk, electronica and house music. In the final round, there will be two rounds of one minute each, resulting in a two minutes performance.

The final eight competitors will face off on Wednesday, 23rd August for the grand prize of £1000.

Jam skating is a style of skating that combines dance, gymnastics and roller skating.

Roller Nation opened in Tottenham in 2019. A spokesperson for the company said: “Battle Jam is not only a celebration of roller skating but also an homage to 50 years of hip hop culture. The competitors’ roster includes 20 of the UK’s finest skaters, including former dancers, such as The Sun Skater and Nadia Sourgrapism, ensuring an unforgettable display of skill and artistry.”

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