Tessa Hills has been skateboarding for around three years, and now she and her sister run Surely Skate, a community group in Gisborne focused on getting girls involved in skating.

“It can be quite an intimidating place, and like getting together it just makes it a lot easier,” Hills said.

Hills told 1News they’ve seen a “huge wave” of girls wanting to give skateboarding a go.

“I’ve definitely noticed over the last few years, and running Surely Skate, there’s been so many more girls,” she said.

"It’s definitely going up each year.”