Stacey Roper (aka “Stace the Ace”) is a legendary pin-striper from Aotearoa (New Zealand), greatest identified for her extremely detailed work and official Rat Fink artist standing. And but, I had first heard about Stace due to the web site, Frontside Betty which was hosted by a fellow Canadian, Denise Williams within the late Nineteen Nineties / early 2000s. Stace was a world contributor to the location and posted a number of journal entries referred to as “The Grasp Plan” (2002), posting her historical past, roadtrip tales, images and drawings. But it surely was even higher getting in contact with Stace and receiving a response to some questions on June 4, 2024.
Stace was born in a small city referred to as Stratford earlier than her household moved to a suburb referred to as Spotswood in New Plymouth, often called a browsing vacation spot. As a substitute of browsing, skateboarding grew to become Stacey’s ardour even via a interval of being one of many lone ripping feminine skaters in NZ when her sisters adopted different pursuits.
Stacey shared, “I don’t keep in mind the primary time I noticed a skateboard, I used to be underneath 5 years outdated and we have been at my Nice Aunties place and my second cousins who have been a lot older than us all had skateboards and have been using them within the driveway. There’s a photograph of us all collectively someplace, us little children are holding them within the image. Mum mentioned we performed on all of them afternoon.”
In 1977, when Stace was 6, she remembered that skateboarding had change into massively standard at her college, and even the tennis court docket nets weren’t put in, to permit for the skaters to practise. Everybody was skating, besides Stacey as a result of her mum refused to purchase one. “We did have just a few actually steep footpaths, so I’d sit on my college lunchbox and slide down the footpath on it. (Mum used to ask me how I received holes in my lunchbox, hahaha).”
Stacey’s greatest good friend had a skateboard and as they lived close to a surf seaside they might usually see surfer / skaters. “I noticed a man tic-tacking with a surfboard underneath his arm at some point and I was completely mesmerized at him propelling himself alongside the footpath simply swinging his hips facet to facet. I needed to know the way he did that, nonetheless mum wouldn’t purchase me a skateboard. (It wasn’t one thing younger women did! Gah).” In the meantime, round 1979-80, her brother 4 years youthful didn’t have to attend a day. Whereas Stace was jealous, not less than she benefited from the acquisition, and primarily took it over. They even nailed a piece of wooden to the tail of the yellow penny board to allow 360 spins.
By the mid-Eighties, Stace observed that the blokes taking part in rugby at lunchtime would usually depart their schoolbags and skateboards along with her crew of woman mates, so she utilized the chance. Stace found she might nonetheless tictac and acid drop. “By 1986 I had bought my bicycle and acquired my first skateboard (My mum nonetheless mentioned it was only a section). 1 Sizzling Pink Voodoo Variflex board, Edwards Vehicles, and Edwards Double Rad Wheels. It had rails and a skid pad! I in all probability skated for just a few years earlier than each my sisters (trigger I frolicked with quite a lot of boys), determined to get in on it too.”
Stacey’s an identical twin sister Jax, and her oldest sister by two years, Lisa determined to hitch in on the enjoyable. “Each of them wrote to folks, Jax wrote to Gator (we met him at a skate demo in NZ, he replied and its creepy as f*ck, as a result of it was after the homicide however earlier than he was caught), and Lisa wrote to Sue Hazel in England (we examine her in R.A.D. Journal, she informed us about Girls’s Skateboarding Community and Equal Time zine). I wrote to Lynn Kramer and JoAnn Gillespie, by the point that was occurring, Lisa and Jax had just about moved on.”
When it comes to the vibe in NZ in direction of feminine skaters, Stace wrote, “Within the Seventies there was no distinction in case you have been a man or a lady that skated – until you have been my mum. Within the 80s, women didn’t actually wish to skate. I used to be actually fortunate, my man mates have been actually supportive, particularly my good friend “Jinx”. He was the man that was good at all the pieces, he’d work out methods first, then break them down little by little and present me how one can do them. He was the primary particular person I noticed ollie up the curb. He additionally wore out everybody’s VHS tapes pausing them and rewinding a lot!”
The supportive attitudes have been seemingly as a result of, as neighbourhood children they have been hanging outdoor, doing enjoyable issues collectively earlier than skateboarding arrived. “We rode bikes and constructed huts and explored our hoods. When the large boards got here out, they have been costly, so all of us tried to make our personal, we’d get thick plywood that wouldn’t bend and reduce them to shapes, we’d get the mail order kinds out of the surf mags and replica the graphics with poster paint. I ended portray just a few for my mates (all guys), they have been shit skateboards however have been superior skim-boards within the wet puddles on the sports activities fields. I had an awesome relationship with my mates in that period. (Additionally destined to do artwork and graphic design lol).”
Stace observed a shift in perspective in direction of skaters within the Eighties, primarily “you have been a punk rock scumbag vandal. So most people didn’t such as you from the beginning. They’d set canine on you, name the cops on you, drive onto the footpath to try to run you over, the 80s metalheads would push you off your board while you skated previous, I’ve been chased down the road by a dude with a baseball bat. The police canine have been the scariest.”
After which amongst skate boarders, the Eighties scene grew to become much less inclusive.
“As I received higher and higher at skateboarding, guys would get somewhat defensive (not my mates), guys from different faculties and different components of the town… I had my title written throughout skatepark saying I had a penis and my brother had a vagina. I used to be the person within the household. I used to be informed women can’t skate in every single place I went. They didn’t need us on the parks. I received kicked out of a flat, as a result of I used to be a skateboarder hanging out with boys, I should be a slut and doing a great deal of medicine. My dad and mom hated my dishevelled garments, I used to be a no hoper.”
“At Skateboard Nationals, I’ve had intense guys scream in my face on the course. Little children was once the more severe hahaha, they’d say such dumb shit. Additionally hanging out with guys on a regular basis and so they’d neglect you have been there typically and simply say essentially the most vile & crude issues about ladies. I by no means knew whether or not to say one thing and get an ear-full or say nothing and simply proceed to be postpone by males! You wanted a thick pores and skin again in these days.”
Picture: Stace is sitting left-front and Jinx is second from the precise with the New Plymouth crew 1987
An incident in 1989 amongst fellow feminine skaters was particularly disappointing!
“That they had a Nationwide Skateboard Competitors in Paraparaumu, which is close to the principle metropolis of Wellington, a bunch of women with skateboards, possibly like 12 to 17 women rocked up, so I used to be there with my twin Jax & Jinx – we had no cash and had bused down with an enormous outdated tent and stayed in a camp floor roughing it, nowhere close to the park. Anyway I was simply so excited to enter nationals…
When all these women confirmed up the organisers have been stoked & wished so as to add a ladies’s part. I used to be beside myself with pleasure. An opportunity to skate with different woman skaters!! Effectively NONE of them wished to enter as a result of they didn’t wish to get crushed by me. I had an opportunity to skate with different women, I get that our talent ranges have been totally different, however I’ll always remember how f*cken shit I felt being good at one thing and denied a chance to ever win a factor. I used to be so guttered! I by no means knew who they have been and I by no means noticed any of them once more. I at all times informed myself I’d by no means do this to any chick so long as I might roll. New Zealand has Tall Poppy syndrome and this was it at its worst!”
Stace persevered even in the course of the quiet years, figuring out that the recognition of skateboarding might ebb and circulation.
“It was at all times enjoyable and Jinx at all times pushed me to be higher, his favorite factor to inform me was ‘For those who land this, simply think about, you’re in all probability the one woman on the earth that may do it!’ Hahaha, it was an awesome motivator. Additionally there have been skate spots in every single place and simply us skating them. I appreciated the empty parks too. I imply they have been fairly shit parks, however there was by no means any stress to be good in these days, it was simply enjoyable, I like what skateboarding feels like, the board sliding alongside the ledge and the wheels screeching, the sensation is so rad!”
Stace reported that there was a interval of 8 years when she didn’t see one other woman skateboarding, “I’d enter comps as the one woman from 1986 to 1996.” Luckily, she had entry to the Equal Time zines, Powell-Peralta movies, Thrasher magazine (August 1989) with Cara-beth Burnside on the duvet. Stace even had the journal with Saecha Clarke boardsliding a handrail (March 1991… Thrasher and/or TransWorld). So, Stace knew there ruling women on the market on the earth skateboarding, simply not shut at hand.
After which, Lynn Kramer, Equal Time editor, got here to NZ and stayed with Stace for just a few days and so they went skateboarding collectively! “I’m so grateful that she made that occur, that was one of many best issues I skilled, skating with one other woman skater that wasn’t my sister hahaha. We’ve stayed in contact ever since. I’ve seen Lynn within the flesh since her go to – I’d made it to the States for just a few All Lady Skate Jams and went to the ASR Commerce reveals just a few occasions. I caught up with Lynn at a kind of. Fb has been our manner of dialog since.”
In 1990, for the threerd subject of Equal Time (vol.2, no. 1), Stace contributed a web page of collaged drawings and a poem referred to as “Skate Like a Girl.” She wrote, “We’re woman skaters and we’ve class. Give us sh*t, we’ll kick your *ss. For all these guys that assume they’re cool: Eat sh*t and die trigger woman skaters rule!”
On Instagram, Stace wrote:
“Oh man, my Equal Time mags are a few of my most prized possessions!… These mags and the mailing record (I nonetheless have) have been the one issues that jogged my memory I wasn’t alone on the earth… trigger I used to be so remoted and picture how excited I used to be when Lynn came visiting! I’m so glad we’ve stayed in contact for over 35 years and I’ve loved watching Lynn completely nonetheless kill it on a skateboard! Congrats Lynn and thanks a lot for writing me again while you did!” (IG remark September 13, 2022).
The Nineteen Nineties included some highs and lows for Stace. The great occasions was when, “I’d rock up someplace to skate, they’d by no means seen a lady journey a skateboard earlier than and bombard you with questions. My good friend Jinx stored me forward of the time, I’d study methods and go to a metropolis the place they hadn’t figured them out but, and blow guys minds.” However the dangerous occasions concerned damage.
In 1994, Stace tousled her knee taking part in soccer in a Males’s league. And it was dangerous! A torn ACL and PCL with the recommendation to “go to the health club and simply strengthen it” when it ought to’ve been reconstructed. “I needed to study to stroll with out limping and the physician informed me I’d by no means have the ability to run once more, I used to be 23 years outdated… Anyway I swear to god, the day I blew out my knee, I noticed one other woman with a skateboard … I went house and cried… You couldn’t really feel extra ripped off in life in case you tried!!! I’d simply gotten good, actually good, fearless and coordinated.”
A 12 months later, her mates stored asking if she might skate, so Stace gave it a go. A tentative ollie, then a kickflip, and no debilitating ache! There have been some strikes she needed to keep away from the place the joint would shift or her knee would pop, however primarily Stace was again. “I met just a few skaters; Cheapskates lastly had an Open Girls’s part on the skateboard Nationals and I put sufficient methods collectively to win the primary 12 months. The years that adopted we had superior skaters come via.”
The skateboarding trade was additionally slowly evolving, recognizing that there have been some proficient feminine skaters who have been carving out their very own path by way of occasions just like the All Lady Skate Jam and Gallaz Skate Jam over in Melbourne, Australia.
Stace was nonetheless concerned, skating arduous, and received to be a sort of mentor to a younger Kiwi named Georgina Matthews.
“Georgina Matthews being the primary woman as obsessive about skateboarding as a lot as me and eager to journey. She was 13 years outdated after we first met. She gained skateboard Nationals and simply ripped so arduous. I want I’d met her 15 years prior. (In contrast to the Paraparaumu factor, I used to be stoked to get second to Georgie, and was comfortable to only be skating). We received on properly and we went to the States that 12 months. And the Gallaz skate jam in [Melbourne] Australia the following 12 months. Georgie positioned second equal with Sally Clarke and I used to be given third place. I used to be so stoked, as a result of I’m like 30 years outdated and everybody else was underneath 20 lol. I didn’t care, I simply wished to skate with different ladies.”
Picture: Stace signing autographs at Globe World Cup 2003
Stacey competed within the Gallaz World Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2005, as listed within the Women Skate Community, and he or she was additionally the correspondent for Push journal, reporting on the Gallaz Skate Jam within the Spring 2003 subject. Within the fall of 2005, she travelled over to Canada, competing within the West 49 Open, the place it’s listed she had pulled collectively some sponsors together with Increase Skateboards, Gallaz, and Increase Lady. And when she competed, Stace was at all times true to herself and her fashion, which I feel is fairly cool. She mentioned,
“I keep in mind them wigging out in any respect my old style methods, (it wasn’t simply because I appreciated old style, it was as a result of I’m Previous College)! Go to any skatepark and children immediately swam round you and ask you to point out them the outdated stuff. For the primary time ever, I felt actually proud to be a skateboarder in entrance of individuals. I simply did old style methods and frontside noseslide shuvits in every single place I went. If there was a great financial institution, throw within the Bertlemann slides for good measure lol. I used to be older, skating with a reasonably bung very swollen knee, I used to be by no means in it for the prizemoney (I used to be working as an Artwork Director in a reasonably large Advert Company funding my travels).”
This was throughout an period when skaters didn’t have “coaches,” in comparison with immediately with the Olympics and excessive stakes occasions like SLS. So, Stace along with her background in aggressive sports activities, would usually counsel methods to Georgie that appeared rad and would swimsuit her fashion or provide some suggestions. In consequence, they grew to become strategic in planning their runs.
“We had a lot enjoyable travelling, when she was 16 and I used to be 30, we stayed at my sister’s place in LA for six weeks earlier than heading to the West 49 Canadian Open. Georgina positioned 4th (I personally thought she skated ok for 2nd, however I’m bias), I positioned 12th doing my old style shit and that was the perfect contest end result I ever had exterior of Australasia. I imply, Vanessa Torres and LynZ Adams-Hawkins, Lauren Perkins, the who’s who of girls’s skateboarding was represented. The course was large.”
Georgie has repeatedly acknowledged Stacey’s impression. In June 2017, she acknowledged, “Considered one of my largest inspirations was Stacey Roper from Taranaki, who was a bit older than me. She’d push all the ladies to skate collectively, we’d skate collectively each weekend in Auckland.”
Extra just lately, Georgina mentioned in her Guide Journal interview that, “Stacey and I’ve been nice mates. Stacey travelled with me after we competed within the All Lady Skate Jams, Canadian World Cup, Globe World Cups, and throughout the States and Australia. She is an enormous inspiration of mine, and he or she was one of many first aggressive feminine skaters in New Zealand. Stace would inform me tales of rising up skateboarding within the ‘70s and ‘80s. She’s even taught me just a few old style methods.”
Whereas touring was a privilege, Stace nonetheless paid her dues, even chipping a kneecap on certainly one of her extra distant journeys, which meant a piece of bone stayed in her joint for the following 10 years! General, “These years have been so superior.” Stace was skating demos with superb feminine skaters and surfers, which she by no means thought could be a part of her expertise. And he or she made positive to offer again to her personal neighborhood, like launching a women’ evening in 2001.
“Again house, we had an indoor skatepark owned and run by Dan Whinery (RIP), and his mum Marie. I might go and skate the double session each Friday evening. Marie approached me a couple of women’ session, and I wasn’t positive there have been sufficient skaters for our personal day. Marie would see the all of the woman mates simply sitting across the park not eager to get in the way in which of the blokes.
So we approached Dan and we negotiated each Tuesday from 6pm till 7pm to let women in solely till it was an open session at 7pm till 9:30pm. Me and Emily Lee have been there as assist and mentors and we have been stoked 5 women rocked as much as the primary session. After a couple of 12 months we grew to round 20 women each Tuesday session. It was superb. Some as younger as 9 proper via to mid 30s (oh that is likely to be me lol). We grew our crew…”
Picture: “No Nuts Simply Guts” – Black Betty (the van) and the weekend crew, Sophie Allen, Jessica Value, Stace, Clare Briffett, Tessa Donovan 2004
And when the park shut down, Stace stepped up and acquired a van to maintain the ladies skate crew collectively racking up over 400,000 kms, all to a candy 80s skate-rock soundtrack! “We’d meet each Saturday and Sunday on the Practice Station in Auckland and I’d drive us to the skateparks. There are such a lot of in Auckland, you might go to a distinct space every day and skate someplace totally different. The 9 12 months outdated is in her 30s now and man we had a lot enjoyable!”
“I by no means thought of it being a mentor to others, however with Georgie, I might reside vicariously via her to a point. There are at all times methods I couldn’t do any extra however she might!!! It was so rad watching her and others enhance. I simply principally informed them what appeared cool in images hahaha, which is wealthy coming from me who by no means took any or had many taken or filmed just about nothing. I used to be too busy dwelling to care about amassing footage, I simply wasn’t that on the time.
I imply clearly now I want I had… However on the time you don’t ever assume you gained’t have the ability to skate the identical once more. That leaping round would harm a lot. I do remorse it, however skateboarding was for me, it was simply my factor. It lives inside me, solely I do know what it felt like doing my methods, the tiny muscle flexes in all of the bizarre locations, the sounds made sliding alongside a ledge, a great pop, rolling at pace. Laughing with your pals, hoping this life won’t ever finish. We didn’t carry round video cameras in our again pocket. It simply by no means mattered to me.”
And but, Stace did make an effort to movie occasionally. She described going to Shanghai, China in 2006 on a visit with six woman skaters (Stace, Sophie Allen, Hilary Pearce, Monica Shaw, Sally Clark, and Georgina Matthews) and two male photographers. “I filmed what I might for a TV present in NZ however they misplaced our interview tapes and many of the footage. (I’m simply destined to by no means be filmed or photographed lol).” There was additionally the time that SG Journal (July 2005) wrote “an article on Aussie and NZ and so they photoshopped off my mohawk! (the story of my life hahaha).” Too humorous!
Picture: the cropped mohawk!! ARgh
This crew of skaters, who would type a bunch often called “The Skullz” (with a really vigorous web site and discussion board for woman skaters) have been at all times entertaining. Stace remembered going to the States and assembly an Aussie skater named Louisa Hawton (a two-time World Boxing champion!) and simply having essentially the most epic occasions. “Her and Esther Godoy have some humorous tales to let you know from the 900° events they’d on the Globe World Cup. Each time these two have been round, mischief ensued…”
Stace recounted one other U.S. journey hanging out along with her sister, who occurs to be a Rugby coach and skater, Violet Kimble (who would ultimately transfer to NZ). They messed round taking part in rugby within the yard, and it simply made sense to offer Violet a rugby ball for her birthday the next 12 months on the Globe World Cup in Australia…
“It had been raining so we couldn’t skate, we received the rugby ball and went into the park throughout the street from Novatel, Melbourne and performed the worst sport of rugby NZ vs Australia you might think about. I do know Monica Shaw stubbed out cigarette and joined Violet and Sally Clark and one different for Staff Aussie, and Louie joined Me and Georgie in Staff NZ with a really younger Leo Baker (who selected NZ as a result of they’d heard NZ have been good at rugby lol). Carrying bagging denims and skate footwear on slippery moist grass! I feel possibly Vanessa Torres & Amy Caron have been watching and Hizza [Hilary Pearce] as properly. Amanda France? It was fairly psychological on the time lol!”
And in excellent news, Stace reported that, “My mum ultimately got here round to the actual fact it wasn’t a section and at last purchased me one thing skateboard associated for xmas, TNT restricted version Vans lol.” It positively wasn’t a section as a result of on the 2010 New Zealand Nationals, Stacey took high honours with a primary place at age 39, simply days earlier than her 40th birthday! She was forward of Sarah Watkins and Anna Silich, as reported on within the NZ Skateboarder Annual (2011). Sadly, no images have been included however someplace a photograph exists of the three winners.
Extra just lately, Stace shared that, “Seeing skateboarding within the Olympics introduced a tear to my eye, I don’t assume this technology has any concept what it was like within the 80s and 90s. (I imply you wouldn’t dare inform work you rode a skateboard, they may fireplace you). Till X Video games and the Tony Hawk online game, skate boarders have been grime baggage. As soon as cash was concerned, it modified all the pieces. However I like watching and I watch all the pieces nonetheless, it’s my favorite sport. I’ll watch each comp they stream! I nonetheless cheer the ladies on from my sofa.”
Stacey remains to be holding extremely busy although. As of late, she is well known for her unbelievable creative talent together with a function in Rolling Stone Australia (July 6, 2022) showcasing her pin-striping and official Rat Fink artist standing. She additionally had a profile by filmmaker Cal Thorley in his Sizzling Rod Revue internet sequence. Apparently, Stacey “received the kustom tradition bug after attending the annual rock’n’roll and classic automotive competition, Seashore Hop, in Whangamata, Bay of Lots” (Welby), which influenced her creative apply.
Try Stacey’s Instagram account for her newest designs and initiatives the place she describes herself as “Low Forehead & Weirdo Artist / All issues Kustom Kulture / Official Rat Fink Artist / Rat Fink Artist Corridor of Fame / Sizzling Rodder and Previous College Skateboarder.”
Stacey’s origin story as a badass skateboarder all through the Eighties and past, and her constructive affect on younger ladies in Aotearoa demonstrates an actual high quality of character and helps thread collectively a world story of girls’s skateboarding historical past. Thanks Stace! You rule.
Shouts outs: “The Skullz from Aussie, Hilary, Joske, Alicia Saye, Monica Shaw, Sally Clake, Esther Godoy, Louisa Hawton (Bang Bang Lou Lou)”
Remaining phrases: “The factor I like about skateboarding is how difficult it’s! It’s so arduous to study new methods, you pay your dues man every time, however what it has carried out for me, it put all the pieces else in my life into perspective. Every thing is straightforward in comparison with skateboarding. It means, I skateboarded so no matter I put my thoughts to, I’ll persevere till I accomplish it. If I might get first rate at skateboarding (earlier than the knee blowout), I might do something!”
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