Rakan Gaith: Tradition and transformation

Thanks to its early pioneers, skateboarding has emerged as one of the most powerful urban movements across the SWANA region. In Saudi Arabia, Rakan Gaith stands out as one of those pioneers. As both an athlete and creative, he has redefined skateboarding, transforming the sport into a profound medium for self-expression, resilience, and community. 

“I began skating because it sparked within me a passion unlike any I had experienced before,” explains Gaith. “The board became a part of me.” 

As a founding member of the Saudi skateboarding collective Sandlifers, Gaith believes there is nothing more powerful than skating in his own country. Surrounded by a growing community of creatives, he and his peers are carving out space and visibility in a rapidly evolving society.

Sandlifers was created in 2020, right after the launch of Saudi Arabia’s first official skate park in Riyadh. This event marked a turning point for youth across the Kingdom, providing new opportunities for young Saudis to immerse themselves in subcultures. “Skating in Riyadh is special because the community is still growing,” Gaith shares. “Every session feels like we are building something new together.”

Driven by the desire to transform global visibility into local momentum, Gaith regularly competes internationally. What drives him most, he says, is the opportunity to represent Saudi Arabia. “I want to put our country on the skateboarding map,” he says. For him, that goal “means everything.”

Gaith’s impact, therefore, reaches well beyond the personal. Through skateboarding, he demonstrates that Saudi Arabia is a flourishing centre for creativity and dynamic movement, powered not solely by governmental initiatives but by the determination and talent of its youth. In a region too often underestimated, his work highlights that young people from the SWANA region deserve recognition not just as equals but as innovators in fields like skateboarding, videography, and the arts.

“Learning new tricks requires resilience,” Gaith explains. “I fall, get up, and try again until it feels natural. Some tricks take a day, others take a month.” Through this process, young people learn patience, vulnerability, and the importance of community. This is why, for many in Saudi Arabia, skateboarding is not a break from tradition; it’s an evolution of it. 

As a society deeply rooted in collective values, skaters from the region naturally lean on one another for support. They are open-minded, collaborative, and creative, already equipped with the very qualities that foster growth and success in skateboarding. As a result, Saudi skaters are not just adapting to the global scene but are helping to redefine it. Gaith, himself, stands as a testament to this. 

After winning the Saudi Games in skateboarding for the second consecutive year in 2024, he reflected on how the journey taught him what it truly means to “give it his all.” With each passing year, skateboarding has deepened his self-confidence and reinforced his ambition for the future. 

In a region marked by rapid social change and tragedy so close to home, such a feeling carries profound weight. Collectively, it leads to a culture where change is not only possible but inevitable when fueled by patience and persistence. Gaith’s personal passion for skateboarding is proof that with determination, hope is always within reach. 

Rakan wears a look from Valentino Le Méta-Théâtre Des Intimités throughout the feature, including the new Valentino Garavani and Vans collaboration sneakers.