Walking hand-in-hand to the skatepark, decks tucked under their arms, Asha Gond and Puti are pioneers of India’s burgeoning female skateboarding community – and the subject of an award-winning photo seriesEven in western nations, female skaters have found it hard to break into a sport long dominated by lads. In India’s stubbornly patriarchal society, women like Gond have had to overcome even more obstacles. In 2018, she was the only female skater representing India at the World Skateboarding Championship in Nanjing, China. “Against prejudice and threats, some women have rebelled, balancing on a board and transforming skateboarding into a form of resistance against the patriarchy,” said Chantal Pinzi, an Italian photographer who has documented India’s female skateboarders for a photo series called Shred the Patriarchy. Image: © Chantal Pinzi, Italy, winner, professional competition, sport, Sony World Photography awards 2025