Schön! 46 digital cover | marina correia wearing Pandora
It’s uncommon to find someone so young and self-aware, but Marina Correia embodies just that. The 2020 Longboard World Champion from Nice openly shares her journey for her Schön! 46digital cover story, glittering in jewellery by Pandora and wearing The Frankie Shop. Born and raised in Cape Verde, she relocated to France as a teenager, finding solace in longboarding. This year, her journey comes full circle as she serves as an ambassador for Cape Verde in the upcoming Paris Olympics. “It’s amazing!” she exclaims. “I’m a woman, a skater; I was born there, not here. And now I’m representing Cape Verde, here in France.”
Correia’s rise wasn’t part of a grand plan beyond her longboard tricks. Initially, she joined local competitions for fun and later participated in the 360 Longboard Open in Paris, finishing second. The pandemic in 2020 altered her path. The World Championship, usually held in The Netherlands, was conducted online that year. Before this, financial constraints had kept her from competing. “We sent a one-minute-long video to the judges. I got an email asking if I edited mine because they noticed I was fast, but that’s just my style,” she explains. She emerged as the World Champion in the women’s Longboard Dancing Freestyle category.
Like any Gen Zer, she tweeted about her victory, becoming the first African, Cape Verdean, and Black woman to win this competition. “For me, it was necessary because in the media you always see the same type of girls,” she says. “So, it was a way of telling the girls who aren’t represented that they can do it too, no matter their skin colour.” Meanwhile, Correia defies the longboard stereotype of a blonde girl gliding across a sunset. With her signature dreadlocks and septum piercing, she radiates joy and determination while performing her tricks. “My locks are my crown. It’s an identity,” she declares. “I just put on a bra and some pants with boxers.” Her relaxed style was evident during her cover shoot where she mixed her effortless style with pieces by Pandora. “I love rings so much!” she says. “And I have a lot of piercings. It’s cool. They’re a way of expressing myself.” Just like her personal style, Correia is a true free spirit and just wants others to live as truly as she does. “Don’t let any judgment from friends, family, or anyone else affect you. It’s just you and your passion. If you want it, you have to go for it!”
jumper. The Frankie Shop
necklaces. Pandora
opposite
shirt. A.P.C.
earrings. Pandora
septum throughout. Marina’s own
jumper. The Frankie Shop
rings. Pandora
opposite
jumper. The Frankie Shop
tights. Falke
sandals + socks. Souliers Martinez
