Macarena Ailén

Interview by Danitza Maldonado

Long-time skater Macarena Ailén who was once leaving her mark on the streets of Argentina now finds herself exploring and growing in the iconic skate mecca of Barcelona. It seems this city is drawing in many skaters as of late. She has big dreams for her skating future and an even bigger support system. We can tell there are bright things ahead for this ambitious spirit.

Immortal Kombat is such a good name. How did you come up with that?
Thanks for complimenting my name! The truth is that Immortal Kombat is a name that came from many transformations, and that came from the roller derby culture with the derby names. My first name was ‘Baby Driller.’ It started because I was the youngest on my team and I was a very good jammer at breaking up couples. I thought it was fun to be something like a ‘baby drill.’ After a while I understood that maybe the name could be understood as drilled baby and new ones emerged until I reached ‘Immortal Babe,’ since in my team beyond having grown up, they told me that I was always going to be the baby. Over time I started on the ramps and one day talking to a friend he told me that I was the ‘immortal kombat’ because I was very risky, and that he would present a fight to the spot that was proposed to me. It seemed like a great idea to change my name to this one, which had much more force!

When did you pick up your first pair of roller skates? And when did you realize “Holy shit I love this.” Did you see anyone specifically who inspired you?
The first time I put on skates was at a roller derby recruitment, and I knew I was going to love it as soon as I saw those rebellious, strong, diverse and daring women that I had never met, with their tattoos, colored hair and lots of punk rock!

What is something you’d like everyone to know about you that they would never imagine?
I think something you should know about me is that before I started quad skating I did roller derby. I played a lot of games and tournaments, and I traveled to three countries with my team and with other teams that invited me. I said goodbye to roller derby by playing a men’s tournament, which for me was great because it invited me to see myself as an equal in sports with my biggest rivals.

I know that you’re from Argentina living in Barcelona. When did you make that transition? Why Barcelona? Was everything in Argentina okay?
I took a trip to Barcelona in October. It was a really sudden trip after two months of planning. My plan was to travel through Latin America to Colombia with Male, one of my colleagues from Andinas Ketek. This plan began to change after arriving in the north of Chile, we had an encounter with human trafficking and we were threatened with not being able to continue our trip in a way that made us understand that what was at stake was our lives. After a trip through Antofagasta that began with a lot of fear and being watched for weeks at every place we went to skate (we always went out in the company of friends), ended with many life lessons. We were coming and going between the center of Chile and Mendoza. Back home, with a very difficult financial situation and a broken heart, my family offered to pay for my trip here, since my sister and brother live here. With great effort, my parents, grandmother, and godfather paid for my trip.

Oh wow. Are there other ways your family has contributed to your skate journey?
My family has contributed to my journey as a skater ever since I did roller derby—traveling to see me play in different cities, both in roller derby and quad skating. They have supported me for side gigs to earn extra money outside of work, by selling, making, and delivering empanadas, pizzas (even buying them), and hosting garage sales so I could buy my sports equipment or continue traveling in pursuit of my dream! I feel very fortunate to have them, and I miss them with tears in my eyes, hoping to see them soon.

Has the city made you a better skater?
Every city I travel to makes me a better skater, as they all present different challenges. I think the best of this city is yet to come for me, but I know that what it has given me is a broader view of the world, as there are people from many countries and with many languages.

What’s the biggest lesson the streets of Barcelona taught you?
The biggest lesson the streets of Barcelona have taught me so far is that human scabies exists and is very contagious! You have to shower after skating.

Are there any skaters or groups you’ve been skating with that keep you motivated in the streets? I’ve been to Barcelona once before and I know there’s a large community. Who in your community inspires you to be the most powerful version of yourself?
Since I arrived, I’ve dedicated myself to sharing and meeting countless skaters. I’ve gone out to take photos with Raisa and Marian Gsa, and I’ve gone out to film with my friend Federico Ambros. My group of friends includes Chileans, Argentines, Italians, Basques, French, and Arabs. It’s really crazy how we communicate since we speak so many languages, but it’s awesome!

When I first arrived in Barcelona, to be honest, I did so without many expectations and tried to keep a low profile since I wasn’t at my best. Even so, through skating, things started to happen. I connected with incredible people—I met Agus, who gifted me my first pair of skates with wide trucks which opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me since, before that, I was sliding with the kingpins of my Bonanno skates (a brand from my hometown, Mendoza, that has supported me with trucks, wheels, boots, brakes, and complete skates for the past 10 years). I also connected with Barbie, who arranged for Chaya to gift me a very, very beautiful pair of skates, which I currently use. I’ve met so many amazing people in the quad skating scene, and I’ve had the chance to skate with people I’ve looked up to, like Ragna, Kate, Aylu. And it was my skater friends from back home, Mariana Palacio from Mendoza and Shapper from Antofagasta, who, with the warmth of true friendship, helped me connect with new people and form my own group of friends, with whom I skate every week and share incredible moments.

What are your biggest goals when it comes to roller skating? Not like a trick or anything but like a life-changing goal? Maybe traveling or a job opportunity?
I have some big goals within quad skating, some in the short term and others in the long term. First, I would love to be on a travel team, film, and travel. Being part of a street part with the Lazo Team would be a dream come true. Then, I want to reunite with my friends from Mendoza, with whom I have a neighborhood crew called Andinas Ketek. They have been my driving force over the past few years. One of my long-term goals is to create a brand to support skaters because the quad-skating scene needs more brands investing in the talent and determination of skilled skaters.

It seems crazy to think now, but we face a lot of challenges. Have you ever gotten to the point where you wanted to give up? Maybe on a trick or a spot. What goes through your head?
I believe there are things in life that are worth it. Although I’m very determined about what I want to achieve when it comes to tricks, sometimes I stand on the spots and think, Okay, Maca, you’re crazy. I laugh a lot like a madwoman. I talk to myself, I say, “We’re here,” and I try again and again until I get it right. Sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way I’d like it to and at first I get angry and frustrated. Other times I keep trying and, because I’m stubborn, I end up hurting myself. But I’m learning to take care of myself a little more after so much time and injuries. I only got beat by a spot once and it was here in Barcelona, ​​I still have to do it and I will go back for it!

What’s your opinion on wearing protective gear in the streets? I know some people are really for it and some are against it.
Regarding protections, I think it’s good to be aware of what’s at stake, which is our own integrity. Sometimes we need shin guards because we hit our shins, sometimes we need knee pads because we hit our knees, sometimes we need wrist guards because we hurt our hands, and other times we may need a helmet to protect our head because we’re about to do something crazy.[Laughs] Anyway, I don’t usually use them.

I admire how you skate big crusty spots with such fearlessness. Do you have any words of wisdom for skaters that are inspired by you?
How lovely, thank you for telling me that! If there’s one thing I want to say, it’s that this world has tried to make us weak and disconnected from our bodies, but we are much stronger than we’ve been led to believe for hundreds of years. This is the moment to prove to ourselves that we are capable, resilient, agile, skilled, and very, very strong; we just need to work on it step by step.

Inspiration comes from everywhere: from men and women, skaters, gymnasts, soccer players, artists, dancers, entrepreneurs, workers, and yogis, both from friends and strangers. We must learn to inspire ourselves more because there is an entire world laid out before our eyes for us to do so! Energy is contagious, and we have to give this world something better so that the path becomes easier for new generations and for quad skating to keep growing and growing.

Are you working on any projects that we should be keeping an eye out for?
Only now, after the trip, getting a job, new skates (since I was skating with narrow, brakeless, and broken truck skates), healing from the operation, and feeling my heart is stronger, am I ready to start a new street part project in Barcelona, ​​eager to receive support from brands that can accompany me in this work. I started working on a new project while taking photos for the magazine. I managed to connect with an awesome skater and filmer, Luis Galleguillos, and we’re working on something together.

If you could write your younger self a message, what would you tell her?
If I could write to my younger self, I would tell her that she is doing things right. That each person’s path is unique, that opportunities and possibilities are different for everyone, and that she should enjoy every lesson, story, and challenge she meets. Because they are gifts for her own story and because, in the end, that is all we will ever take with us.