The finalists of The Illume Awards 2026 in the skateboarding category have been announced.

The shots are nothing but gorgeous. Learn more about who took these artworks and the process behind each click.

The winner of this year's skateboarding category will be revealed on October 28, 2026.

Hannes Mautner | Joe Lascar in Montpellier, France

Shrimp is a true street skater through and through. He lives for skateboarding.

But he can skate everything, from big street spots to backyard pools. As soon as he steps onto his board, he puts on a show. It is always a pleasure to see him skate.

I have found my passion in capturing memorable moments in skateboarding and other action sports.

Biography

Born and raised in Gleisdorf, an idyllic region in Austria full of apple orchards, I completed an apprenticeship in carpentry and studied at the Academy for Applied Photography in Graz.

I took up work at the Blue Tomato Headquarters in Schladming, where I gained extensive experience in media work and photography.

Meanwhile, as a skateboarder myself, I have found my true passion in capturing memorable moments in skateboarding and other action sports. Still, traces of my beginnings in landscape photography are visible in my work.

I always develop my skills as a photographer, trying new perspectives and moving out of my comfort zone, always pushing forward.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS R
Lens: Canon EF8-15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM
ISO: 400
F-Stop: 5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/2.000 sec

Hannes Mautner | Levi Löffelberger in Berlin, Germany

Levi Löffelberger is one of the wildest tech skaters I've ever seen. He's an incredibly humble person and always open to new ideas.

For this shot, we were pushing the limits to see just how close I could get with the fisheye.

He only kicked my lens two or three times. We took this photo on a Blue Tomato skate trip to Berlin.

I have found my passion in capturing memorable moments in skateboarding and other action sports.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon EF8-15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM
ISO: 2000
F-Stop: 5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/1.600 sec

Ethan Fraser | Eli Waterson in Melbourne, Australia

This photo of Eli, a young skater from Australia, doing a kickflip down a stair set was taken during a street mission in Melbourne.

With this stair set next to the Yarra River, the cranes in the background give a sense of scale to the trick.

I wanted to capture the "Reduce Speed" sign in the frame as it adds some humor to the image, commenting on the fun and rebellious nature of street skating.

I love photography because of the people I have been able to meet through it. I have been able to meet so many amazing people who are so dedicated to their craft.

Biography

I started taking photos in 2019, just before COVID.

Socializing was limited, so I learned the basics by taking self-portraits, photos of my dog, wildlife, and the forest that surrounded my house in the beautiful New Forest, UK.

When we were finally out of lockdown, I got back on my skateboard, which has been a long-lasting hobby of mine, and started bringing my camera to skate sessions.

This is where I really started learning; it taught me timing, lighting, composition, as well as versatility, as not every skate spot is visually pleasing.

I have since expanded my area of interest to sports and athletes across lots of different disciplines, but all of it is rooted in my love for skateboarding.

Camera Settings

Camera: Sony Alpha7 III
Lens: Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 
ISO: 160
F-Stop: f/4
Shutter Speed: 1/2500 sec

Storm Jansen | Guillaume Clincke in Barcelona, Spain

I'd skated past this spot more times than I can count, but it was only on one particular afternoon that it really caught my attention.

The sun was low, and people in the area were casting these long, dramatic shadows across the ground. It was such a simple thing, but it completely changed how the space looked and felt.

I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I made a plan to come back when the sun would be at the best spot, right before sunset when the light would be at its best.

This time I brought a skater friend along, wanting to see what his shadow would look like moving through the same space.

When the timing lined up, we tried a couple of different tricks and angles but landed on this one, with the white stripe running through the back of the image.

What I liked most about the shot was the simplicity: just one skater, one long shadow, and a single line cutting through the frame.

What draws me to photography is being out in the elements and the search for unique images and perspectives. Whether it's shooting from the water or in the mountains, I'm looking for images that capture the feeling of the sport and stand out.

Biography

My journey into photography started at an early age, photographing my friends while they were out skateboarding.

What began as capturing everyday sessions with the people around me slowly grew into capturing other sports as well, pulling me towards surfing, kitesurfing, and snowboarding.

That early, personal way of shooting still shapes how I work today.

I'm after the raw, authentic moments: the split second of movement, timing, and light coming together in a way that can't be repeated.

I'm always searching for an angle or moment that feels unexpected rather than the obvious one.

What drives me is the hunt for a shot that stands out, the kind that makes people stop and look twice.

Whether it's a surfer in the water or a skater in the urban environment, I love being out shooting in the elements, chasing that split second that makes it all worth it.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS R6 II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f/4
Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec

Hannes Mautner | Jeroen Bruggeman in Lyon, France

This shot happened pretty much by coincidence.

I was actually heading down to Jeroen to shoot something completely different when I spotted him warming up and pushing around the corner.

I really liked the angle and how, at first glance, you're not even quite sure what's going on. It just had something about it, so I pulled out the camera and took the shot.

Camera Settings

Camera: Leica Q2
Lens: SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH.
ISO: 6.400
F-Stop: 1,7
Shutter Speed: 1/1.000 sec

Vladimir Voronin | Arthur Bogdanovich in Riga, Latvia

"I have an idea!" - that's usually how I start a conversation with athletes before a shoot.

So I decided to literally visualize this phrase in a photograph. Although the concept looks quite simple, there were actually a few technical challenges behind it.

It turned out to be surprisingly difficult to find an old-style light bulb - transparent, large, and round, with a clearly visible tungsten filament inside.

They weren't available in regular stores anymore, so I had to ask around and find someone who still had one lying around. Once we started shooting, we ran into another problem.

Firstly, the lighting setup was different. After the first few tests, I realized that even the slightest amount of flash light hitting the bulb would ruin the image.

The bulb would reflect the light, making all the dirt and scratches on its surface visible, which looked really messy.

So we decided to place the Godox flashes high above and behind the athlete and try to capture the exact moment when the athlete would block the flashes during the jump, while also being perfectly aligned with the tungsten filament in the center of the bulb.

I won't even say how many attempts it took - there were a lot.

And special respect to the skateboarder, because he was actually injured at the time, but still agreed to do the shoot and was determined to get the final result.

The best shot becomes possible where the comfort zone ends.

Biography

As a kid, I was always climbing around abandoned buildings, trees, rooftops - basically anywhere I could find a bit of adventure.

That's also when I started getting into amateur photography and parkour. But back then, parkour wasn't even really a discipline yet.

What could be better than taking your parents' old camera, climbing onto a rooftop, and taking a heroic photo with the sunset behind you? Or perform a backflip just for the shot?

Over the years, this passion grew into something much more. What started as a hobby became my profession.

Technology has changed, and so have my skills and experience, but in many ways, I'm still the same kid who climbs everywhere and takes photos of athletes.

Camera Settings

Camera: Sony Alpha A7 IV
Lens: Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
ISO: 5000
F-Stop: 22
Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec

Jara Sijka | Jan Minol at Water Tanks Brno, Czech Republic

When this spot came to life, we were completely hyped to do something there. It's an old water tank that was underground, abandoned, and completely destroyed.

City of Brno brought it back to life.

I started to think, what could be interesting? The first try was with freestyle mountain bike; we built a ramp and landing, but it was far from my idea...

Then we got another chance. Last night of that festival, we got a few more hours after midnight for a last try.

We put some desks as a landing under the water surface, and Honza made a few attempts, and it worked well.

Just have a good time with friends and do your common interests. If they are people with passion, then it could be a nice result.

Biography

I'm just an ordinary guy with a camera. I love to be out there, have fun, and have good times with my friends. I take my camera to almost every ride.

It doesn't matter if it's mountain biking or snowboarding/skiing. There is always a chance to be lucky enough to take a nice shot.

I started photography when I tore my knee ligaments. One of my friends lent me his camera, and I started shooting skateboarding.

I'm a snowboarder, mountain biker, and trail-builder. I love to spend my time on a splitboard exploring new areas to find some special spots that Mother Nature hides from crowds.

I also love to dig trails and be active in the mountain biking scene, not just with the camera.

Camera Settings

Camera: Fujifilm XH2S
Lens: 90mm
ISO: 160
F-Stop: 3.6
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec

Rod Sores | Anna Pixner in Sydney, NSW, Australia

This photograph was actually taken in Australia, but in many ways it is an ode to California and to the imagery that first made me fall in love with skateboarding photography.

California has appeared at different stages of my life. I first lived there as a young creative while completing an internship in advertising.

Years later, I returned for a commercial shoot while working with one of the biggest brands in the world, and eventually I had the chance to experience it again with my partner Anna on her first trip there.

Each visit gave me a different relationship with the place, but that feeling of long days, warm light, skateboarding, and freedom has always stayed with me.

The image was created as part of a shoot to introduce Anna's new skateboard sponsor, but I wanted it to feel much more personal than a traditional campaign image.

I was trying to capture a timeless mood rather than simply show a product or a trick.

It is also a personal homage to Hugh Holland and his Locals Only photographs, which captured the freedom and spirit of 1970s California skate culture so beautifully.

For me, the photograph is about movement, friendship, warm light, and that simple freedom of spending the day outside with a skateboard and nowhere else you need to be.

What I love about photography is that it forces you to be completely present. In action sports, you rarely get to control everything.

You have to understand the athlete, read the environment, anticipate what might happen, and put yourself in the right place before the moment arrives.

But I also think photography is about patience.

If you stay present and pay attention for long enough, sometimes incredible things happen right in front of you.

You can't always plan those moments; you just have to be there and be ready to capture them.

I'm always looking for that point where action, light, environment, and emotion come together.

The technical side matters, but for me the strongest photographs are the ones that make you feel something before you start thinking about how they were made.

Biography

Rodrigo Soares is a Brazilian-Australian photographer, filmmaker, and creative director whose work focuses on action sports, adventure, and visual storytelling.

Growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, Rodrigo discovered skateboarding at a young age and became fascinated by the photography surrounding skate and surf culture.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, he would save his school lunch money to buy magazines, spending hours studying photographs from around the world.

As a skateboarding teenager, he borrowed his sister's camera and began photographing his friends, trying to recreate the kinds of images he had seen in those magazines.

It was his first hands-on introduction to photography and visual storytelling.

His career later took him into advertising, where he worked as an art director and creative director across major agencies and international brands.

Alongside his commercial career, photography remained a constant and gradually brought him back to the sports and communities that first inspired him.

Today, Rodrigo photographs skateboarding, surfing, adventure and outdoor culture, working on land, in the water and from the air with drones.

He is especially drawn to environments where the athlete and landscape are equally important parts of the frame.

His approach combines an understanding of board sports with a strong background in composition, storytelling, and creative direction, capturing moments that feel raw, cinematic, and authentic.

Camera Settings

Camera: Sony Alpha 7R3
Lens: 50mm F/1.4 ZA ZEISS 
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f/1.6
Shutter Speed: 1/2499 sec

Radomił Gomółka | Kamil Zabielski and Tymek Kupis in Łódź, Poland

Arttu Heikkinen | Ethan Copeland in Helsinki, Suvilahti DIY,  Finland

This photo was taken at the Helride event at Suvilahti DIY skatepark in Helsinki, 2026.

I heavily underexposed the image during the editing process, which helped make the flaming ring stand out.

Suvilahti DIY is currently under threat of demolition, making photos from the park feel even more meaningful.

Hopefully the community can save this unique place and keep it alive for years to come.

For me, photography is as much about the experience as the final image. It's a fun way to spend time and create something with friends.

The endless possibilities keep me inspired. Coming up with new ideas, trying different techniques, and seeing what works.

Finding interesting and unusual locations is also a big part of the process, often just as exciting as taking the photo itself.

Biography

I'm a photographer from Espoo, Finland, working mainly with skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding.

Most of my work comes from being part of the scene and spending time with friends who share the same passion for riding and creating things. I'm part of the Finnish ski crew Forre.

Over the years, we have made several popular street skiing films which have been a big part of my work.

Through these projects, I've been able to work closely with many of the brands and people within the skiing and snowboarding industry.

What started mainly as a way to document what my friends were doing has gradually turned into a career that has taken me much further than I ever expected.

Working with international projects has given me the opportunity to travel around the world, work with some of the best riders in the industry, and meet a huge number of new people.

Even though I'm based in Finland, and a lot of my work starts from local street spots, photography has opened doors to places and experiences I probably would never have reached otherwise.

Camera Settings

Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV
Lens: G Master 24-70mm
ISO: 1000
F-Stop: 5
Shutter Speed: 1/2500 sec

JaiCano | Danny León in Getafe, Madrid, Spain

Skater Danny Leon was standing about 500 meters away, performing one of his tricks.

I used a 10-stop ND filter to capture that orange hue of the sun and, while I was at it, the sunspots visible at the top.

Photography is an escape for me: having an idea in my head and managing to bring it into the camera's viewfinder is my biggest challenge.

Biography

My name is José Ángel Izquierdo Cano, but most people know me as JaiCano. I live in Madrid, and I specialize in photographing the sun and moon.

I'm a lover of nature and everything surrounding it - with all my senses - especially landscapes (both above and below ground). I'm also passionate about sports photography.

For over a decade now, I've been experimenting with silhouettes of the sun and moon, incorporating them into cityscapes and combining them with celestial bodies in search of new challenges; if everything goes well, the result is very vivid and satisfying.

Friends collaborate with me by providing their silhouettes: acrobats, athletes from various disciplines, dancers… anyone has the chance to be part of a magical photograph.

This constant work has made me a leading figure in the photography of astronomical alignments.

My images of the moon and the sun have been featured in various TV outlets as well as in digital and print media.

I also teach workshops and participate in nature and night photography conferences.

I still don't consider myself a professional, and I think that's part of what motivates me: every new project is a challenge that I enjoy until I capture the image I had in my mind.

Camera Settings

Camera: Fujifilm XT-5 
Lens: XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
ISO: 200
F-Stop: f25
Shutter Speed: 1/20000 sec

Hannes Mautner | Marco Kada in Paphos, Cyprus

Whenever you go skating with Marco, you know something heavy is going down. This spot was way more intense than it looks.

The run-up was insanely tight, and the landing was rough as hell, with rocks and gravel all over the place.

I've always loved shooting ditches. There's just something about them that makes everything look good.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
ISO: 200
F-Stop: 5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/1.600 sec

Robert Christ | André Gerlich in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

On our constant search for extraordinary spots, André and I found out about a sculpture bike path in the south of Germany and immediately made plans to go there.

This sculpture by Andreas Kiessling is part of the sculpture path, and people usually shoot photos of themselves doing burnouts on their motorbikes in front of it.

André chose to skate this rough piece of concrete instead, did a stylish BS air, and we got a photo we were both really stoked about.

Thank you, André.

Biography

I started photography almost 20 years ago and haven't stopped since.

Mostly, I've photographed my friends riding their wooden toys, my beautiful family, and I'm also trying to get a bit more into street photography.

I've shot photos for magazines all over Europe, including Solo Mag, Free Mag, Irregular Magazine, Fotta, A Brief Glance, Place, Monster, Barrier, and North Mag.

Camera Settings

Camera: Nikon
Lens: 50mm / 1.4
ISO: 320
F-Stop: 6,3
Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec

JaiCano | Danny León in §Getafe, Madrid, Spain

One morning, I suggested to Danny that we do a photo shoot with him on his skateboard and the moon.

He agreed without hesitation, but we'd have to get up early and brave the cold. He had to warm up a lot to be able to perform his favorite tricks.

I positioned myself about 500 meters away from him, and we only had one minute to capture several tricks before the moon disappeared.

Photography is an escape for me: having an idea in my head and managing to bring it into the camera's viewfinder is my biggest challenge.

Camera Settings

Camera: Fujifilm XT-5 
Lens: XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
ISO: 400
F-Stop: f4.9
Shutter Speed: 1/124 sec

Florian Breitenberger | Jost Arens in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

I had the chance to meet Jost during the Red Bull Hirschspringer event in Freiburg.

I had always kept an eye on this remarkable spot right in the heart of the city and had been thinking about how we could make something interesting there.

I thought skating or BMX would probably be the best way to handle the spot, so I asked Jost if he wanted to join me and try something there.

A few days later, Jost showed up with his friend, and we started figuring out what was possible.

It wasn't as easy as I had imagined. Jost's wheels were a little too soft for the also-soft underground, which made things tricky for him.

At the same time, I was struggling to find an angle that really worked with the location and the light.

After trying a few different ideas, I decided to give my drone one last chance. The perspective from above finally started to make sense.

We kept trying, and in the end Jost managed to stick this super sick shadow silhouette perfectly.

It was one of those shoots where nothing really seemed to work at first, but after a bit of experimenting, everything came together in the perfect moment.

Photography, for me, has always been about the experience behind the image.

It's about being fully present in the moment and trying to catch that one perfect moment. I love being outside, exploring new places, chasing light and sharing those moments with good friends.

I'm inspired by the challenge of finding a different perspective and turning a great moment into an image that makes people want to be there.

After more than 15 years behind the camera, I still get the most excited when I catch the perfect moment.

And most of the time, that happens randomly.

Sometimes it's about the perfect light, sometimes about finding a completely different angle, and sometimes it's simply about being in the right place at the right time.

I try not to overthink it. Go outside, have fun, try something different, get inspired by others, and enjoy the process. The best images often come from exactly that.

Biography

I'm Florian Breitenberger, an action sports, event, and commercial photographer from Germany.

Growing up south of Munich, I was heavily influenced by the Alps and the outdoor lifestyle around them.

More than 15 years ago, I picked up my first camera to photograph my friends on snow-covered backcountry trips. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a passion and eventually into my profession.

Since then, I've worked worldwide across action sports, outdoor, events, and commercial photography.

I've been an official event photographer at major events including Crankworx Innsbruck and The Nines, and worked on campaigns for brands including Red Bull, BMW, Audi, Canon, and so on.

Action sports photography is still at the heart of what I do. I'm constantly looking for unusual perspectives, unique light, and ways to show the connection between the athlete and the environment.

The Illume has been an important part of my journey from the beginning. It was a goal I set myself early in my career, and I'm proud to see how it has grown into something bigger than photography.

I've always believed in using my work to support NGOs, protect our environment, and help communities that are often overlooked.

Through exhibitions with other action sports photographers, I've also helped raise awareness and money for these causes.

Seeing Illume now put an even stronger focus on giving back makes me incredibly proud to be part of it.

Camera Settings

Camera: DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Lens: Drone
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f4
Shutter Speed: 1/4000 sec

Tal Roberts | Tyler Kolb in Carey, ID, United States

Spots like this check all the boxes for me, both as a skateboarder and photographer.

In the middle of nowhere with a rad backdrop, a mission to get there, never meant to be skated, but somehow works so well. Tyler Kolb 360 flips on a concrete wave on the outskirts of a small reservoir in rural Idaho.

Photography has always been a catalyst to try something I haven't done or explore a place I've never been. 

Biography

Tal got his start creating still images by hitting the pause button when the tricks looked just right on the classic skateboard videos of the mid 1990s.

Though he didn't use a real camera until years later, the desire to document his passions was still intact.

Tal kickstarted his photographic career while exploring the mountains around his home in Ketchum, Idaho, and continues to focus on making pictures of his friends having fun.

Today Tal's work is so recognizable it can be picked out from the sea of social media nonsense.

His distinguished style plays heavily with light, shadow, time of day, as well as year, all in order to best complement his subject.

Typical action and sports photography comes alive with mood and mystique, rendering his images unique, to say the least.

A film and special format connoisseur, Tal's medium (camera of choice) is just as much a part of his process as is his relationship to his subjects and their relationship to their own craft.

Camera Settings

Camera: Leica M6
Lens: 28mm
Film: Kodak Tri-X 400
F-Stop: 11
Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec

Clement Chouleur | Hugo Westrelin in Biarritz, France

I've known Hugo Westrelin for many years now, and it has always been a pleasure to shoot with him, as I admire his unique style so much.

I felt very flattered when the good people at Wasted Talent magazine asked me to shoot some pictures for his upcoming interview.

Since they wanted to highlight his city of origin, Biarritz, it only felt natural to try to shoot something there.

Luckily for us, this DIY transition, built by Romain Covolan on top of a WWII bunker a few years back, was still standing.

Since it's a really scenic spot, overlooking the whole Côte des Basques beach, we thought there was no better time than sunset to shoot something there.

Once the light was right, he went for an ollie one-foot to fakie, a signature trick of his that he did a bunch of times until we got the perfect pose.

What a treat!

Do what you love with passion, dedication, and discipline, and eventually, it will work out.

Biography

I'm Clement Chouleur, but everyone knows me as Choubi. My passion for board sports probably started because I was born in the French Alps and raised in the Basque Country.

As a kid, I would always have a spark in my eye when I was watching the older kids surf, snowboard, or skate.

So, I tried them all and enjoyed them (still do), but skateboarding quickly became my favorite.

I loved doing it with my friends, but I was also very passionate about magazines; I could stare at the pictures for hours and dream about it.

So when the opportunity arose, I did my first internship in a magazine called Beach Brother.

They gave me a lot of freedom and lent me a camera, so I started writing and shooting.

It was in 2012, and soon after I bought my first camera and never stopped shooting since.

I'm now based in Paris, a great city to shoot skate pictures and meet skateboarders from all around the globe that you can visit afterward.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: 50
ISO: 2500
F-Stop: f/4,5
Shutter Speed: 1/1 600 sec

Clement Chouleur | Joe Lascar in Porto, Portugal

Porto is a great location for a skate trip.

The combination of old, scenic buildings and newer structures is perfectly balanced, making the city full of good-looking spots, and this bank by the famous Dom Luís Bridge is one of the most iconic of them.

Over the years, I've been able to visit a bunch of times, and this one trip was probably the most prolific, photo-wise, thanks to the Churl crew!

Joe Lascar had his eyes on the spot before we even arrived in the city, and even though it took him a couple of sessions to get this kickflip in, he absolutely nailed it.

What you don't see in the photo is all the homies who were waiting for him to land it so they could celebrate with firecrackers, heart-shaped confetti, and pints of Spritz.

What a good time we had.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: 24-70
ISO: 640
F-Stop: f/5 
Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec

Benoit Gea | Tai Houtokura in Copenhagen, Denmark

This picture was taken during the CPH OPEN, one of the most popular skateboarding events.

It was due to take place in the early evening, but because of sudden rain, it was postponed for a few hours until the spot had dried out.

Fortunately, in Denmark in summer, due to the latitude, the sun sets quite late, and June enjoys a long twilight and a night that is never completely dark.

This meant I had enough light to take this photo by pushing my film to ISO 800.

The hardest part of this photo was managing to make my way through the crowd to get this point of view, which allowed me not only to highlight the trick but also to capture the atmosphere around them and the enthusiasm of the crowd.

I think that, as a photographer, being cultured in the art world in general is very important.

I look to and draw inspiration from many artists from a wide variety of fields, whether they be photographers, painters, musicians, filmmakers, and so on.

Drawing inspiration from fields completely different from action sports photography allows you to take a different approach and bring something new to what we're used to seeing.

Biography

Ten years ago, I was a professional BMX rider, and I traveled a lot.

One of my friends offered me a Canon AE-1 for my birthday, and I started to shoot just for the memories of those journeys.

After a few years, BMX magazine asked me to print my pictures, and it became more and more serious.

Over the years, I slowly moved from one side of the lens to the other.

These days I mainly do street photography and skateboarding photography, and I'm lucky enough to be the official photographer for Vans BMX Europe.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon AE-1
Lens: 50mm 
ISO: HP5 pushed to 800 ISO
F-Stop: f5,6
Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec

Philip Platzer | Diego Poncelet in Loser Panoramastraße, Altaussee, Austria

The photo was taken during a training session with downhill skateboarder Diego Poncelet, who is aiming to break the world speed record later this year in Canada.

My goal was to capture the speed, commitment, and sheer dedication of the rider.

For that reason, we decided to shoot from the trunk of a car - something I usually do with cars and motorcycles.

With a skateboarder, however, there was one small detail that made things considerably more interesting: he has no brakes.

To control his speed and distance to the car, Diego had to drift and constantly adjust his line.

Combined with a slow shutter speed to emphasize the sense of motion, keeping him sharp was a little more challenging than it usually is with cars.

I wanted him as close to the car as possible so I could shoot as wide as possible, going below 20mm to create an even stronger "I am actually there" feeling.

So, hats off to Diego for the skill and bravery.

My job, comparatively speaking, was mostly to press a button with a reasonably steady hand while sitting in the back of a car doing around 100 km/h down a windy mountain road.

That said, it's not quite as straightforward as shooting cars on a race track, where you can cheat the impression of speed by simply driving slower and using a slower shutter speed.

Here, the speed is very much real - and so is the scenery rushing past the trunk.

Being thrown around in the back of a car was on my bucket list anyway, so I'd say it was absolutely worth it.

For me, photography is about telling stories honestly - capturing moments as they happen, rather than trying to make them something they're not.

Biography

I was born in Graz, Austria, in 1979 and grew up with a passion for outdoor adventure sports - from mountain biking and snowboarding to rock climbing.

Photography naturally became part of that world.

I wanted to capture not just what these experiences looked like, but what they felt like: The energy, the movement, the atmosphere, and the people behind them.

When I bought my first proper DSLR camera in 2008, photography quickly became much more than a hobby.

As a self-taught photographer, I spent countless hours learning my craft, while assisting a range of photographers working in fashion, advertising and sports.

Those years taught me as much about the profession as they did about photography itself.

I turned professional in 2010 and soon found myself drawn to motorsports where speed, precision and unpredictability provide an endless source of inspiration.

Motorsport remains a major part of my work today, alongside commercial, automotive, action, lifestyle and sports events.

Over the years, my approach has evolved, but one thing has remained at the heart of it: storytelling.

I want my images to feel natural, honest, and true to the moment.

Rather than simply creating something that looks impressive, I'm interested in photographs that make you feel like you were actually there.

I'm still curious, still learning, and still looking for new ways to tell a story.

Whether I'm working at a major sporting event, on a commercial production, or somewhere out in the mountains, the goal is the same: to create images that feel real, have a sense of place, and capture something worth remembering.

Camera Settings

Camera: Sony Alpha 1 III
Lens: Sony FE 16-35 2.8 GM
ISO: 50
F-Stop: 10
Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec

What if playing a skateboarding game involved moving a miniature board instead of pushing buttons on a regular controller?

That is the idea behind SK8MOD, a physical skateboard-style controller that uses the motion sensors in a smartphone to control supported skateboarding games.

They call it a "motion-based simulator."

The phone sits on the controller, while the SK8MOD app tracks its movement and translates it into game inputs.

The result is a rather different way to play games such as "Session: Skate Sim," "skate.," and "Skater XL."

Instead of moving a thumbstick to control the virtual board, the player moves the SK8MOD itself.

It reminds us of an old ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 computer game, "Surf Champ," which came with a miniature plastic surfboard that was also used as a controller.

Your phone becomes the sensor

The clever part of SK8MOD is that much of the technology is already sitting in your pocket.

The company says the controller uses the motion sensors in a phone to track tilts, spins, and flicks.

The app then maps those movements to standard controller inputs, meaning SK8MOD does not need direct integration into each supported game.

Setting it up is fairly simple.

The phone is mounted on the SK8MOD base, the app is opened, and the player calibrates the center direction when prompted.

Once calibrated, different physical movements correspond to different actions.

A flick can produce a flip such as a kickflip or heelflip; rotating the controller can trigger shuvits and bigspins, while side-to-side tilting is used for turning and carving.

Forward and backward tilting is mapped to ollies and nollies. 

The system also tracks the speed, direction, and angle of the phone's movement. Those inputs can be combined to perform more complex tricks and combos.

Shaped like a tiny skateboard

SK8MOD is a physical controller rather than an app that works on its own.

The product includes the skateboard-style controller and an app license, with the app available for Android and iOS.

The phone mount is adjustable to fit different phone sizes.

The current SK8MOD app is listed on both Google Play and Apple's App Store.

The Android version had more than 500 downloads when we checked Google Play, while the iPhone version was updated to version 1.1.0 in September 2026.

Its recent updates include performance improvements and bug fixes.

SK8MOD also says the controller is designed to receive regular updates and support additional skateboarding games as they become available.

Session, skate. and Skater XL are supported

The current compatibility information lists "Session: Skate Sim," "skate.," and "Skater XL" as supported games. "Skate Style" and "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 / 3+4" are listed as coming soon on SK8MOD's website.

The controller is compatible with PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. SK8MOD says the connection works through standard controller inputs rather than direct integration with the games. 

There is an important detail for anyone thinking about buying one: compatibility can depend on the phone model, operating system, game, console, sensors, permissions, and calibration.

Developers also recommend, as a general guideline, iOS and Android devices released in 2018 or later, while stressing that this does not guarantee compatibility with every device.

A different kind of skate controller

The idea is easy to understand if you think about what a conventional gamepad does not physically resemble.

A standard controller gives your thumbs sticks and buttons. SK8MOD gives the game a small board that can be tilted and rotated.

The physical movement is then used to reproduce the logic of skateboard tricks inside the game.

That makes the device particularly interesting for the best skateboarding games out there that already place a strong emphasis on individual trick inputs.

It's a bit like fingerboarding but with a digital twist.

The system uses the phone's gyroscope and touchscreen to reproduce movements such as tilts, rotations, ollies, and flips.

The touchscreen also has a role in the experience.

Swiping the phone can initiate flip tricks, while other touch inputs can trigger actions in the game.

SK8MOD is therefore somewhere between a game controller and a miniature skateboarding rig. You are still sitting in front of a screen, but the board in your hands has become part of the input.

And yes, there is something slightly and weirdly amusing about needing to perform a miniature kickflip with your phone in order to make a digital skater perform one on screen.

Ready to give it a try? Press ollie.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

Danny León has done it again. But can you imagine skateboarding merging with football?

The Spanish Olympic skateboarder has pushed the limits of his sport by becoming the first person to grind the crossbar of a professional football goal, turning the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, home of Atlético de Madrid, into the setting for an extraordinary skateboarding world first.

The challenge sounds almost impossible when reduced to numbers: a regulation football goal is 7.32 meters (24 feet) wide, while its crossbar sits 2.44 meters (8 feet) above the ground.

León had to jump onto that crossbar, lock into a 50-50 grind and travel from one post to the other without losing his balance or getting his wheels caught in the net.

The result was a trick that lasted only a few seconds but required months of preparation, engineering and mental conditioning.

A rail that moves

A football goal is not designed to be a skateboard rail.

That was one of the biggest problems León had to solve.

The crossbar has a degree of flexibility and rebound. Once a skateboarder is standing on it more than two meters above the ground, even a small movement can become much larger.

"The hardest part was managing the instability of the crossbar," León said.

"It has a small rebound and, when you're more than two meters above the ground, every movement is amplified. That's why mental preparation and balance were so important. In a challenge like this, you can't leave anything to chance."

There was another complication: the net.

If the skateboard wheels caught the net during the grind, the trick could quickly turn into a fall. That made the 50-50 grind more than a stylistic choice.

"It is the only way to keep the wheels from getting caught in the net," León explained.

The objective was simple: reach the crossbar, maintain control and grind more than seven meters without losing balance.

But first, León had to find a way to get there.

Speed and precision

The height of the crossbar meant León needed considerable speed to complete the grind.

The original plan involved using a ramp to generate enough momentum. It wasn't enough.

The solution was a winch cable, which allowed León to reach the speed required to hit the crossbar with enough momentum to travel its entire length.

But the winch couldn't do the trick for him.

Speed had to be perfectly synchronized with the jump, the entry angle, and the precise moment when the skateboard made contact with the crossbar.

A few centimeters could mean the difference between grinding the entire goal and falling short.

"The most important things to achieve this challenge were precision, speed and balance to stay up there, because the goal was moving all the time and was extremely unstable," León said.

Months of preparation

The world first began long before León arrived at the Metropolitano.

For months, he trained at the Municipal Stadium of L'Hospitalet in Barcelona, where structures were built to replicate the height and conditions of the challenge.

The training started with the crossbar at ground level. Then came height. And with the height came protective mats.

"Physically, I trained strength and balance. At first, we started training at half a meter above the ground so I could get used to that instability," León said.

"Mentally, I had to believe in myself and think that I could do it."

The height was gradually increased as León became more comfortable with the moving surface.

Eventually, the protective measures were reduced, and the setup increasingly resembled the real challenge.

Then came the moment to face the regulation goal at the Metropolitano.

The engineering behind the trick

Making the trick possible was an engineering challenge in its own right.

SB RAMPS developed a completely custom infrastructure designed to deliver León to the crossbar with the correct speed, angle and trajectory.

Every radius, angle and measurement had to be calculated with extreme precision so that León would arrive perfectly aligned with the crossbar.

The football goal itself also required additional work to reduce its movement. Straps and sandbags were used to increase stability and minimize unwanted motion.

"The ramps were designed with a single objective: to make the impossible possible," SB RAMPS said.

"Every measurement, radius and angle was calculated to the millimeter, so Danny would arrive perfectly aligned with the crossbar."

The crossbar's natural rebound added another variable.

"Any minimal deviation made the trick impossible," the company explained.

Even apparently minor details mattered.

The grip tape on León's skateboard, for example, needed to be as fresh as possible. During the jump and the grind, he needed his feet to remain firmly connected to the board.

On a challenge like this, there were no insignificant details.

Two experts watching

León wasn't the only athlete involved in the project.

Marc Pubill, an Atlético de Madrid player and recent world champion with the Spanish national team, watched the challenge from the Metropolitano's field.

"Being part of this challenge has been incredible," Pubill said.

"Danny is a machine. I've had a great time, and hopefully we can repeat the experience."

But he wasn't ready to trade football for skateboarding.

"That said, I wouldn't swap football for skateboarding," he added.

Professional BMX rider Courage Adams also followed the process closely.

His experience with balance offered another perspective on one of the central difficulties of the challenge: getting onto the crossbar was only half the battle.

León had to stay there while the surface beneath him moved. And then there was the final obstacle: the mental one.

The moment of truth

After months of training, testing, and adjustments, everything came down to a few seconds.

León positioned himself on the ramp. The skateboard was ready. The winch cable was tightened.

Courage Adams began the countdown.

The cable pulled. León jumped. The skateboard reached the crossbar and locked into the 50-50. He stayed balanced as the metal moved beneath him.

One meter. Two. Three. Seven. Then the landing.

The trick was over almost as quickly as it had begun. But getting there had taken months.

"It was very exciting," León said.

"I've been working on this for many months and finally achieved it."

The logistics of carrying out the stunt inside a professional football stadium presented another challenge.

"It was a real team effort with Atlético de Madrid, Red Bull, the camera crew and everyone involved," he said.

"And to carry out this process with a regulation 11-a-side football goal measuring 7.32 meters by 2.44 meters, which is pretty scary, is incredible."

When a football goal becomes a rail

For León, the project was about more than simply setting a skateboarding world first.

He grew up playing football and skateboarding, two passions that have followed him throughout his life.

"This project is very special to me because it combines two of my great passions: football and skateboarding," León said.

"When I was little, I used to go to football training on my skateboard, wearing my football cleats. So being able to grind a goal in a stadium like the Riyadh Air Metropolitano is a dream come true."

That connection may be the most fitting part of the entire project.

Skateboarding has always had a talent for changing the way we see ordinary spaces.

A bench becomes an obstacle, a curb becomes a rail, a handrail becomes a line, and, this time, a professional football goal became a seven-meter-long skateboard rail.

Danny León found a new place to skate and saw a rail where everyone else saw a goal.

A skateboard can have a great deck and fast wheels, but the experience still comes down to what happens underneath your feet.

That is where the trucks live - they connect the deck to the wheels.

They let the board turn, absorb pressure from your feet, and provide the surface you grind against.

The hanger carries the axle, while the bushings and pivot cup control how that hanger moves; the kingpin holds the system together and lets the rider change its response.

For a surfer, the easiest comparison is probably the one you already know.

A surfboard can have a good outline and a good set of fins, but the wrong fin setup can change the entire way it behaves.

Skateboard trucks work in a similar way. They are not passive hardware but a part of the board's steering system.

Choosing them well requires more than finding a pair that looks strong.

Width, height, geometry, materials, bushings, axle construction, and manufacturing quality all affect how a board behaves.

Let's help you choose the best, high-quality pair of trucks for your riding setup.

Why skateboard trucks matter so much

Every time a skater leans into a turn, the trucks respond. Every time a skater lands an ollie, the trucks take a load.

During a grind, the hanger becomes the contact surface between the skateboard and whatever is being ground.

The trucks also determine where the wheels sit in relation to the deck. Their width therefore affects the board's balance and feel.

A truck that is too narrow can make a board less stable, while an excessively wide truck can bring the wheels too far toward the outside of the deck and create problems such as shoe contact with the wheels.

The trucks also influence turning speed and radius.

Bushings compress as the skater leans, allowing the hanger to move around the pivot point.

Tightening the kingpin changes how much resistance the bushings provide. Harder bushings create a stiffer setup, while softer bushings make the truck easier to turn.

That means a truck is doing several jobs at once.

It has to carry the wheels, steer the board, survive impacts, and provide a surface that can be ground repeatedly.

A cheap truck may perform all of those jobs when it is new. The question is what happens after hundreds of landings and grinds.

Start with the width

The first measurement to get right is truck width.

The axle width should be close to the width of the deck.

Skateboard retailers and truck guides commonly recommend matching the two as closely as possible.

A difference of about one eighth of an inch is generally considered fine, while a difference of about one quarter of an inch can still work but is less desirable.

There is an important detail here: truck measurements are not presented in one universal system.

Some manufacturers emphasize hanger width, while others use axle width or their own numerical sizing system.

For that reason, checking the actual axle measurement is often more useful than relying on a truck's model number.

Imagine an eight-inch deck.

A truck with an axle width close to eight inches will keep the wheels and the truck ends close to the edges of the board.

A much narrower truck changes the stance of the setup and can reduce stability; a much wider truck changes the leverage and can make the wheels extend too far outward.

There is no performance advantage in deliberately choosing the wrong width.

Height changes the character of the board

Once width is sorted, truck height becomes important.

Low trucks place the board closer to the ground.

They are commonly used for technical street skating because the lower setup can provide stability and works well with smaller wheels.

High trucks provide more space between the deck and axle, which makes them better suited to larger wheels and gives them a larger turning radius.

Mid trucks sit between those two approaches and are widely used as an all-around option.

Wheel size is part of this decision.

A large wheel mounted on a low truck has less space between the wheel and deck.

When the skater leans into a turn, the wheel can contact the deck. The wheel bite can stop a wheel abruptly while the board is moving.

Truck height is therefore not a matter of choosing the highest or lowest model available. It has to work with the wheel diameter and the way the trucks are adjusted.

It's important to note that wheel size recommendations are guidelines and that riding trucks loose increases the risk of wheel bite.

A skater who spends most of the day doing technical tricks may value the lower ride height of a low truck. Someone who wants to carve around town or ride larger wheels may prefer more clearance.

Look closely at the hanger

The hanger is the large metal part of the truck. It contains the axle and provides the surface used for grinding. It also sits inside the pivot cup and moves when the skater turns.

Therefore, the hanger is one of the most heavily abused parts of the skateboard.

A good hanger needs to retain its structural integrity while being subjected to impacts and repeated grinding. It also needs accurate geometry because its shape and position influence how the truck turns.

We're at a point where construction quality starts to matter.

Aluminum is widely used for skateboard truck hangers and baseplates.

But saying that a truck is made from aluminum does not tell you everything about it. The alloy, manufacturing method, and heat treatment can all differ.

For example, current high-end truck specifications include heat-treated aluminum hangers and baseplates, while some designs use forged aluminum components.

Other manufacturers use carefully controlled casting processes and heat treatment.

The lesson is simple. Do not treat the word "aluminum" as a complete quality specification.

Forged does not automatically mean better

Forging is often presented as a premium feature, and it can be useful.

A forged component can be designed to remove material while maintaining the required strength.

Current lightweight truck designs use forged aluminum baseplates alongside hollow axles or kingpins to reduce weight.

But casting is not automatically a sign of an inferior truck.

Modern casting processes can produce strong and precise components.

One current truck specification, for example, uses a proprietary casting process, a specified aluminum alloy, and T6 heat treatment for both the hanger and baseplate.

It also specifies machined hanger ends for accurate bearing contact.

For a buyer, the important question is therefore not simply whether a truck is forged or cast.

The better question is whether the manufacturer has controlled the material, manufacturing process, and final dimensions well enough to produce a truck that remains reliable under use.

The axle deserves serious attention

The axle carries the wheels and bearings. It also takes punishment when the board lands badly or when the truck hits a hard surface.

One failure mode is axle slip.

You could describe this as the axle moving sideways inside the hanger, which can leave one wheel with less axle available while the other side has more.

It can eventually become a reason to replace the truck.

The threads at the end of the axle matter too. The axle nut has to hold the wheel securely, and damaged threads can make wheel removal or installation difficult.

Better trucks can use stronger steel alloys, hollow axles, or titanium axles.

Hollow construction removes material to reduce weight, while titanium can provide further weight savings. Current premium truck specifications show all three approaches.

That does not mean a solid steel axle is a poor choice. A truck does not need titanium to be durable.

What matters is whether the axle stays straight, remains securely positioned in the hanger, maintains usable threads, and provides a good fit for the bearings.

The kingpin holds the system together

The kingpin passes through the baseplate, bushings, and hanger.

Its adjustment changes how tightly the bushings are compressed and therefore changes the way the truck turns.

A strong kingpin is important because it is exposed to repeated loads while the skater turns and lands.

Some lightweight trucks use hollow kingpins, reducing weight without requiring the entire truck to be made from exotic materials.

Current truck designs use both standard and hollow kingpins, sometimes together with forged baseplates and hollow axles.

An inverted kingpin is another design choice.

It changes where the kingpin hardware sits and can provide more clearance around the grinding surface. It is a design feature rather than a simple measure of quality.

The important thing is that the kingpin remains strong, properly seated, and easy to adjust without damaging its threads.

Bushings can transform a good truck

A truck's metal parts get most of the attention, but the bushings have a major influence on how the board feels.

The bushings are urethane rings positioned around the kingpin. The hanger moves against them as the skater turns.

Their hardness affects how much force is required to turn the board.

Harder bushings produce more resistance and stability; softer bushings allow easier movement and quicker response.

And that's why two identical trucks can feel very different when fitted with different bushings.

It also means that a mediocre-feeling truck is not necessarily a bad truck. Its stock bushings may simply be wrong for the rider.

A heavier skater will compress a given bushing differently from a lighter skater. A rider who wants a stable board at speed may also prefer a different setup from someone who wants quick, loose turns.

The useful thing about bushings is that they can be replaced.

A truck with good basic geometry and replaceable components can therefore be tuned as the rider's preferences change.

Do not forget the pivot cup

Inside the baseplate is a small component called the pivot cup.

It supports the hanger at its pivot point and allows it to move when the skater turns.

It is easy to ignore because it is hidden inside the truck. And that can be a mistake.

A worn pivot cup can cause the hanger to move unevenly. Your local skate shop will surely specifically note that heavy use can wear the cup and that replacing it can restore proper movement.

And that is one reason replacement parts are valuable. A truck does not necessarily need to be discarded because one small part has worn out.

A durable truck should be designed as a system that can be maintained.

Precision is hiding in the details

Some of the most important qualities in a truck cannot be judged by looking at it on a shop shelf.

The axle needs to fit the bearings properly, the hanger needs to sit correctly in the pivot cup, the kingpin needs to line up with the rest of the assembly, and the mounting holes need to be accurately positioned.

Small errors can become noticeable when the truck is under load.

One current truck specification, for example, calls out machine-faced hanger ends for precise bearing contact and oversized axles intended to reduce bearing wobble.

These details are easy to overlook because they do not make for dramatic advertising photographs.

They are also exactly the sort of details that can separate a well-made truck from a cheap one.

Weight is useful, but strength comes first

Modern truck design has become very good at removing unnecessary material.

Hollow axles, hollow kingpins, and forged components can reduce weight while maintaining the required strength. Some premium designs also use titanium axles for further weight reduction.

A lighter truck can make a skateboard feel lighter during tricks. But weight should not become the main measure of quality.

There is little value in saving a small amount of weight if the truck bends, the axle slips, or the pivot becomes loose.

For most skaters, a reliable truck with good geometry is a better investment than the lightest possible truck.

What happens with an average or poor truck?

The problems usually do not arrive as one dramatic failure. Instead, they can appear gradually.

A worn pivot cup can make the hanger move unevenly, a damaged axle can make wheel installation difficult, an axle can slip after repeated abuse, bushings can lose their intended feel, and general wear can loosen components and change the board's turning and feel.

As you can see, there's plenty of room for flaws and malfunction, and the result is a skateboard that becomes less predictable.

A truck that once returned smoothly after a turn may start to feel different, and a board may become harder to control during a trick.

Also, the wheels may sit differently, bearing fit can become less precise, and a worn hanger can eventually lose enough material through grinding that it needs replacing.

None of this means an inexpensive truck will automatically fail. In other words, price and quality are not the same thing.

The real warning sign is a truck whose construction, tolerances, and replacement parts are poor enough that normal use quickly changes its performance.

Build the truck around the way you skate

There is no single truck specification that makes sense for every skateboard. It's the same with surfboards.

A street skater may want a lower truck and smaller wheels, and a transition skater may value a larger turning radius and additional wheel clearance.

Then, a person who mainly cruises may prefer the turning characteristics of a higher truck, and mid trucks can provide a compromise for general street and park use.

The deck matters too. So, a good starting point is to match the truck axle width closely to the deck width.

After that, wheel diameter and riding style help determine the appropriate truck height. Bushings then allow the rider to tune the resistance and response.

That is why buying the most expensive truck available is not a shortcut to a better skateboard.

A high-performance truck is one that works correctly with the rest of the setup.

What to look for when buying

When examining a truck, pay attention to the specifications rather than the appearance.

Look for a clearly stated axle width that matches the deck.

Check the truck height against the intended wheel size.

Look for information about the material and construction of the hanger and baseplate.

Check how the axle and kingpin are made. See whether the manufacturer provides replacement bushings or pivot cups.

Then look at the less glamorous details.

Are the axle threads clean? Is the bearing contact area accurately made? Does the hanger sit properly in the pivot cup?

Is the construction designed to remove weight without compromising strength? Does the manufacturer provide enough technical information to explain how the truck was made?

A manufacturer that can answer those questions is giving the buyer something useful.

A truck covered in technical-sounding words without meaningful specifications is a different story.

The best skateboard truck does not need the longest list of features. It needs the right dimensions, sound construction, and predictable movement.

Once those fundamentals are right, the rider can tune the bushings and hardware to suit the way the board is actually ridden.

That is when the truck stops being a piece of metal under the deck and starts doing what it was designed to do.

SurferToday's hierarchy of importance

If we were scoring trucks for a serious buying guide, we wouldn't give every specification equal weight.

We'd rank them roughly like this:

Tier 1: Critical

1. Correct truck width: If the width is wrong, the rest doesn't matter much;
2. Geometry: It determines how the truck actually rides;
3. Structural integrity: Hanger, baseplate, axle, and kingpin need to survive the abuse;
4. Truck height/wheel compatibility: It determines wheel bite, board height, and part of the riding feel;

Tier 2: Very important

5. Bushings: They have an enormous effect on how the truck feels;
6. Pivot cup: Critical for smooth, predictable movement;
7. Manufacturing precision: It separates genuinely good trucks from cheap ones;
8. Axle retention and bearing fit: Especially important for long-term reliability;

Tier 3: Performance refinements

9. Weight: Important, particularly for technical skateboarding, but not at the expense of strength;
10. Hollow components: A useful way to reduce weight;
11. Forged components: Potentially excellent for strength-to-weight optimization;
12. Titanium: Fantastic for premium weight reduction, but absolutely not essential;

Enjoy the ride.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

For a few seconds on August 12, 2026, Danny León appeared to float in front of a black Sun. Yes, you've read it right.

The Spanish skateboarder had launched from a ramp in Novales, Huesca, just as the Moon covered the Sun during the total solar eclipse. His board, body, and the dark solar disk lined up almost perfectly in the frame.

The image looked like a lucky accident. Yet, it was anything but. The project had been in the works for more than a year.

León worked with photographer José Ángel Izquierdo (@jaicano on Instagram), audiovisual producer Gonzalo González de Vega (@gochiestrella), and other members of a seven-person crew to turn a rare astronomical event into a carefully timed skateboarding shot.

The result became one of the most widely shared images of the eclipse.

Within 24 hours, the video had reached 120 million views, according to AS Acción. Earlier reports had put the figure at more than 80 million and then more than 100 million as the clip spread across social media.

The stunt cast a shade - pun intended - on the day pro surfer Italo Ferreira was caught inside a solar eclipse.

The idea started with the Sun and the Moon

The eclipse project began with a series of photographs.

Izquierdo had previously contacted León about making images with the Sun in the background. They later did the same with the Moon. Both projects attracted attention online.

León, José and Gonzalo then started thinking about the total solar eclipse more than a year before it arrived.

The idea was simple enough: put a skateboarder in the air at the exact moment the Moon completely covered the Sun.

Making it happen was a different matter.

The August 12 eclipse was the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain since 1905.

That gave the team one very specific opportunity. There would be no second chance the next day if the timing was wrong.

José Izquierdo used an application to work out where the Sun would appear and searched for a place where the light, landscape and position of the eclipse would work with a skateboard ramp.

He eventually found a private property in Novales, in Huesca, Aragón. The owner gave the crew permission to use the land.

The team then contacted SB Ramps to build a ramp for the shoot.

A custom ramp and a very long day

The ramp was installed on Tuesday, August 11, one day before the eclipse.

The crew tested the setup during the evening and adjusted the position before the main event.

For León, the following day started early.

He trained from 7 am to 10 am, then stopped for breakfast. At around 5 pm, he returned to the site. He trained for another hour, took a break, and started the final sequence at about 7 pm.

The operation continued until around 9:30 pm. The hard deadline was much shorter.

At the chosen location, totality lasted about 30 seconds.

That was the window in which León had to perform the tricks while the cameras tried to capture the eclipse and the skateboarder in the same frame.

Three tricks in 30 seconds

As the Moon moved across the Sun, León began making jumps and testing the timing.

He managed three tricks during totality. One of them produced the alignment the team had been waiting for.

In the successful frame, León's airborne silhouette sits directly against the completely covered Sun.

The other attempts were not perfectly timed with totality.

There was little room for error. León had to concentrate on the ramp and his landing while the photographers and filmmakers dealt with a moving astronomical target.

Then the light changed.

Totality brought darkness to the scene, and the wind suddenly picked up. León said he was effectively skating almost blind. The eclipse was to his right, but he had to keep looking toward the ramp.

Two spotlights had been placed at the site, but looking toward them made his vision even worse.

So León focused on the ground and the ramp. He did not even get to watch the eclipse.

He missed the eclipse he had spent a year preparing for

This may be the strangest part of the story.

While millions of people across Spain were looking at the sky, León was looking at the ramp.

He did not wear eclipse glasses during the trick because he needed to concentrate on the skateboarding.

Other members of the crew wore protective glasses, and the cameras were fitted with filters to protect them while filming the Sun.

Only after the critical 30 seconds had passed could León finally look up.

By then, the important part was already over. The crew was celebrating - the shot had worked.

The image travels around the world

León posted the video with the title "El truco de mi vida: Eclipse mode", or "The trick of my life: Eclipse mode."

The clip quickly moved far beyond the skateboarding community.

Heraldo reported more than 80 million Instagram views. HuffPost later reported more than 100 million views and 10 million likes. AS Acción then reported 120 million views after 24 hours.

The numbers changed quickly as the video continued to spread, but the 120 million figure is the latest figure reported by those outlets in the immediate aftermath of the eclipse.

The image also attracted a different kind of attention.

Some people online wondered whether such a perfect composition could have been made with artificial intelligence or digital manipulation.

Wider footage and other versions of the stunt showed that León really was performing the jump at the location while the eclipse was taking place.

The perfect-looking image came from perspective, timing and preparation.

León was already used to Olympic pressure

León, born in Móstoles in 1994, was already a well-known name in Spanish skateboarding before the eclipse.

Danny represented Spain in park skateboarding at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. At Tokyo, he finished ninth, just outside the eight-skater final. At Paris, he finished 20th.

The eclipse project presented a different kind of challenge.

There were no judges and no competition score. The trick itself was not necessarily the most technically demanding maneuver León could perform.

The difficult part was getting the movement, location, camera, and astronomical timing to work together.

And there was one thing an Olympic skateboarder usually has that León did not have in Huesca.

Another run.

At the Olympics, a missed trick can sometimes be followed by another attempt. At Novales, the Moon was going to cover the Sun for about 30 seconds, and then the moment would be gone.

León had to make those seconds count.

The trick was only part of the job

The viral frame makes the project look simple: León jumps, the eclipse sits behind him, and the camera captures the moment.

But the image depended on several pieces falling into place.

Most importantly, the team needed a suitable location.

Izquierdo had to calculate where the Sun would be, the private property had to be available, SB Ramps had to build and deliver the ramp, and the crew had to position the equipment.

León also had to train the movement, the cameras needed protection, and everything had to happen during a roughly 30-second period of totality.

The seven-person crew also had to work around conditions that could not be controlled.

The darkness arrived exactly as expected; the wind did not.

For León, the sudden change made the ride harder. For the camera crew, it added another variable to an operation that already depended on precise timing.

Yet the successful attempt happened.

The skateboarder left the ramp, the Moon completely covered the Sun, and León's silhouette crossed the frame at the right instant.

Ultimately, for León himself, the price of getting the shot was missing the eclipse.

But it was probably worth it.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

Skateboarding has always been difficult to define because it sits somewhere between a sport, an art form, and a way of looking at the world.

Ask ten skateboarders what skating means, and you'll probably hear ten different answers.

The purists will say it's a way of life, and never a sport, let alone an Olympic event.

Even so, the culture has a handful of ideas that have stayed with it since the first surfers put roller skate wheels on wooden boards in California during endless flat spells.

Freedom to do things your own way

The biggest of those "ideas" is freedom.

Skateboarding has always given people room to make their own choices. 
The truth is there is no single path to becoming a better skater and no universal definition of success.

It's what a skater makes of it, a bit like with surfing. Having fun is the measurement unit.

So, one person might spend months learning technical flip tricks on flat ground. Another might prefer riding bowls, cruising through the neighborhood, or grinding handrails.

All of those approaches are part of skateboarding. None is above or below another.

That freedom also shapes personal style. Every skater develops a different way of pushing, turning, pulling off, and landing.

Two people can perform the same trick, yet it will look completely different. In skateboarding, style has always mattered as much as the trick itself.

Style is a statement skaters are proud of.

Creativity

Also, skaters rarely see a city the same way everyone else does.

A staircase becomes a challenge, a concrete ledge becomes a place to grind, and a sloped driveway becomes something to carve. Streets are filled with opportunities that most pedestrians simply walk past.

It's a creative mindset that reaches far beyond making those four wheels roll.

You can tell it by looking at board graphics, photography, filmmaking, graphic design, and even the way skaters build lines by linking tricks together.

If surfers draw surf lines across the water, skaters paint skate lines on the concrete.

Therefore, creativity is one of the reasons skateboarding has influenced so many other forms of art and culture.

The city as a playground

Street skating changed the way people looked at urban spaces.

Instead of seeing benches, curbs, banks, and handrails as ordinary pieces of architecture, skateboarders turned them into obstacles or "features."

Many of the world's most famous skate spots were never built for skateboarding. They became legendary because skaters discovered new ways to use them.

In some ways, these urban places gained additional aura thanks to the thousands of sidewalk surfers who rode them for decades.

The Southbank (London, England), Embarcadero Plaza (San Francisco, California), El Toro High School (Lake Forest, California), Love Park (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), etc.

The search for interesting terrain remains one of the most exciting parts of street skating. Again, just like the search for an uncharted surf break.

Learning through failure

Every skateboarder falls. It is simply part of learning, progressing, and shining.

Landing a new trick often takes dozens of attempts, and sometimes hundreds. Progress usually comes in small steps that only the skater notices.

A cleaner kickflip or a more confident grind can feel like a huge achievement because of the work required to get there.

Over time, this process teaches patience, determination, and the ability to keep trying after failure.

A strong sense of community

Although skateboarding is often seen as an individual activity, it is also deeply social.

Skateparks and street spots naturally bring people together. Friends encourage each other, celebrate landed tricks, and share advice during every session.

There's actually less envy, jealousy, and competition than at a surfing lineup.

Respect usually comes from dedication rather than trophies. Let's not forget that style matters.

A beginner working hard to learn an ollie often receives as much support as an experienced skater attempting difficult lines.

People appreciate commitment because everyone remembers how challenging those first tricks were.

That's unique to the skate culture, and something the community should nurture and cherish.

The DIY spirit

In the early years, skateparks were rare. So, instead of waiting for someone else to build them, skateboarders often created their own places to skate.

Volunteers poured concrete, built ramps, and transformed abandoned spaces into community skateparks.

You can still see that taking place in America or Uganda.

These do-it-yourself projects became an important part of skateboarding's identity and showed how resourceful local scenes could be.

And then, sometimes, stars like Tony Hawk step forward with a helping hand and a few thousand dollars.

Independence

Skateboarding has never fit neatly into traditional sports.

Because many famous spots were not intended for skating, skateboarders often had to deal with security guards, "No Skateboarding" signs, and other obstacles.

It's a narrative that helped shape an independent mindset that is quite unique and opposite of what surfing has become.

Skaters learned to adapt, search for new locations, and make the most of the spaces available to them.

Style

Style has always carried special importance in skateboarding, and we cannot stress that enough.

Because landing a trick is one thing, making it look smooth, controlled, and effortless is something else entirely.

Speed, confidence, body position, and flow all influence how a trick is judged by other skaters.

That is why two identical tricks leave completely different impressions.

Skate videos

Videos have helped define skate culture for decades.

Long before social media, skateboarders passed around VHS tapes featuring new tricks, creative filming, unusual shooting angles, and memorable personalities.

Today, videos still inspire people to skate, introduce new talent, and document the evolution of the sport.

A great video part can become part of skateboarding history.

And the more retro and old school it looks, sometimes the truer to the essence of skateboarding it feels.

Music

Music has always been closely linked with skateboarding, even though there has never been one official soundtrack.

Punk rock, hip hop, alternative rock, jazz, electronic music, and many other genres have all found a place in skate videos.

And that is something very special and rare within sports culture.

Each generation and each local scene brings its own musical taste, giving skateboarding one of the broadest soundtracks in sports.

Fashion

Skate fashion developed because it worked. And made sense.

Shoes needed good grip and durability; clothes had to allow plenty of movement and survive frequent falls.

Loose T-shirts, hoodies, jeans, shorts, caps, and skate shoes became common because they were practical.

Over time, many of these styles spread far beyond skateboarding and became part of mainstream fashion.

And that also reveals the cultural power skateboarding has in life out there.

Art and graphics

It's impossible not to mention the fact that skateboard decks have long served as moving canvases.

Their graphics have featured cartoons, photography, abstract art, political messages, humor, and work by famous artists.

Like the "Screaming Hand" by Jim Phillips, for instance.

Today, for many skaters, choosing a deck is still about more than size and shape. The artwork becomes part of the board's personality and often reflects the skater's own tastes.

Photography and filmmaking

Skateboarding has inspired its own visual language.

Photographers developed dramatic angles and perfectly timed action shots that captured the speed and difficulty of tricks.

Filmmakers created distinctive camera movements and editing styles that made skate videos feel different from traditional sports coverage.

You could almost say the fisheye lens shooting style is "owned" by skateboarding.

And ultimately, all these images and films have become an essential part of skate culture and have inspired generations of riders.

Authenticity

Perhaps skateboarding's most enduring value of all is authenticity.

Within skate culture, people tend to value those who genuinely enjoy skateboarding over those seeking attention, fame, or commercial success.

In other words, the indie side of sidewalk surfing generally prevails over the commercial and uber popular side of it.

You could translate authenticity into skating consistently, supporting local scenes, respecting fellow skaters, contributing to the community in any way, and remaining true to your own style.

As we've seen, style is the beginning and end of every ride and, probably, it should stay like that forever.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

Buying a first skateboard looks simple until you stand in front of a wall full of decks. They all seem similar - we've been there, too.

They all seem to have different sizes, shapes, and graphics. Then there are trucks, wheels, bearings, and technical concept words that sound like a different language.

The good news is that your first skateboard does not have to be perfect. It only has to be good enough to help you learn.

A quality setup will make pushing, turning, and balancing easier; a poor one will fight you at every step.

That is why experienced skaters often give the same advice before talking about deck sizes or wheel hardness.

Buy your first skateboard from a local skate shop whenever possible. A good skate shop does more than sell equipment.

The staff usually skate themselves, can answer questions, help you stand on different board sizes, recommend the right parts for your height and goals, assemble the board correctly, and often apply grip tape for you.

It is also the easiest way to become part of your local skateboarding community, which can make learning much more enjoyable.

The skateboard itself matters, but the advice that comes with it is often just as valuable. Think about that before making your purchasing decision.

Start with a standard skateboard

Let's start it off by keeping it simple. Many different kinds of skateboards exist, but they are not designed for the same purpose.

If your goal is to learn skateboarding, whether that means riding around the neighborhood, learning ollies, or eventually skating at a park, the safest choice is a standard skateboard with the familiar double kick, or "popsicle," shape.

It's the design used by most skateboarders because it works well almost everywhere.

Cruisers, longboards, and plastic mini cruisers each have their place, but they serve different needs.

A cruiser is comfortable for transportation. A longboard is built for longer rides and stability at speed. Small plastic boards are easy to carry but leave very little room for your feet, and are less forgiving while learning basic skills.

Several beginner guides recommend avoiding plastic boards if your goal is to learn skateboarding properly.

A complete skateboard is usually the smartest first purchase

Beginners often wonder whether they should build a custom skateboard or buy one that is already assembled.

For most people, a complete skateboard is the better starting point.

A complete arrives ready to ride, with the deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, grip tape, and hardware already installed.

It also costs less than buying every component separately.

Once you gain experience, replacing individual parts becomes much easier because you will know what you like and what you want to change.

The important distinction is quality. Avoid the cheapest boards sold in supermarkets, toy stores, or discount shops. They often use plastic decks, plastic trucks, hard plastic wheels, or trucks that barely turn.

All these shortcuts make learning harder and can shorten the board's lifespan.

A proper beginner skateboard should use a wooden deck, metal trucks with polyurethane bushings, and polyurethane wheels.

Deck size matters more than deck graphics

The first thing many people notice is the artwork underneath the board. It is also the least important part of the purchase.

The width of the deck has a much bigger impact on how the skateboard feels.

Modern skateboards are commonly available between about 7.5 and 9 inches wide, although most beginners will end up somewhere in the middle of that range.

A standard street skateboard is usually about 32 inches long, and the length changes far less than the width.

Smaller decks are lighter, rotate more quickly during flip tricks, and require less effort to move through the air.

The tradeoff is a smaller platform beneath your feet.

Wider decks provide more standing room, feel more stable, and give slightly more margin for error when landing. They also weigh more and take a little more effort to flip.

Many new skaters hear that deck width should match shoe size.

Shoe size can be useful later - SurferToday.com has a really nice guide on skate shoes, too - but several beginner guides place greater emphasis on height and overall body size when choosing a first board.

Taller or heavier riders generally benefit from slightly wider decks, while younger and smaller skaters often feel more comfortable on narrower ones.

For many teenagers and adults learning to skate, an 8-inch or 8.25-inch deck has become a common starting point because it balances stability with maneuverability.

Younger children often use narrower decks that better match their height and proportions.

The deck should be made from maple

A quality skateboard deck is usually made from seven layers of maple veneer pressed together. It's almost like an informal rule of thumb.

The construction has become the standard because it combines strength, flexibility, and durability.

Some decks use alternative materials such as bamboo or fiberglass, but seven-ply maple remains the benchmark for learning.

Eventually, the deck will wear out. Every skateboard does. That makes the graphic underneath even less important.

So, choose a design you like, but never let it outweigh the board's size or quality.

Trucks quietly determine how the board feels

The trucks are the metal parts that connect the wheels to the deck. They are responsible for turning, balancing, and absorbing much of the force generated while skating.

The most important rule is simple: the truck axle should closely match the width of the deck.

Trucks that are much wider or narrower than the board change how it rides and responds.

Because manufacturers use different sizing systems, this is another reason local skate shops are so useful. They know which truck sizes match each deck width.

Many trucks also come in different heights.

Lower trucks usually pair well with smaller wheels. Taller trucks create extra clearance for larger wheels and help reduce wheel bite, which happens when the wheel touches the deck during a sharp turn.

Inside every truck are polyurethane bushings that control how easily the board turns.

Most complete skateboards include medium to hard bushings, which work well for beginners, although lighter skaters sometimes prefer softer bushings later on.

It's a matter of personal choice.

Wheel size changes how the board behaves

Skateboard wheels are described by diameter and hardness.

Diameter is measured in millimeters.

Smaller wheels, typically around 49 to 52 millimeters, accelerate quickly, stay closer to the ground, and are commonly used for street skating and technical tricks.

Larger wheels, roughly 54 to 60 millimeters, roll faster, maintain speed more easily, and perform better on ramps, bowls, and rougher ground.

Hardness is measured with the durometer scale.

Harder wheels, generally between 99A and 101A, are fast on smooth concrete and skateparks but transmit more vibration on rough pavement.

Softer wheels grip the ground better and provide a smoother ride on cracked sidewalks and uneven streets.

Many beginner guides suggest polyurethane wheels in the 90A to 100A range because they provide a practical balance between grip, durability, and versatility while learning.

Believe it or not, you'll notice a huge difference between different hardness wheels.

Bearings matter, but not as much as beginners think

Bearings sit inside the wheels and allow them to spin.

New skaters often assume the fastest bearings are the best option. In reality, speed is not the priority during the first months of skating.

Several experienced guides recommend choosing standard, reliable bearings instead of expensive performance models.

Quality entry-level bearings are durable, easier on the wallet, and can always be upgraded later if needed.

Grip tape deserves a quick look

Grip tape is the rough surface on top of the deck that keeps your shoes from slipping.

Most complete skateboards already include grip tape. If you buy only a deck, it still needs to be applied before the board can be assembled.

Many skate shops will install it for free or for a small fee, which is worth considering if you have never done it before.

How much should your first skateboard cost?

A quality beginner skateboard costs more than the cheapest toy store option, but it does not have to be expensive.

A well-built, complete skateboard from a skate shop typically sits in the middle of the market and gives beginners everything they need to learn safely and confidently.

Spending a little more at the beginning often means getting better components, smoother turning, stronger materials, and a board that lasts longer.

The cheapest boards often look similar on a shelf, but lower-quality materials and poor construction become obvious as soon as you start riding.

So, a first skateboard would be worth an investment of around $120. That is the sweet spot for an entry-level complete.

Also, avoid non-trusted, out-of-the-industry manufacturers. Go with the most prestigious skateboard brands for your first-ever skateboarding vehicle.

Do not forget the equipment that protects you

The skateboard is only part of the purchase.

A properly fitted helmet should be considered essential, especially while learning.

Wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads can also reduce the chance of injury, particularly during the first weeks when falls happen often.

Flat-soled skate shoes are another worthwhile investment because they provide better grip, better board feel, and more predictable foot placement than running shoes.

Learning to skateboard is challenging enough.

A well-chosen first board removes unnecessary obstacles and lets you focus on the part that matters most: stepping on, pushing away, and discovering that each ride gets a little easier than the last.

We hope our tips and suggestions will help you embrace a smooth entry into the thrilling world of skateboarding.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

In 2026, besides and exacerbated "damn," everyone seems to spew when watching any news program, the word sitting on the lips of most folks is the word "space."

How to occupy, use, or remove it. And for skateboarding, it's no different.

The spot, shop, and park are all locations drawing the community together.

And through channels like Ted Barrow's "This Old Ledge" and the Dern Brothers' YouTube, skaters are now more aware of a setting's history and importance.

A cornerstone, of course, is the skate shop, where skaters of all ages can learn and grow safely within their community.

But currently in 2026, there are far more doors boarded than open.

Sidewalks remain vacant as businesses call it quits, done struggling to keep bodies coming through the doors.

Neighborhood hangouts crumble beneath the weight of mounting bills, even with regulars still taking up stools.

Theaters, shops, groceries, nothing is safe from the financial s**t-show that is the current state of things.

And this goes double, triple, even for skate shops.

Whether it's the cost of goods or the ever-looming presence of rising rent, operating a skate shop is still seen as a dice roll in a world where inflation and unemployment are running rampant.

Places like Crushed Skate Shop in Washington, D.C., Tri-Star Skateboarding in Cleveland, Ohio, and Conservation Skate Shop of Missouri all suffered the fate of permanently closing over the last few years.

Even across the pond in Bristol, longtime skate haven Fifty Fifty had to cease operations in November 2025 after 28 years serving its community.

Frog Skateboards' shop in Los Angeles: going out with a bang

So when Frog Skateboards announced their physical space, sitting fittingly at the edge of the Los Angeles neighborhood of Frogtown, was closing after a little over two years, it struck the community hard.

But to soften the sharp hit to their many fans and friends, they decided to go out with a bang on April 26, 2026.

Beneath the million-dollar hilltop houses, smashed between the local theaters, crowds packed the Frog shop and sidewalk to the point where it was damn near impossible to maneuver.

Six-packs sat along the curbs as folks drank and chatted, placing down their beers to either reach for another or pick up a fingerboard and hit the setup situated outside the shop's doors.

"What do I do if I have to pee?" One woman asked a friend outside the crowded store. He took a sip of his drink, shrugged his shoulder, and smiled before answering simply, "Dude, I don't know."

Ramps and rails could be found off to the side, practically impeding on those theater attendees, who were both annoyed and relieved this crowd wasn't in line for their show.

One producer from next door's show even came outside, filmer in tow, hoping to redirect the crowd's desire to attend their performance.

But she was met with justified judgmental stares and subtle giggles, with no one wanting to feed the woman's self-promotional social media clip.

Inside wasn't dissimilar, with people shoulder to shoulder to take in the space one last time.

In one corner, a tattoo artist was set up, ready to provide more permanent souvenirs, via flash sheet, compared to those grabbing merchandise at the back counter, lightening the load for the moving crew.

"There's such an aroma of smells in here," one person muttered as they pushed through the dense crowd.

For as crammed as it was, when the bands began, people continued to shove their way inside.

Talks began of climbing up onto lighting fixtures and furniture to get a good view or start a proper ruckus.

Some sought out a safe space, others a bathroom and beer.

Faces pressed against the windows, feet tipped forward onto toes, all to be one with the bands Faint, Kan Kan, and Creakbed from beneath the bass-rattled exterior of the building.

"We should just burn the place down," a sickly-looking mustached young man mentioned between drags of a bummed cig, offering an alternative to watching his favorite space become another victim of the times.

But there were also plenty of discussions of good times.

Voices meshed together to create a collage of events and happenings that took place in and outside the storefront.

An audio yearbook parting gift for all those who attended that evening.

Pop-ups for the digital age?

So, with a community clearly present, what was the last splinter to split?

Frog Skateboards clearly had gained a good group of supporters with their physical store, based on the crowds that gathered there that night, proving that the need for physical space isn't obsolete, but entirely necessary in this increasingly hollow digital age.

This begs the question about rising costs of goods across the skateboarding landscape as well.

Struggling to sell hard goods alongside the circling conversation about there being too many board brands for any one company to get a good slice of the pie.

With Frog unable to comment directly on this article, we can only speculate that it must be the rising Los Angeles rent costs.

They did, however, mention on Instagram that though they have no plans to reopen anytime soon, they hope to do pop-ups and other events in the future for those looking for camaraderie outside the digital realm.

And the community, I'm sure, will hop to building new memories in whatever space they can.

Words by Chuck Harp | Writer

They look like a blend between a skateboard and a pair of inline skates. They are called freeskates, and the sport of freeskating is evolving fast.

When you look at them, it's basically two small metal plates carrying two inline wheels mounted underneath at an angle.

There are no straps. No bindings. No axle connecting the feet.

A rider stands sideways, one foot on each plate, and somehow begins moving forward in smooth S-shaped curves without ever pushing off the ground.

For years, videos of freeline skating spread online, but the sport never became mainstream. It never found a place beside skateboarding in the X Games era.

Yet more than 20 years after its invention, freeskating remains one of the strangest and most addictive forms of street riding ever created.

And it's growing. SurferToday.com dug more and found an evolving niche with loads of potential.

A downhill experiment in San Francisco

The story starts in San Francisco in 2002.

Ryan Farrelly, a local inventor and downhill rider, was experimenting with ways to improve downhill skating. His early prototype placed four wheels underneath a narrow wooden platform.

During testing, he realized something unexpected.

The board itself was almost unnecessary, as he could stand directly over each wheel assembly instead. 

That realization became the foundation of Freeline skates.

Farrelly filed a patent with Jason Galoob in 2003 and later launched the company Freeline Sports. Commercial sales began around 2005. 

The idea was radical for its time.

Skateboarding already had street skating, downhill, longboarding, and carving. Inline skating had speed and aggressive skating.

Freeline skates occupied a strange space between all of them.

Riders generated movement not by pushing, but by carving their hips and legs in rhythm. The motion resembled slalom skiing or pumping a surfboard down the line of a wave.

The company described the experience as a mix of skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding.

Riders agreed with that description, though many admitted the learning curve felt closer to learning how to walk again.

The anatomy of a pair of freeskates

A modern pair of freeskates is deceptively simple.

The top section is the deck, usually made from aluminum or wood and covered in grip tape. Beneath the deck sits a steel truck assembly that holds two inline-style polyurethane wheels.

The wheels are mounted in a straight line, one behind the other, but angled slightly to allow carving and self-propulsion.

Bearings inside the wheels reduce friction and help maintain speed. Some models include shock pads between the truck and deck to soften road vibration.

The original Freeline models became known for their heavy metal construction. Customers noted they were designed to survive extreme abuse, even the weight of a car driving over them. 

How about that?

But the truth is, most riders today still prefer solid metal skates because rigidity improves precision during carving and tricks.

How freeskates actually move

The first thing beginners notice is that freeskates do not tolerate stillness. 

What do we mean? Well, on a skateboard, you can stand in place and coast - freeskates demand constant movement.

The rider generates speed through a motion called pumping, just like in skateboarding or surfing.

The feet carve in alternating curves while the hips rotate slightly from side to side. The angled wheel setup converts that side motion into forward momentum. 

Once the rhythm clicks, the skates begin to feel less like separate objects and more like extensions of the rider's balance.

Experienced riders can maintain speed on flat ground indefinitely. Skilled riders can even climb mild hills using a strong pumping technique.

That uphill capability became one of the most surprising features of the sport.

Early riders realized the skates could generate enough forward force to move uphill without touching the ground with their feet.

Watching someone climb a hill on two loose metal plates still looks slightly impossible.

Why the learning curve is so demanding

Freeline skating developed a reputation for humiliating beginners.

The problem is not balance alone. The skates move independently under each foot, which forces the brain to coordinate two separate rolling platforms at once.

New riders often experience the same sequence of failures: the skates split apart, the rider rotates unexpectedly, one foot outruns the other, or both skates shoot away in opposite directions.

Unlike skateboarding, there is no beginner mode where a rider simply rolls in a straight line and slowly improves later. Freeskating requires active control from the first second.

Most riders learn by practicing mounting first.

They place one skate on the ground, step onto it, then carefully place the second foot while already moving. Beginners usually practice on smooth pavement next to a railing or wall.

After mounting, the first real skill is learning the pumping rhythm.

New riders tend to oversteer; experienced riders keep their knees bent and movements compact.

Small, controlled S curves create far more speed than exaggerated twisting.

In the end, you'll certainly need over 10 hours of committed practice to start moving. But it is worth it.

The best places to ride

Freeskates are highly sensitive to terrain. So, the best riding surfaces are smooth, flat, hard, and clean.

Riders consistently prefer polished concrete, smooth asphalt, basketball courts, parking garages, and open plazas with long uninterrupted lines. 

Rough asphalt creates heavy vibration and slows momentum dramatically. Gravel and cracks can stop the wheels instantly.

Riders online often compare rough pavement to riding over sandpaper.

Japan became famous inside the freeskating world partly because of its smooth urban pavement and open public plazas.

Videos from Tokyo helped define the modern style of the sport. Riders there emphasized flowing movement, tight carving, and dance-like transitions.

It's beautiful - and relaxing - to just watch.

The rise of the freeskating culture

Freeskating grew through the internet rather than traditional sports media. YouTube became the sport's natural habitat.

Short clips of riders carving uphill or spinning through crowded plazas spread rapidly in the late 2000s.

The sport developed strongest in Japan, China, and parts of Europe. Japanese riders in particular pushed the technical side of freeskating into new territory. 

Their style emphasized smoothness over aggression.

Spins, transitions, backward riding, and one-foot carving became central to modern freeskating culture.

The community stayed small but deeply committed. Riders traded tutorials online, filmed street sessions, and organized local meetups. 

Many came from skateboarding or snowboarding backgrounds, though the sport also attracted people who had never touched a skateboard before.

The collapse of Freeline Sports

Despite its cult popularity, Freeline Sports struggled financially.

By the mid-2010s, the original company had effectively collapsed after legal and investor problems. But riders were also mentioning the decline of product quality towards the end.

For a while, the sport appeared close to disappearing.

Then, former members of the original Freeline community launched a new company called JMKRIDE in 2015. The goal was not only to improve the equipment, but also to revive the culture around the sport.

JMKRIDE redesigned several aspects of the skates, including wheel geometry and deck construction.

The company also pushed the broader term "freeskating" instead of "Freeline skating," partly because Freeline had originally been a brand name rather than the name of the sport itself.

How to start freeskating

The easiest way to begin is on smooth, empty pavement with gentle space to roll.

Basketball courts and quiet parking garages are popular learning spots because they combine smooth concrete with predictable terrain.

Most beginners place the dominant foot on the rear skate first.

The second foot steps onto the front skate while the rider immediately begins carving lightly from side to side.

Looking forward helps maintain balance better than staring down at the feet.

Short practice sessions work better than marathon attempts. Freeskating demands intense coordination at first, and fatigue causes sloppy movement quickly.

Protective gear matters.

Wrist guards are especially important because most beginners instinctively catch themselves with their hands during falls.

A skate helmet and knee pads are common among new riders.

Learning self-propulsion

Self-propulsion begins with timing rather than force.

The rider shifts weight between the skates while tracing narrow S-shaped lines across the pavement.

The rear skate often drives the motion while the front skate stabilizes direction. As the hips rotate gently, the skates convert that side motion into forward acceleration.

Beginners often try to muscle the movement. Skilled riders stay loose and relaxed. Efficient pumping feels smooth rather than powerful.

The sensation resembles carving on a snowboard at low speed.

Momentum builds gradually until the rider realizes they are accelerating without pushing.

Riding uphill

Going uphill is one of freeskating's signature skills. It only works on mild inclines, though.

The rider increases pumping frequency while keeping the carving lines tight.

Remember that wider turns waste energy. Strong uphill riders generate momentum through rapid rhythm and careful weight transfer.

Steeper hills demand more precision because any loss of timing kills forward speed instantly.

Most beginners spend months learning flat ground before attempting uphill riding consistently.

Simple tricks that define the sport

The basic trick vocabulary of freeskating revolves around rotation and flow.

The 180 is usually the first real trick riders learn. The rider rotates both skates and continues riding backward. The 360 extends that movement into a full spin.

One foot riding removes one skate entirely and forces the rider to balance on a single platform while carving.

Crossovers involve weaving one skate around the other during the pumping motion. Advanced riders combine crossovers with spins and backward riding in long, flowing sequences.

Drift slides emerged later as downhill riders experimented with higher speed carving.

Unlike skateboarding, freeskating tricks are often connected continuously rather than separated into isolated movements.

Choosing the right gear

Most modern riders choose metal deck skates because they provide a stronger response and durability.

Wooden decks exist, and some riders prefer them because they soften vibration on rough pavement.

Wheel choice changes the ride dramatically.

Softer wheels absorb cracks and rough asphalt better, while harder wheels roll faster on smooth surfaces. Larger wheels maintain momentum more easily over imperfect pavement. 

Good bearings matter less than surface quality. Even premium setups struggle on rough pavement.

The most important equipment decision is usually the riding surface itself. Smooth ground turns freeskating into flowing motion. Bad pavement turns it into survival training.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

In 1987, an unusual skateboard movie permanently altered skate culture without fully realizing what it was doing.

It was called "The Search for Animal Chin," and on paper the premise sounded ridiculous: the Bones Brigade - Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Mike McGill, Tommy Guerrero, Lance Mountain, and others - travel around searching for the mythical "first skateboarder," a mysterious old master named Won Ton "Animal" Chin.

But somewhere between the awkward acting, the surreal jokes, the impossible ramps, the synchronized airs, and the endlessly quotable dialogue, the film became something much bigger than a skate video.

Decades later, skaters still talk about it.

The movie that changed skate videos forever

Before "...Animal Chin," skate videos were mostly simple compilations: contest footage, demo clips, and montages of tricks set to music.

Then, skater and filmmaker Stacy Peralta decided to turn a skate tape into a bizarre, mythological road movie.

Instead of just showing tricks, the film had characters, recurring jokes, fake philosophy, cinematic editing, narrative structure, mysterious clues, emotional arcs, and an actual quest.

In other words, anything you'd imagine in a surrealist flick.

At the time, many skaters didn't even know how to process it. Former Powell rider Eric Ricks later said he thought it was "an actual Hollywood production with skateboarders in it."

The movie effectively created the DNA for the modern skate video.

Nearly every later skate film that mixed skating with comedy, storytelling, skits, weird interludes, or personality-driven editing owes something to "The Search for Animal Chin."

Years later, mainstream media publications even argued that the movie "changed skateboarding three times": by reinventing the skate video itself, by changing how skate teams marketed themselves, and eventually by reminding skateboarding how to have fun again.

The accidental creation of "...Animal Chin"

Even the title sounds half mythical, half absurd.

According to one famous story, an earlier draft of the script used the name "Animal Chang."

But ranch dressing somehow got spilled on the page, Stacy Peralta misread "Chang" as "Chin," and decided it sounded better.

That accidental typo became one of the most famous names in skateboarding history.

The movie's central mystery - "Have you seen him?" - turned into a cultural obsession among skaters. Kids out on the streets repeated the line endlessly.

And the film slowly developed its own strange language:

"Wake up and smell the concrete."
"Yapple dapple."
"Maps to the skaters, Holmes."
"Bunson over the Junson."

All these sayings and shoutouts, none of them really made sense. And that was precisely part of the magic.

The dialogue was also awkward, surreal, sincere, goofy, and completely unselfconscious.

Tommy Guerrero later admitted the skaters never really wanted to act and even suspected the scripted scenes might be "a bad idea."

Instead, the awkwardness became the charm.

The Brigade members essentially played exaggerated versions of themselves:

Lance Mountain as the class clown, Tommy Guerrero as the young kid, Steve Caballero as the quiet cool one, Mike McGill as the approachable everyman, Tony Hawk as the prodigy, and Rodney Mullen as the technical genius.

That was that.

The film never fully resolves the mystery of "...Animal Chin." In the end, the Brigade realizes the search itself - and the joy of skating together - was the real point all along.

That sounds cheesy written down, but in the movie, somehow, it works.

The Chin Ramp: one of the most legendary ramps ever built

And then came the famous Chin Ramp.

The final ramp in the movie looked less like a normal skate obstacle and more like a hallucination built out of plywood.

It featured opposing vert ramps, a vert spine, tunnels, elevated sections, a mini-ramp built directly on top of the deck, strange transitions, and impossible-looking lines.

How about that, hum?

Steve Caballero later said nobody had even imagined a vert spine before that; Stacy Peralta described the entire design philosophy as "ramp on ramp."

Today, that sounds normal, but in 1987, it looked insane.

The structure became so influential that people later compared it to Danny Way's Mega Ramp decades afterward.

But the craziest part was this: the entire thing was built illegally.

The production had no permission to build the ramp on the land in Oceanside, California.

Stacy Peralta later admitted that the lumber company delivered all the wood without ever checking whether they were authorized to do so.

They weren't.

Ramp builder Tim Payne later said the crew basically lied to everyone while constructing it.

The ramp existed for only about three weeks before being demolished.

The filmmakers had roughly four days to shoot the entire climactic sequence. That temporary existence became part of the mythology.

Sadly, almost nobody outside the Bones Brigade ever got to skate it.

The hidden engineering lies

The Chin Ramp also carried one of skateboarding's great technical secrets.

For years, people assumed the ramp used ordinary vert transitions. It didn't.

Tim Payne later revealed that the production intentionally concealed the real dimensions. The transitions were elliptical, making the ramp smoother and easier to skate than standard vert ramps.

Payne eventually described the "Animal Chin Ramp" itself as partly a myth because nobody knew its real geometry.

The original ramp also used PVC coping instead of steel coping because production moved too fast to install proper metal.

And the famous tunnel section - one of the movie's most iconic visual elements - barely functioned as a practical obstacle at all. It mostly existed because it looked completely absurd on camera.

Chaos, collisions, and progression

The skateboarding itself became legendary partly because so much of it evolved spontaneously. Many of the doubles tricks and synchronized airs weren't planned in advance.

One skater would suggest something ridiculous, somebody else would try to top it, and suddenly the entire session escalated into a progression battle.

Backside airs became synchronized, inverts became synchronized, transfers started happening over the spine, and everything kept mutating in real time.

The famous four-person invert photo by J. Grant Brittain eventually became one of skateboarding's defining images and the promo shot for the iconic film.

Not everything went smoothly, though.

During filming, Steve Caballero accidentally collided with Tony Hawk in midair, hitting Hawk's legs while Hawk was airborne and violently flipping him.

People thought Hawk might be done filming entirely. But he rested for a day and came back.

That sort of reckless improvisation became central to the movie's feeling. The skating looked less like an organized performance and more like a group of friends continuously discovering what was possible.

Rodney Mullen, Mike Vallely, and the collision of skate eras

The film also accidentally captured a major transition point in skateboarding history.

Rodney Mullen appears during the movie's famous "Rad Party" scene, bringing freestyle skating into the same universe as vert skating.

A very young Mike Vallely also appears before becoming one of skateboarding's defining personalities.

Looking back, the movie documented multiple skate eras colliding at once: freestyle, vert, the beginnings of street skating, technical skating, theatrical skating, and personality-driven skating.

The truth is that, at the time, nobody fully realized they were filming a historical crossroads.

Johnny Rad and the weird soundtrack energy

The soundtrack added another layer to the movie's strange identity.

At a time when most skate videos simply borrowed songs, "The Search for Animal Chin" included music created specifically for the film.

The fictional band Johnny Rad - especially the "Blue Tile Lounge" performance - became permanently burned into skate culture memory.

The soundtrack helped establish what skateboarding could feel like audiovisually: part punk show, part cartoon, part dream sequence.

The movie became uncool - and then became immortal

What makes "...Animal Chin" even stranger is that skateboarding eventually turned against it.

By the early 1990s, many skaters viewed Powell Peralta and the Bones Brigade as too polished, too commercial, too cartoonish, too corporate.

That backlash helped fuel the rise of anti-corporate street-skating brands like Blind and Plan B.

For a while, "...Animal Chin" became the thing rebellious skaters rejected. And then something unexpected happened.

A later generation rediscovered it and realized the movie contained something skateboarding had lost - joy, creativity, friendship, weirdness, imagination, and pure fun.

A cocktail of skateboarding pleasure for the new kids on the block, right?

Suddenly, the movie no longer looked corny. Instead, it looked visionary.

Its influence started appearing everywhere, especially in later skate videos that mixed humor, narrative, and skating - particularly the Spike Jonze-era Girl Skateboards videos.

The emotional effect on isolated kids

Part of the movie's power came from timing.

In the 1980s, many skaters lived in isolated towns with terrible weather, rough pavement, no skateparks, and almost no local skate scene.

For those kids, Bones Brigade videos felt like transmissions from another universe.

People have described watching "The Search for Animal Chin" in snow-covered places like New Hampshire and feeling completely transported somewhere magical.

The movie made skateboarding feel less like a sport and more like a secret mythology.

It suggested skateboarding wasn't simply about tricks or contests, but also about searching for something impossible with your friends.

And that fits in the whole skateboarding universe of coolness.

The resurrection of the Chin Ramp

In 2016, nearly 30 years after the original film, the Chin Ramp was rebuilt at Woodward West.

The reconstruction instantly became sacred ground for skateboarders.

Tony Hawk jokingly described it as a new benchmark: "Oh, you did that trick? But did you do it on the Chin Ramp?"

The rebuilt version modernized parts of the design: a wider spine, steel coping, and slightly updated dimensions.

But it remained remarkably faithful to the original.

Unlike the 1987 version, the rebuilt ramp became permanent, meaning ordinary skaters could finally ride something that previously existed almost like a rumor.

The Bones Brigade also recreated the legendary four-person invert photograph.

What surprised many of them was realizing they were still inventing tricks and progressing decades later.

The mythology hadn't frozen in time. It was still very well alive.

Why the movie still feels impossible to categorize

Part of the reason "The Search for Animal Chin" remains so memorable is that nobody can fully explain what it is.

It's simultaneously a sports film, a comedy, a fantasy quest, a youth-culture manifesto, an art project, an advertisement, and a surreal documentary about friendship.

The movie eventually inspired T-shirts, catchphrases, band names, songs, and references across skateboard culture.

People still wear "Have You Seen Him?" shirts decades later. Some fans can still recite the movie almost entirely from memory.

And maybe that's because Animal Chin captured something larger than skateboarding itself. A bit like "Skaterdater" did two decades earlier.

It captured the feeling that youth culture occasionally produces something completely accidental - a weird little project nobody expected to matter that somehow becomes myth forever.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com