Vert skateboarding, short for vertical skateboarding, is the act of riding a skateboard on a skate ramp or other incline and involves the skateboarder transitioning from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane in order to perform skateboarding tricks. [1]
Vert skateboarding has its genesis in "pool riding" - the riding of skateboards in an emptied backyard swimming pool - during the 1970s. [2] As riders moved from general street skateboarding and occasional "pool riding" into purpose-built skate parks, vert skateboarding became more popular. Skateboarders began to develop, and then practice, tricks and techniques specifically for vert skateboarding. [3]
Vert skateboarding became a common style of skateboarding and was introduced into many competitions and events including the X Games and the Maloof Money Cup. [4]
In 2008 ESPN and X Games organisers announced that vert skateboarding would be removed from X Games competitions in favour of free-movement skate-park-style courses where participants would still be able to perform vert skateboarding tricks but would need to do so in combination with other street skateboarding elements. [5] After public condemnation from professional skateboarders Bob Burnquist, Tony Hawk and others, organisers re-instated vert skateboarding. [5]
However, in 2011 ESPN announced that the X Games would no longer feature a Women's Vert Skateboarding event, citing a lack of, "a growing participant base, an established annual competition schedule" and, "myriad other factors". Professional skateboarder Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins said the decision would, "end the growth for women's vert skating as we know it". [6]
For vert skateboarding, riders usually set up their boards with 55-millimetre (2.2 in) wheels (or larger) and wider decks for more stability. [2] [7]
Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. Originating in the United States, skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2009 report found that the skateboarding market is worth an estimated $4.8 billion in annual revenue, with 11.08 million active skateboarders in the world. In 2016, it was announced that skateboarding would be represented at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, for both male and female teams. Skateboarding made its Olympic debut in 2020 and is included in the 2024 games.
Robert Dean Silva Burnquist is a Brazilian-American professional skateboarder who competed for Brazil throughout his career. In 2010, he became the first skateboarder to land a "fakie 900", making Burnquist the fifth person in history to successfully complete the 900 trick.
Steve Caballero is an American professional skateboarder. He is known for the difficult tricks and air variations he invented for vertical skating and for setting the long-standing record for the highest air achieved on a halfpipe. In 1999, Thrasher Magazine named Caballero the "Skater of the Century".
The X Games are a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. In late 2022, ESPN sold the long-running property to MSP Sports Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad. As of early 2024, MSP Sports Capital has overseen four major X Games events, as well as other related activations.
A half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, skating, and scooter riding.
Freestyle BMX is bicycle motocross stunt riding on BMX bikes. It is an extreme sport descended from BMX racing that consists of five disciplines: street, park, vert, trails, and flatland. In June 2017, the International Olympic Committee announced that freestyle park was to be added as an Olympic event to the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Robert Lance Mountain is an American professional skateboarder and artist who was one of the prominent skateboarders throughout the 1980s, primarily due to his involvement with the Bones Brigade. As of August 2017, Mountain continues to skate professionally and his sponsors include Flip, Nike SB, Independent Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, and Bones Bearings.
The 900 is a 2½-revolution aerial spin performed on a skateboard ramp. While airborne, the skateboarder makes two-and-a-half turns about their longitudinal axis, thereby facing down when coming down. It is considered one of skateboarding's most technically demanding tricks.
Pierre-Luc Gagnon, commonly known by his initials, PLG, is a Canadian professional skateboarder.
James Chris Cole is an American professional skateboarder. As of September 2020, his sponsors are Fallen Footwear, Monster Energy, Bones Bearings, Cult Crew, Thunder Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, Stance, Kershaw Knives, Grizzly Griptape, GoPro, Indian Motorcycles, cbdMD, Remind Insoles, and most recently Zero Skateboards.
Nyjah Imani Huston is an American professional skateboarder. With numerous sponsorships and competition prize winnings, Huston is one of the highest paid skateboarders in the world. Huston won gold medals at the SLS Super Crown World Championship in 2014, 2017 to 2019, and has won 15 gold medals at the X Games since 2011. Huston won his first Olympic Medal, a bronze, in the 2024 Olympic men's street event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
A skateboard style refers to the way a skateboarder prefers to ride a skateboard. Skateboard styles can be broadly divided into two different categories: skateboarding to perform tricks and skateboarding as a means of transportation. Styles of skateboarding have evolved and are influenced by a number of factors including sociocultural evolution, mass media, music, technology, corporate influence and individual skill level.
Street skateboarding is a skateboarding discipline which focuses on flat-ground tricks, grinds, slides and aerials within urban environments, and public spaces. Street skateboarders meet, skate, and hang out in and around urban areas referred to as "spots," which are commonly streets, plazas or industrial areas. To add variety and complexity to street skateboarding, obstacles such as handrails, stairs, walls, flower beds, bins, park benches, picnic tables, and other street furniture may be traversed as single tricks or as part of a series of consecutive tricks called a "line."
The Maloof Money Cup was an annual skateboarding competition for amateur and professional skateboarders founded by Joe and Gavin Maloof of the Maloof family. The events were held in four cities: Costa Mesa, California in 2008, 2009, 2010; New York City in 2010 and 2011; Washington, D.C. in 2011, and in Kimberley, South Africa in 2011 and 2012. The aim of the competition was to raise awareness of skateboarding and to encourage participation in skateboarding events and activities. Organizers also aim to contribute new skateboarding infrastructure and boost retail activity in those areas where events are held.
The 1080 is a skateboarding trick that can be performed on a vertical skateboard ramp or on a mega ramp, in which the skateboarder makes three full revolutions while airborne. It was first completed successfully on a mega ramp in 2012 by American skateboarder Tom Schaar, and on a vert ramp in May 2020 by Brazilian skateboarder Gui Khury. The 1080 has only ever been landed after a fakie ollie, meaning the rider is in the normal stance, but rolling in the opposite direction, popping off of the tail.
Tom Schaar is an American professional skateboarder. He was the first skateboarder to land a "1080," which is three revolutions, and was the youngest X Games gold medalist after completing the first 1080 in a competition at the 2012 Asia X Games in Shanghai; Forbes Magazine listed Schaar to their 2020 30 Under 30 Sports category highlighting the next generation of Sports talent.
Vert skating or vertical skating is a discipline using skates like inline skates or roller skates on a vert ramp, a style of half-pipe. In vert skating, the skater is able to achieve more air-time as compared to other styles of skating, meaning skaters can perform complicated aerial maneuvers and acrobatic tricks, such as spins and flips.
Jagger Jesse Eaton is an American professional skateboarder who competes in street and park competitions. He was the youngest ever X Games competitor at age 11, until his record was broken in 2019. In 2021, Eaton won the first Olympic skateboarding medal, earning a bronze in the men's street competition in Tokyo, Japan. Eaton won Silver in the 2024 Olympic men's street event at 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Edgar "Vovô" Pereira, also known as "Edgar Vovô" is a Brazilian professional skateboarder.