About This Quiz
Skateboarding has been around since the 1940s or '50s. Over the last few decades, the sport has garnered quite a large fan base. People from all over the world love to skateboard for fun, in competition or sometimes as an escape from everyday life. However, the sport wouldn't have become nearly as popular as it is without the pioneers of the sports who put it on the map. Also, the sport wouldn't have remained as popular over the years if the stars of today hadn't kept skateboarding alive and inspired new people to pick it up.
But how well do you know these legendary and influential skaters, as well as the best in the business in the modern day? Would you know them if you saw them in a picture? Do you know what legends such as Danny Way and current superstars such as Nyjah Huston look like?
If you believe you do (or you would like to learn), we've got the quiz for you. This quiz will challenge you to name 40 of the best and most famous skateboarders in the history of the sport, based on a picture. Without any further ado, wax up your board, and get ready to grind your way to a victory against our challenging quiz.
Rob Dyrdek was a talented skater during his prime. He holds many records, but he is best known for his TV shows, which include "Rob & Big," "Fantasy Factory" and "Ridiculousness." He is without a doubt one of the most influential skaters ever.
Before he became a superstar, due to his time on the "Jackass" movies and TV shows, Bam Margera was a talented professional skater. He was sponsored by many different brands, most notably Element.
Even if you don't really know skateboarding, you know who Tony Hawk is. He is among the best and most successful skaters, and he was the first person to land the legendary 900 trick.
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Ryan Sheckler rose to prominence as a result of his MTV show called "Life of Ryan." Sheckler began skating at two, and by seven years old he already had brands making contact with him to sponsor his skateboarding career.
While Stacy Peralta might be best known as the director of "Dogtown and Z-Boys," he was also a pretty legendary skater in his own right. In fact, when he was 19 he was the highest ranking professional skateboarder on the planet.
Bob Burnquist was primarily a vert skater who was always creating new and exciting vert tricks. Throughout his career, he won many gold medals at the X Games, including eight for Skateboard Big Air.
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If you enjoy street skateboarding, Rodney Mullen is likely your pick as the greatest skater ever. He is credited with creating a number of the most popular skate moves, such as the kickflip, heelflip and 360-flip.
After moving to California as a child, Song began skateboarding at the age of 14 to escape a tumultuous home life. He soon showed a ton of skill and technique as a skater, and he went professional at the age of 16.
Kareem Campbell was an innovative skater throughout the 1990s and was featured in many different videos. He is known to many as the godfather of the smooth street style of skateboarding. He currently works in a range of different business ventures.
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Paul Rodriguez is a skater who has been successful and highly influential throughout his career. He is one of only a few athletes ever to have ten or more signature shoes from Nike, and several huge companies have sponsored him during his career.
Tony Alva began skateboarding at the age of 10 and quickly became very good. His skills and style as a young teen got him a lot of attention. He was one of the first to skate in the vertical style and helped to popularize it.
Nyjah Huston is one of the most decorated skateboarders of all time. As of 2019, he has already won 18 career medals at the X Games, and he will surely have more before his career is over.
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Ed Templeton became a professional skater way back in 1990, and he founded Toy Machine Bloodsucking Skateboard Company in 1994. Since then, he has run the company, which has grown to be one of the more successful in the space.
While he might not be as famous as some of the other skaters on this list, Chris Cole has accomplished a great deal. In addition to his two Skater of the Year awards, he also won five gold medals at the X Games.
Geoff Rowley began skating in Liverpool at the age of 13 and became passionate about the sport. In 1994, after being pro for a little while, he and many other riders on the Flip skateboarding team moved to California.
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After moving to San Bernardino, California, from Thailand, Koston began skateboarding at age 11. He showed promise and soon attracted the attention of some sponsors. Koston has influenced many other pro skaters during his career that has spanned multiple decades.
He went pro in 1990, but Bucky Lasek's career nearly ended immediately as vert skating was becoming less popular. But once vert skating was added to the X Games, Lasek went through a resurgence and went on to win 10 gold medals at the X Games for vert skating.
While she was not the first female skateboarder ever, Elissa Steamer was the first woman to become a professional. She has been sponsored by many companies and has taken home numerous gold medals at the X Games.
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Danny Way is an incredibly talented skateboarder, known for his daring tricks. These include jumping out of a helicopter onto a skateboarding ramp and using a mega ramp to actually jump over the Great Wall of China on a skateboard.
Many companies and teams have sponsored PJ Ladd during his long and successful career. He has played a part in dozens of skate videos. While he enjoys life in Los Angeles, he always makes it a point to return to his home city and state.
Chad Muska has lived an inspiring life, going from a homeless skater with dreams of success to one of the most marketable skaters of all time. In addition to being a pro skater with numerous sponsors, Muska is also an entrepreneur.
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Andrew Reynolds has long been considered one of the most influential skaters in the world and is the co-founder of Baker Skateboards. He normally skates street. He has a popular series of signature shoes with Emerica.
Glifberg was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and started skating at 11 when he got a skateboard as a gift from a friend. He turned pro in 1992, then moved to the U.S. in 1995, after graduating high school, to further his career.
Rob "Sluggo" Boyce began skateboarding at age 15, after already being a successful gymnast and breakdancer. He soon caught the eye of professionals and was introduced to professional skateboarding in 1991. Boyce currently oversees much of the operations for large companies like RDS and Red Dragon.
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After starting to skateboard at 11, Stevie Williams hitchhiked to California to follow his dreams. He appeared in many different skate videos, got many sponsorships and founded the company DGK (Dirty Ghetto Kids).
Steve Caballero is known for pulling off some incredibly large and dangerous air tricks. He invented many different tricks throughout his career and won a number of awards. He also once held the world record for the highest air on a halfpipe.
After starting to skate as a child, Sean Malto became one of the most promising young skaters of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Unfortunately, a severe ankle injury suffered in 2013 forced him out of action until 2016.
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After getting introduced to skateboarding at 11, Thomas found a love for it. He eventually moved to California to follow his dreams. He started Zero in 1996, which has remained one of the most popular skate brands on the planet.
Picking up a skateboard for the first time at age 14, Mike Vallely soon dedicated his entire life to the sport. His professional career spanned over three decades. He's also the frontman for the band Black Flag.
Christian Hosoi turned professional at 14 and was immediately able to show his talents. While most skaters specialize in one type of skating, Hosoi showed promise in both vert and street. He was also innovative, inventing both the Christ air and rocket air tricks.
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While Mark Gonzales might not have as big a name as the likes of Tony Hawk, he is just as important to the sport. Gonzales is credited with pioneering and popularizing modern street skateboarding, which is quite popular today.
Natas Kaupas grew up in Dogtown in Santa Monica, California. He began skating as a child but was uninterested in the mainstream skate culture, which led him to be one of the first skateboarders to adopt the "street" style — skating in his surroundings and not at a skate park or ramp.
Lacey Baker, who came out as a lesbian in 2016, is one of the most inspirational skaters today. She is incredibly talented and has medaled at the X Games on numerous occasions. Her style is unique, and she certainly has a long career ahead of her.
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Shepard Fairey was a talented skater, but he truly became famous around the world for his art. His influential street art and pieces like the "Hope" Barack Obama poster made him a star. He is also the founder of OBEY Clothing, a popular brand.
Guy Mariano became known around the skateboarding industry at the ripe age of 14, due to his role in "Video Days," which is a true classic in the industry. He went on to have a successful career, working with many popular skaters, companies and sponsors.
Skating over 50 years ago, Patti McGee is a true legend in the sport. She was the world's first Woman's National Skateboarding Champion and the first woman inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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From the age of 14 on, Shane O'Neill has been sponsored by some of the biggest companies in the space, including Nike and Diamond Supply. In 2018, O'Neill created his own skateboard company, called April Skateboards.
Cara-Beth Burnside is not only one of the most talented and influential skateboarders, but she also has a ton of talent on the slopes. She was on the first U.S. snowboarding team in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and she has won numerous X Games medals in skateboarding and snowboarding.
Bufoni, who began skating at nine years old, is one of the best skaters alive, regardless of sex. She has won several medals at the X Games and is one of the most influential skaters on the planet today.
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Born in 1993, Lizzie Armanto began skating at 14 and very quickly became one of the best in the world. She came in first overall at the World Cup of Skateboarding (according to points) in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She has won dozens of awards for her skills.