Bucky Lasek

Personal information
Full name	Charles Michael Lasek
Born	(1972-12-03) December 3, 1972 (age 39) Dundalk, Maryland, U.S.
Height	5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m)
Weight	155 pounds (70 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Skateboarding
Medal record Summer X Games medal record Competitor for  United States Gold 1999 San Francisco Vert Gold 2000 San Francisco Vert Gold 2003 Los Angeles Vert Gold 2003 Los Angeles Vert Doubles Gold 2004 Los Angeles Vert Gold 2006 Los Angeles Vert Best Trick Silver 1998 San Diego Vert Doubles Silver 1999 San Francisco Vert Doubles Silver 2001 Philadelphia Vert Silver 2002 Philadelphia Vert Doubles Silver 2008 Los Angeles Vert Silver 2009 Los Angeles Vert Bronze 2006 Los Angeles Vert Bronze 2011 Los Angeles Vert

Charles Michael 'Bucky' Lasek ( /ˈleɪsɨk/ LAY-sək; born December 3, 1972 in Dundalk, Maryland) is a professional skateboarder and rallycross driver.

Biography[link]

Lasek started skateboarding at the age of twelve, shortly after his bike was stolen. After entering amateur contests, he was quickly noticed by Powell Peralta talent scouts in 1987. Powell sponsored Lasek, and he made his video debut in the 4th Bones Brigade video, Public Domain (1988).

Lasek turned pro for Powell in 1990—but by this time, skateboarding and vert skating particularly began to lose popularity, and Lasek's career waned. When ESPN took vert skating under its wing as part of the X Games in the mid 1990s, Lasek's career made a comeback and he soon became one of the most recognizable skateboarders.

Today, Lasek is regarded as one of the most consistent vert skateboarders in the sport. He frequently masters tricks that are considered too gimmicky and technical by most riders to do in a contest, and lands them with stunning regularity. Some of his signature contest tricks include the Heelflip Frontside Twist and Switch Frontside 540. He is one of only two skaters to flip his board in to an invert (Heelflip Frontside Invert), and the only one to do a 720 on the vert and land backwards (forward-to-fakie Indy 720, known as a "MacKenzie").

As of 2006, Bucky Lasek has won ten medals at the X Games, including six gold medals. He currently has the highest score in X Games Skateboarding Vert history with a 98.50.^[1] He has also earned 2004 titles in the Vans Triple Crown, Gravity Games, and the Slam City Jam.

Lasek made a cameo in the low-budget 2003 movie Haggard, in which he gave a skateboard to Bam Margera while he was running from the villain Hellboy. He has also made an appearance in MTV's Viva La Bam. Lasek also appears in P!nk's music video for her single "Raise Your Glass".

As of May 2009, Bucky, through the generous backing of his various sponsors and design team, completed the construction of one of the world's most unique backyard concrete bowls in his own backyard. Bucky refers to it as "Heaven".^{[citation needed]}

In May of 2012, Lasek was one of three drivers selected by Subaru Rally Team USA to compete in the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship. ^[2]

Contest highlights[link]

• 3rd in 2011 X Games: Vert
• 1st in 2010 Vans Pro-Tec Pool Party: Pro Division
• 1st in 2009 Dew Action Sports Tour: Vert
• 1st in 2009 Vans Pro-Tec Pool Party: Pro Division
• 1st in 2008 Dew Action Sports Tour: Vert
• 1st in 2006 Dew Action Sports Tour: Vert
• 1st in 2006 X Games: vert best trick
• 1st in 2005 Dew Action Sports Tour: Vert
• 1st in 2003 X Games: vert
• 1st in 2003 X Games: vert doubles (with Bob Burnquist)
• 1st in 2002 Slam City Jam: vert.
• 2nd in 2002 X Games VIII: vert doubles (with Bob Burnquist)
• 2nd in 2001 X Games: vert.
• 1st in 2000 X Games: vert.
• 1st in 1999 xgames vert

Tony Hawk games[link]

Lasek was a playable character in the first seven games in the Tony Hawk series (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater-Tony Hawk's American Wasteland).

Personal life[link]

Lasek currently resides in Encinitas, California with his wife, Jenn, and their three daughters: Devin, Paris, and Tenzin.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official skateboarding website
• Official racing website
• Bucky Lasek at the Internet Movie Database

Alex Perelson (born December 5, 1990, San Diego, California)^[1] is a professional skateboarder living in San Diego. Perelson began vert skateboarding in 1999 and turned professional in 2005.

Career[link]

Perelson has been referred to as "San Diego's Favored Son"^[2] and according to one appraisal:

Not since the coming of fellow skateboarders Shaun White and Ryan Sheckler has there been a young skater who poses such dominant talent in his age group...the consensus is unanimous; Alex Perelson is the future of vert skateboarding.^[3]

According to an article about him in the North County Times, Perelson wanted to become a professional skateboarder from the time he started skating at age nine.

"It looked like fun," Perelson said, "so I got one (skateboard) of my own and started doing it more and more, and pretty soon I was at the skatepark six hours a day." ^[4]

At thirteen years old, he won first place at the Dam Am Vert competition in Costa Mesa, California and did a 540 in his final run.^[2] His professional career began in 2005 when, at age sixteen, he took second place at the LG Action Sports World Championship in Manchester, England and received a $20,000 prize.^[4] He has since appeared at events in Copenhagen, Mexico City, Dubai, and various locations within the United States.^[2][4][5]

In order to better pursue his career, Perelson withdrew from Grossmont High School in 10th grade in order to attend San Diego Charter School and to be allowed more flexibility in his schedule. His choice has meant missing high school football games and proms but he remarked "I wouldn't go to those anyways".^[4]

He is the youngest skater in the vert field and is also the only rookie. He competed in the AST Dew Tour 2007^[5] and finished sixth out of the ten riders, telling the Washington Post in an interview, "Those are probably the best runs I've ever done in my life."^[6] He won an $8000 prize for fourth place at the X Games in Los Angeles "with back-to-back 540s and 720s in his run."^[7]

He then qualified for the AST Dew Tour on his first attempt at the Panasonic Open, and secured a nomination for the "PlayStation Trick of the Week" at the Right Guard Open that same season which was, according to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune, a "breakout summer" for the young athlete.^[2][5][8][9]

Regarding his long range career goals, the young athlete has said:

Tony Hawk is (39) and is able to do a lot of stuff...I don' t know what it takes to skate when you are that old, but hopefully I can do it. I want to keep skating for as long as I can.^[4]

In July 2009, at the Maloof Money Cup presented by Monster Energy Drink in Costa Mesa, California, he became the 4th person ever to pull the 900. He won $75,000 and did the 900 to secure his number one spot in the vert competition.

Sponsorship[link]

Perelson's skateboarding sponsorship now includes 187 Pads, Monster Energy Drink, Sun Diego Boardshops, Vans, Volcom, Protec and Real Skateboards.^[7][10]

Personal life[link]

Perelson formerly lived in Bonita, California. He has an older sister and a younger brother named Brandon, who is also a skater; his father, Glenn, is a cardiologist.^[8]

References[link]

Bob Burnquist
Burnquist skating in Brazil, 2008
Born	Robert Dean Silva Burnquist (1976-10-10) October 10, 1976 (age 35) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Citizenship	United States and Brazil
Occupation	Skateboarder Co-owner of Burnquist Organics
Years active	1992–present
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Spouse	Verônica Nachard
Children	2, Lotus O'Brien Silva Burnquist, Jasmyn
Website
BobBurnquist.com

Summer X Games medal record
Competitor for  Brazil
Gold	2000 San Francisco	Vert Best Trick
Gold	2001 Philadelphia	Vert
Gold	2003 Los Angeles	Vert Doubles
Gold	2005 Los Angeles	Vert Best Trick
Gold	2007 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air
Gold	2008 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air
Gold	2010 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air Rail Jam
Gold	2011 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air
Silver	2002 Philadelphia	Vert
Silver	2002 Philadelphia	Vert Doubles
Silver	2006 Los Angeles	Vert
Silver	2009 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air
Silver	2009 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air Rail Jam
Silver	2010 Los Angeles	Skateboard Big Air
Bronze	1997 San Diego	Vert
Bronze	1998 San Diego	Vert Doubles
Bronze	1999 San Francisco	Vert Best Trick
Bronze	2001 Philadelphia	Vert Best Trick
Bronze	2006 Los Angeles	Vert Best Trick
Bronze	2010 Los Angeles	Vert Best Trick

Robert Dean Silva Burnquist (born October 10, 1976), better known as Bob Burnquist, is a Brazilian professional skateboarder.^[1][2][3] In 2010 he became the first skateboarder to land a fakie to fakie 900. This also makes Burnquist the 5th person in history to have ever landed the 900.

Background[link]

Bob Burnquist was born in Rio de Janeiro to a Swedish-American father and a Brazilian mother.^[3] He became adept at skateboarding in São Paulo. As an adult he emigrated to North America; he holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the U.S.

Career[link]

Burnquist's biggest success to date came at the vert contest at the 2001 X-Games. Before his final run (the last run of the event) he was sitting in second place behind two-time defending champion Bucky Lasek. Burnquist produced a flawless run, including multiple tricks that had never been seen before and, as a result, were unnamed. During the run, commentator Tony Hawk went hoarse and nearly lost his voice while screaming in disbelief. Burnquist was rewarded with a 98, the second highest score ever given in any X-Games skateboarding event, behind only Bucky Lasek's score of a 98.50 the year before.^[4]

Burnquist's specialties are in switch stance skateboarding and creating innovative vert tricks. He has always tried to find new ways to make his tricks more creative and more difficult. He has a signature trick called "one-footed smith grind". Burnquist has also been featured in the hit video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and appeared in all of its sequels with the exception of Pro Skater 3, due to license restrictions as a result of his appearing in another skating game, X-Games Skateboarding, during that year. He returned as a featured character in the series starting again with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 and has since appeared in all the series' games following that.

In 2004, Burnquist made a guest appearance as himself on the popular TV series, Kim Possible and also won a gold medal in the 2005 X-Games Best Trick vert contest.

Burnquist is the only skater to go over a loop ramp with a gap in it (OP King Of Skate). Not only was the loop gapped, but Burnquist also did the gap switch. He is also the first skater to go through a loop while riding switch stance, and the first to go all the way around a full pipe just by pumping up to speed inside it. In 2000, Burnquist won the X-Games' best trick contest, with his famous fakie 5-0 with a fakie Kickflip off of the grind bar. He created a trick called "Burntwist", which is in the Tony Hawk's series.

Burnquist completed a BASE jump after attempting a 50-50 into the Grand Canyon. The first attempt nearly cost Burnquist his life after he missed the rail and fell out of control before regaining himself and successfully deploying his parachute. After some adjustments to the take-off ramp his second attempt went off flawlessly. This stunt was shown in an episode of the television show Stunt Junkies.

He formerly lived with professional skateboarder Jen O'Brien, and their daughter Lotus. He now lives with Veronica Nachard and their daughter Jasmyn (born 2007) in Vista, California, where he has a world-renowned vert ramp in his backyard.^[5] This ramp has been skated by dozens of famous skateboarders, including Colin McKay, Tony Hawk, Rune Glifberg Bucky Lasek, and Lincoln Ueda, and has been featured in hundreds of magazines and videos, including Tony Hawk's Trick Tips and Thrasher Magazine.^[6] Burnquist's latest addition to his backyard skate-park is one of the world's few permanent Mega Ramps.^[7]

He had also started the Bob Burnquist Foundation to bring knowledge about organic farming and gardening to schools, and was one of the founders of the Action Sports Environmental Coalition, a nonprofit organization that brings ecological awareness to skateboarders, surfers and BMXers.^[8]

Videography[link]

Burnquist has been featured in many videos including:

• Es Menikmati

• Anti Hero's Self Entitled Video "Anti Hero"

• Anti Hero's First Video "F***tards"

• The Firm's "Can't Stop"

• Flip's "Extremely Sorry"

• Viva La Bam

Burnquist was featured in a commercial for Aero choclate bars.

Contest history[link]

• 1st in 2011 X Games Big Air
• 1st in 2010 X Games Big Air Rail Jam
• 3rd in 2010 X Games Vert Best Trick
• 2nd in 2010 X Games Big Air
• 2nd in 2009 X Games Big Air
• 3rd in 2009 Maloof Money Cup
• 2nd in 2009 X Games Big Air Rail Jam
• 1st in 2008 X Games Big Air
• 1st in 2007 X Games Big Air
• 3rd in 2006 X Games Big Air
• 1st in 2006 The Coolio Games
• 1st in 2005 X Games Vert Best Trick
• 1st in 2003 X Games vert doubles (with Bucky Lasek)
• 2nd in 2002 X Games vert doubles (with Bucky Lasek)
• 1st in 2001 X Games vert
• 1st in 2001 Slam City Jam vert.
• 1st in 2000 X Games Vert Best Trick
• 1st in 2000 Slam City Jam vert.
• 1st in 1995 Slam City Jam vert.
• 4th in 1996 Gravity Games Jam vert.

References[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

Shaun White

White in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Shaun Roger White
Born	(1986-09-03) September 3, 1986 (age 25) San Diego, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	154 pounds (70 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Snowboarding, Skateboarding
Medal record Competitor for the  United States Men's snowboarding Olympic Games Gold 2006 Torino Halfpipe Gold 2010 Vancouver Halfpipe Winter Dew Tour medal record Gold 2008 Breckenridge Slopestyle Gold 2008 Breckenridge Superpipe Gold 2009 Mt. Snow Slopestyle Gold 2009 Mt. Snow Superpipe Gold 2009 Northstar Slopestyle Gold 2009 Northstar Superpipe Winter X Games medal record Gold 2003 Aspen Slopestyle Gold 2003 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2004 Aspen Slopestyle Gold 2005 Aspen Slopestyle Gold 2006 Aspen Slopestyle Gold 2006 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2008 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2009 Aspen Slopestyle Gold 2009 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2010 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2011 Aspen Superpipe Gold 2012 Aspen Superpipe Silver 2002 Aspen Slopestyle Silver 2002 Aspen Superpipe Silver 2007 Aspen Superpipe Bronze 2007 Aspen Slopestyle Bronze 2008 Aspen Slopestyle TTR World Snowboard Tour record Gold 2007 Overall Silver 2008 Overall U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix medal record Gold 2006 Overall X Games medal record Men's skateboarding Gold 2007 Los Angeles Vert Gold 2011 Los Angeles Vert Silver 2005 Los Angeles Vert Silver 2010 Los Angeles Vert Bronze 2008 Los Angeles Vert Dew Tour medal record Men's skateboarding Gold 2007 Vert Gold 2007 Vert Gold 2008 Vert

Shaun Roger White (born September 3, 1986) is an American professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He rides regular stance, twelve and negative three degrees on his board.^[1]

Early life[link]

White was born in San Diego, California. His ancestry includes Irish and Italian.^[2][3] He was born with a Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect for which he endured two open-heart operations before the age of one.^[4] He stands 5'8" (1.73 m) tall. White spent his formative years riding Okemo Mountain and Bear Mountain, small ski resorts found in Ludlow, Vermont, and the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California.

Snowboarding career[link]

White's skateboard career took place during the same time he was rising through the snowboard ranks. White quickly drew the eyes of many in the skateboarder scene including professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. At this point Hawk befriended the nine-year-old White at a local skatepark and mentored him, helping him turn pro in skateboarding at the age of 17. White has gone on to win many titles on his skateboard, most notably winning the overall title of Action Sports Tour Champion, as well as being the first person to compete in and win both the Summer and Winter X Games in two different sports. Following in his older brother's footsteps, White switched from skiing to snowboarding at age six, and by age seven he received his first sponsorship. White has participated in two Winter Olympics in his career. At both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics, White won gold in the snowboard halfpipe event. White has also participated in the Winter X Games, where he has won a medal every year since 2002. Including all winter X Games competitions through 2009, his medal count stands at 15 (10 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), among which is the first quadruple win streak by a male athlete in one discipline, the snowboard slopestyle. White's streak was snapped in 2007 when he lost to Andreas Wiig and Teddy Flandreau, with White taking the bronze. He won the Air & Style Contest in 2003 and 2004.

2006 Winter Olympics[link]

At the 2006 Winter Olympics, White won gold in the half-pipe.^[5] After his first run in qualifications, White was almost out of competition, scoring only 37.7. On his second run, he recorded a score of 45.3. In the finals, White recorded a score of 46.8 (50 is the highest possible score) to win. Fellow American Danny Kass won the silver with a points total of 44.0.^[6]

2008[link]

Executing a near-flawless second run, White captured his third consecutive snowboard halfpipe title at the 2008 U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships to go along with his third US Open slopestyle competition. This followed White's win at the 25th (2007) Burton US Open, where he placed third in slopestlyle and first in the halfpipe. At the 2007 Open, White was also crowned the first "Burton Global Open Champion". His take for the event was $100,000 (Global Open Champ), $20,000 (1st Place Halfpipe), $90,000 (3rd Place Slopestyle), and a new Corvette.

On November 16, 2008 White released his first videogame "Shaun White Snowboarding" in North America (November 14, 2008 in Europe). Shaun White:Snowboarding was the 20th best-selling game of December 2008 in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

2009[link]

White with Richard Branson in 2009

There was a lot of controversy over who won the 2009 SuperPipe at Winter X Games XIII^{[citation needed]}. Kevin Pearce had 5 hits in the pipe, and all were the same tricks White did in his final run. White, on the other hand, had 6 hits and he started off his run with a big backside rodeo 540 where Pearce started his run off with a big grab. Although Pearce went bigger, he only had 5 hits, and his first hit wasn't as technical as White's first hit.^{[citation needed]} Judges came to the conclusion that White deserved the better score because he started off with a more technical trick and he had 1 more hit than Pearce.^{[citation needed]} With the win, White became the second competitor, after Tanner Hall, to win a gold medal in the superpipe in consecutive years at the Winter X Games. He also won a gold medal in Slopestyle, finally winning gold after 2 straight years of bronze.

On February 14, 2009, White won the FIS World Cup Men's Halfpipe event at Vancouver's Cypress Mountain. Out of the gate in his first qualifying run, he qualified immediately with the day's best score of 45.5. With a thumb sprained on an over-rotated backside 1080 in the second qualifying run, he clinched the event with the first of his two runs in the finals. His first finals run was awarded the highest score ever in FIS halfpipe, a 47.3.

2010 Winter Olympics[link]

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, White again won gold in the halfpipe.^[7] In the finals, White recorded a score of 46.8 on his first run, which proved a high enough score to secure the gold medal without a second run. He performed his second run anyway, as a victory lap, ending his run with a well-anticipated Double McTwist 1260 which he named The Tomahawk.^[8] This second run resulted in a record score of 48.4 (50 is the highest possible score) enlarging his margin of victory. His nearest competitor won the silver with a points total of 45.0, 3.4 behind White.^[9]

2011[link]

After a sub-par performance in the Slopestyle, failing to reach the finals, White "redeemed" himself in the Superpipe. With an 89, he sat in second place going into his 2nd of three runs. He completed the run, landing his infamous Double McTwist 1260 and finishing with a score of 97.33 to take the lead and claim the historical 4th straight Gold in the Winter X Games, held in Aspen Colorado. The score tied an X Games record, which was set by White one year before. His 3rd run was a simple victory run featuring mostly straight air.^[10]

2012[link]

At Winter X, White became the first person to score a perfect 100 in the men's Snowboard Superpipe in the history of Winter X Games.

Athletic achievements[link]

• In 2003 White was the first to compete and medal in both the Summer and Winter X Games in two different sports.
• White is the first snowboarder ever to land back to back double corks, at the Red Bull superpipe.
• He remains the only skater to land the frontside heelflip 540 body varial. (The Armadillo).^[11]
• He was the first to land a Cab 7 Melon Grab in vert skateboarding.
• He is the first snowboarder to win back-to-back gold medals in the Winter X-Games Superpipe.
• He is also the first athlete ever (on snowboard or skis) to win gold medals four years in a row in the Winter X-Games Superpipe.
• He is the first (and only) person to win both a Summer and Winter Dew Cup.^[12]
• White was the first to "three-peat" in SuperPipe at the Winter X Games.
• Shaun White holds the record for the highest score in the men's halfpipe at the Winter Olympics. In 2006, his 46.8 points bested Ross Powers' previous record of 46.1 from 2002. In 2010, during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he improved his own record with 48.4 points in his final run.

Non-competition awards and accolades[link]

• White was named the "Chairman of the Board" on the Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards on June 13, 2007 and again on June 19, 2010.^[13]
• In the March 2009 issue of Snowboarder Magazine, he was named the ninth-best snowboarder in the World.^[14]
• He won the Revolver Golden Gods Award for "Most Metal Athlete".
• White has been named Transworld Snowboarding's Rider Of The Year twice.^[15]

Endorsements[link]

White has had a sponsor since he was seven years old. White signed CAA Sports for representation after working with IMG for eight years.^[16] Corporate endorsement deals include or have included Burton Snowboards, Oakley, Inc., Birdhouse Skateboards, Park City Mountain Resort, Target Corporation, Red Bull, Ubisoft, Adio and Hewlett-Packard. White also has his own character on the game Shaun Palmer's Pro Snowboarder as well as the video game Shaun White Snowboarding and the upcoming video game Shaun White Skateboarding. In 2009, Forbes magazine estimated that he had earned $9 million from his endorsements in 2008.^[17]

Media appearances[link]

• He had his first published interview in TransWorld SNOWboarding Magazine in 2003.^[18]
• White starred in the 2005 snowboarding documentary First Descent.
• In 2007, White appeared on the E! reality TV show "The Girls Next Door" as a snowboarding teacher for Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson.^[19]
• White was one of the few pro snowboarders to be a guest editor of Snowboarder Magazine (February 2008 issue).^[20]
• The 2008 video game Shaun White Snowboarding is named after him, and the game was personally played and demonstrated by him at Nintendo's E3 2008 Press Conference.
• A film, Don't Look Down has been released on DVD and ESPN. The film tracks his journey through the year following his Olympic success.^[21]
• White was on the cover for The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics: 2010 Edition.^[22]
• White appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, March 2, 2010, recounting the story of how his mother had his first Olympic gold medal dry cleaned.^[23]
• White had a cameo appearance as himself in the 2011 film Friends with Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.

Personal life[link]

Addressing his perception of the nickname "The Flying Tomato", Rolling Stone wrote, "he used to embrace it, even wearing headbands with a flying-tomato logo, but he has grown tired of it." He has also been nicknamed as "animal", a reference to a character from the satirical puppet show The Muppet Show.^[24][25]

In February 2009, Red Bull built White a halfpipe completely out of natural snow in the back country of Colorado on the backside of Silverton Mountain, coordinates (37.838801,-107.710299).

See also[link]

• List of professional snowboarders

References[link]