Skateboarding Fun Facts: Dogs, Tricks, Legends, Money, and Giant Skateboards

Are you ready to shred some knowledge about skateboarding? Hang on tight and get ready for some fun facts that will make you laugh, scratch your head, and maybe even want to jump on a skateboard yourself!

Have you ever heard of OTTO, the bulldog that can shred better than most humans? 

1.Skateboarding Bulldog Who Will Steal Your Heart

Get ready to paws for a moment and meet the coolest skateboarding pooch on the planet - OTTO the bulldog! This four-legged shredder was rescued from a shelter in Peru by his owner, Lucinda, and quickly became a skateboarding sensation.

With his low center of gravity and powerful legs, OTTO is a natural on the board. In fact, he's so skilled that he set the Guinness World Record for "Longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog" in 2015. He cruised through the legs of 30 people over a distance of 30 meters in just under 25 seconds - pawsome! 

Since then, OTTO has been making a name for himself as a celebrity canine, appearing on TV shows and performing live demonstrations of his epic skateboarding skills. He's using his fame to raise awareness for animal shelters and the importance of pet adoption, proving that skateboarding can be used for good.

So the next time you're at the skate park and see a dog cruising by, don't be surprised if it's OTTO - the most talented skateboarding bulldog in the world!

But skateboarding isn't just for dogs! Skaters have been trying to bring virtual skateboarding tricks to life, like the "Nollie 900," which Tony Hawk first landed in the video game "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2." 

2.The Quest to Bring Virtual Skateboarding Tricks to Life

There are many skateboarding tricks that were first popularized in video games and later attempted by real-life skateboarders, but not all of them have been successfully landed. Some of these tricks may be difficult or even impossible to replicate in real life due to factors such as physics, gravity, and safety considerations. One example of a skateboarding trick that was popularized in video games is the "Nollie 900". This trick involves spinning 900 degrees in the air while doing a Nollie (a type of ollie where the front foot is used to pop the board instead of the back foot). The trick was first landed by Tony Hawk in the video game "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2", but it was not successfully landed in real life until several years later.

3.The World's Oldest Skateboarder Still Shredding at 63

Skateboarders, lend me your ears! Did you know that the world's oldest professional skateboarder is still kickflipping his way through life at the age of 63? That's right, Neal Unger is an absolute legend who started skateboarding at the age of 5 and has been shredding ever since.

At 55, he turned pro and has been competing and performing at skateboarding events all over the world. Neal's tricks and style are so gnarly that he's built up a fanbase that's larger than the Great Wall of China. Seriously, this guy's got moves that'll make your jaw drop faster than a skateboard off a half-pipe!

And what's even more impressive? Neal's passion for skateboarding is still burning brighter than the sun on a summer day! He's living proof that age is just a number, and that anyone can follow their dreams, no matter how old they are.

So the next time you're feeling down in the dumps and thinking that you're too old to try something new, just think of Neal Unger and how he's still shredding at 63. If he can do it, so can you!

If you think skateboarding is just a hobby, think again! Tony Hawk has built a multimillion-dollar empire.

4.Richest Professional Skateboarders -Tony Hawk

Listen up, fellow skaters! Tony Hawk isn't just a legend on the half-pipe, he's also a business mogul with a diverse empire that'll make your head spin faster than a kickflip!

One of his most successful business ventures is Birdhouse Skateboards, which he co-founded back in 1992. This company blew up faster than a firecracker on the 4th of July and has since become a world-renowned brand, selling high-quality skateboards, clothing, and accessories that you won't find at your local department store.

Photo by TimothyJ on Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0.

But wait, there's more! Hawk also has a career in video games that's more successful than a 900-degree spin! He's the mastermind behind the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise, which has sold more copies than there are wheels on a skateboard. He's also consulted on other skateboarding video games, proving that he's not just a pro skater but a pro gamer too.

And if that wasn't enough, Hawk has invested in other ventures too. He's got a production company that makes movies, a clothing line that's stylish enough to make even the coolest skaters jealous, and a skatepark design and construction company that makes skateparks so rad, you'll never want to leave.

5.Too Big to Ride, Too Cool to Ignore!

Well, well, well, my dear skateboarding enthusiast, have you heard about the world's biggest skateboard? This isn't just any regular-sized skateboard that you can tuck under your arm and carry around, oh no! This skateboard is so massive that it can make a grown man feel like a toddler trying to ride a bike for the first time.

Let me give you some dimensions to wrap your head around: this colossal skateboard measures a whopping 11.15 meters (that's over 36 feet!) in length, 2.64 meters (almost 9 feet!) in width, and 1.10 meters (over 3 feet!) in height. It's so big that you could probably use it as a makeshift apartment if you had to!

This mammoth skateboard was originally created for the MTV series Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, and it's become quite the attraction in Los Angeles. I can just imagine tourists trying to take a selfie with this behemoth board, only to realize that they can't fit it in the frame.

But the real question is, can anyone actually ride this thing? Well, I'm sure there are some daredevils out there who would love to give it a shot, but let's just say that it's not exactly the most practical mode of transportation. You'd need a whole team of people just to push you along, and turning might be a bit of a challenge.

6.The Evolution of Skateboarding

Did you know that skateboarding was once considered a taboo activity? Back in the day, it was called "sidewalk surfing", which sounds more like a way to avoid walking than anything else. Can you imagine telling your parents that you want to be a professional sidewalk surfer? They'd probably send you to your room without dinner. But thanks to the Z-Boys and other skateboarders who came after them, skateboarding has become a legitimate sport and art form. So the next time you're cruising on your board, remember that you're not just a sidewalk surfer - you're a legitimate athlete!

7.The Wild and Wobbly Birth of the world’s first skateboard

Ah, yes, the world's first skateboard. Legend has it that it was created by a group of surfers who were tired of waiting for the waves to roll in. They looked at their surfboards and thought, "Hey, why not take the wheels off of our roller skates and attach them to a wooden board?"

And so, the first skateboard was born - a humble wooden box with some wheels slapped on underneath. We can only imagine the look on the faces of those first skateboarders as they rolled down the street, trying to maintain their balance on this wobbly contraption.

But you know what they say - necessity is the mother of invention. And these surfers were determined to create a way to practice their moves on land. So they continued to tinker with their wooden box on wheels, eventually adding grip tape, trucks, and other components that would make skateboarding what it is today.

Looking back, it's amazing to see how far skateboarding has come from those humble beginnings. Nowadays, you can find skateboards made out of all sorts of materials - from bamboo to carbon fiber to plastic. And the tricks that skaters can do on these boards? Mind-blowing.

So there you have it, folks, some fun facts about skateboarding that will make you appreciate this sport even more. Whether you're a skater or just a fan, there's no denying that skateboarding is one of the coolest and most creative sports out there!