by John Rendace

Created on: November 29, 2010

Tony Alva was born in 1957 in Santa Monica, California; only 20 years later, he was the first World Champion Skateboarder ever. His rise to the top of the skateboarding world, and incredible skill, is truly the stuff of legends. Alva is unquestionably one of the greatest skateboarders to ever have lived.

Long before organized skateboarding had evolved, Alva was grinding empty pools with the other members of the equally legendary Z-Boys. During these early outings, Alva was hitting the lip with such force that he was rocketed into the pages of history as the first man to ever perform a recorded aerial. His new and exciting style had a new edge and aggression to it that was unheard of at the time. This new technique more or less paved the way for every aerial trick that was developed after this golden era.

This makes the frontside the first air anyone ever really caught in recorded history. Interestingly enough, Alva claims he was not the first to perform an aerial maneuver. Instead, according to him, George Orton was the first aerial skateboarder, and he attested to this in a 1978 Skateboarder Magazine article.

Skateboarder Magazine voted him 'Skateboarder of the Year' in 1977. He was only nineteen at the time. Nevertheless, he continued his tradition of going against the grain and founded Alva Skates instead of continuing to work with one of the major skateboard companies at the time. Alva Skates was among the first producing decks with Canadian maple plywood, and it also became the first skateboarding firm to actually be owned and run by a skateboarder. As if that wasn't enough, he also set the Guinness World Record for barrel jumping in 1977.

He continued in business all throughout his career in various ventures. For instance, Alva was the genius behind rip grip technology for aerial skateboarders. In 2006, he signed a three-year deal with Vans to market his pro model high-tops. He also opened a pair of stores in 2005 in Southern California. Some fellow Z-Boys as well as members of his current team attended the first year anniversary of the opening of these stores.

As a living legend, Alva deserves all of the respect that he receives. The video game Tony Hawk's American Wasteland gave him a well-deserved featured spot, and he continues to enjoy the equally well-deserved fame that he has earned in the skateboarding subculture.

Learn more about this author, John Rendace.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.