Christian Hosoi

• TransWorld Legend Award 11th 2009

• 1st in 2009 the X Games 15 Skateboard Park Legends contest

• 2nd in 2009 the 11th Annual Tim Brauch Memorial Contest Grandmasters Event

• 1st in 2010 the X Games 16 Skateboard Park Legends contest

In all his years, Christian Hosoi has ascended to heights most of us could only dream about. As a professional skateboarder in the 1980s he reached legendary status dominating contests with his fluid style and big airs. "It was all about big air" he says "my idols were like Bruce Lee and stuff like that so when I would think of his performance and how he would do things it was always just a step higher and that's what I wanted to do with my skating and taking it to another level.

" An instant icon, fans called him "Christ" and lapped up his "Hammerhead" pro model to the tune of $250,000 a year in his peak. A man seemingly born to occupy the spotlight Christian became one of the main faces of the fledgling sport, his battles with another of the sport's upstarts, a kid named Tony Hawk would became the stuff of legend. Ironically Christian's nickname would carry over into the name of one of the many airborne moves he pioneered, the "Christ Air," a bombastic maneuver in which both arms and legs are extended in a Christ like pose.

"I'm a person that was very successful. I became a professional skateboarder when I was 13 years old. At that young of an age I was able to be a professional and live a life that was progressive. I had my own company at 17. I was traveling the world 10 times over. I ran a team," says Hosoi straightforwardly, showing no regret" he says "what sticks out (about that time) is that I didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ and I never read a Bible in my life."

"Hosoi was the rock star of that era" says fellow pro Lance Mountain of the 1980s, "I remember being with him in Europe one time and he had a whole entourage with him--like the whole Rocket team, and we were in a store where Hosoi was trying on leather jackets and it was taking forever. We're all sitting in there waiting for him to pick one out or whatever and I got bored and went outside. A few minutes later, the whole crew walked out with white leather jackets. He bought one for everybody."

Grant Fukuda, a former Dogtown pro skater remembers Christian's routine when he would arrive into town. "He would rent a white Lincoln Town Car, go straight to Sandy's and then on to Rainbow Drive-In. He'd order like five plate lunches and then he'd be like, 'And what do you guys want?'" he recalls. Whether it was expensive sushi or plate lunch, "he'd always pick up the tab for everyone."