Christian Hosoi - Skateboard Career

Skateboard Career

Hosoi started skating at seven or eight years old with veterans such as Shogo Kubo, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams as his idols. His father, Ivan "Pops" Hosoi became the manager of the Marina Del Rey Skatepark, and Christian quit school and spent his time there where he quickly developed his emerging talent. In 1979, as an amateur, Hosoi was sponsored by Powell Peralta. He left Powell Peralta a year later when they wouldn't allow him to turn professional and joined Dogtown Skateboards. After Dogtown went out of business shortly thereafter, he turned pro at the age of 14 with Sims Skateboards.

Christian Hosoi emerged as one of the top competitors of vertical riding alongside such pros as Steve Caballero, Mike McGill, Lester Kasai, and Mark "Gator" Rogowski with an eventual rivalry developing with Tony Hawk with contrasting styles in both skateboarding and lifestyles—Hosoi, known for his flair and graceful style, and Hawk raising the bar with his technical ability and difficult tricks. Hosoi invented the Christ Air and Rocket Air, and was renowned for pulling huge aerials; at one point he was the world record holder. Vertical skateboarding grew in spectator popularity with prize money to match. This, combined with major endorsements with Converse, Swatch, and Jimmy'Z, as well as receiving a pro model wheel, the OJ II Hosoi Rocket through Santa Cruz Speed Wheels, earning Hosoi more money than he had ever dreamed of. In 1984 he formed his own company, Hosoi Skates, first distributed through Skull Skates, then through NHS-INC. The board proved to be so popular that it was counterfeited. When street skating began to emerge in the mid-to-late 80s, Hosoi proved a threat as well, winning both the vert and street contests at the Lotte Cup contest in Japan in 1989.