Early Career
Harris was born in Richmond, British Columbia. He began skateboarding at 13 years old and like most skaters of the 1970s, he started on a mass-produced, plastic “banana” board. At first he rode all types of terrain and built what most local skaters agreed on as the best half-pipe in the Vancouver area. Even with a ramp in his backyard, he eventually focused on flatland freestyle.
Harris was first sponsored in 1977 by Nippon Cycles, a Vancouver bike and skate shop. Sponsorship meant more than discounted merchandise—wearing a Nippon team shirt was like walking around with an Olympic medal hanging off your neck. He began skating demonstrations with the "Ripping Squad," a group of Canadian skaters that rode a portable half-pipe painted with the Yin/Yang logo.
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