#throwback:
Tony Hawk’s
900
The Birdman’s legacy in skate is
undeniable, and one of his most iconic
moments was stomping a trick many
thought might not be possible: the twoand-a-half-turn 900.
F
OR A LONG TIME, the
900 (a 900-degree or
two-and-a-half rotations
spin off a vert ramp) was
one of skateboarding’s
most mythical holy grails. Over the
years there were several claims,
including suggestion from many that
Danny Way had landed one in 1989.
But the footage of that attempt
cut away very quickly after Danny
reconnected with the ramp, and
ultimately he’d come off the board
immediately afterwards.
For much of the ‘90s, many of the
biggest names in skate, including
Rob ‘Sluggo’ Boyce and Giorgio
Zattoni were actively pursuing the
trick alongside Hawk.
114 | FreestyleXtreme.com
The introduction of ESPN’s X Games
in 1995 presented a new stage and
enormous audience for stomping
new tricks, and the first few years
saw some massive performances.
The Skateboarding Best Trick
category was fiercely contested
each year but it was ‘99 that saw
Tony Hawk step up and produce
something special.
Hawk landed his “best trick” - the
varial 720 - early in his run and
fellow boarder Dave Duncan
suggested he used the remaining
time to try and land the 900. Attempt
after attempt rattled by as the clock
ran down and tension built. With the
allotted time expired, the TV director
decided to keep rolling and let Hawk
keep trying - and after 11 failed
attempts he finally stuck it with a
precarious landing. The gold medal
went to Tony despite running over.
Hawk repeated the trick on several
occasions but said we was done
with pushing rotations, and wouldn’t
pursue the 1080, which wasn’t
landed until Best Trick made the
switch from the quarter-pipe to the
megaramp.
Earlier this year, on the 27th of June
- exactly seventeen years since first
landing it - Hawk landed what he
described as likely being his last
ever 900 at the age of 48! T