Rodney Mullen is one of skateboarding tips undisputed innovates and pioneers of the sport of skateboarding. His unique style and constant ability to pull off new, unimagined tricks has kept him in the skateboarding worlds spot light for over 35 years now!. Creating fundamental tricks such as the flat ground ollie, the kick flip, the impossible and the 360 flip, it is no wonder he is considered a living legend.Born in Gainesville, Florida 1966, Rodney Mullen is one of the greatest skaters of all time. Originally a free style skater he has crossed the boundaries to street and even ramp skating with style and innovation.
Pads A Must
Mullen began skateboarding at the age of 10 when, after much objection, his father bought him his very first skateboard, who told him he was only allowed to have it if he wore his pads always when skating. Rodney immediately took to the sport with enthusiasm and raw talent and nine months later he was sponsored by Island Surf Shop. Shortly after he then won first place in the Kona Florida boy's freestyle contest. It was at this event he was noticed right away by the head of Walker Skateboards, Bruce Walker who offered Rodney Mullen a sponsorship deal with his company. Over the next few years Mullen went on to win almost thirty first place victories and won the Oceanside Nationals in the summer of 1976. During these years he honed his skills wherever he could usually finding solace in quiet non assuming areas like deserted parking lots or old abandoned barns.
Bones
In 1980 Rodney Mullen joined with Powell Perlta as one of their pro skaters.
Being at the top of his game meant he was also now in the "Bones Brigade" Powell's eliete top pro skating team. Many greats like Tony Hawk and Lance skateboarding tips have skated on this team. Rodney was among the greats now! He appeared in several of Powells first feature movies and was one of the few pro freestyle skaters on the team along with Kevin Harris and Per Welinder. During the 80's Rodney appeared in a feature film "Gleaming the Cube" with Christian Slater.
The End of an Era
By the time professional freestyle skateboarding died out in mid 1990 Rodney Mullen had won a mind blowing 34 of the 35 freestyle competitions he had entered in.This translates in to the most successful professional competition run in history! In the early 90 Mullen left his sponsored team of World Industries and joined plan B as more of a street skater.
His lethal, over the top integration of freestyle tricks into street moves could be witnessed on the Plan B blockbuster hit "The Questionable Video.
What's New?
In 2003 Rodney joined forces with another devastatingly awesome street skater and all around skateboarding ninja, Daewon Song, to create Almost Skateboards. Be sure to check out the video "Rodney Mullen VS Daewon Song" It was also in this same year that he was voted "The All Time Greatest Action Sports Athlete" by the extreme sports channel's "Legends of the Extreme Countdown"
In 2004 Mullen wrote his autobiography entitled"The Mutt - How to Skateboard and Not Kill Yourself"
Geoff Wheeler has been involved in skateboarding for the past 20 years and writes about Etnies shoes and Ipath skate shoes.
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