Sports
Skateboarding Quiz
Tony Hawk, the 900, and the culture that went from outlaw to Olympic sport.
Tony Hawk, the 900, and the culture that went from outlaw to Olympic sport.
On August 27, 1999, Tony Hawk landed the first-ever 900 at the X Games in San Francisco — two and a half aerial rotations on a halfpipe — on his 11th attempt, in a best trick competition he had already technically finished. It remains the single most iconic moment in action sports history. That one trick helped transform skateboarding from a countercultural pastime into a global phenomenon worth $2.2 billion and, eventually, an Olympic sport. This quiz covers skateboarding's full arc: the California surfers who invented sidewalk surfing in the 1950s, the Dogtown Z-Boys who revolutionized vert skating in drained pools, the trick innovations of Rodney Mullen and Tony Hawk, and the culture of Thrasher, Supreme, and skate videos that shaped generations.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
Discover how urethane wheels changed skateboarding forever in 1972, why Rodney Mullen is called the Godfather of Street Skateboarding, how a video game sold 40 million copies and introduced a generation to skate culture, and why Momiji Nishiya became one of the youngest Olympic gold medalists in Tokyo at just 13 years old. There are roughly 85 million skateboarders worldwide — how well do you know their sport?
The ollie was invented by Alan "Ollie" Gelfand in 1977 while skating vert ramps in Florida. He discovered that snapping the tail of the board against the ramp while jumping would pop the board into the air with him. Rodney Mullen later adapted the trick to flat ground in 1982, which became the foundation for virtually all modern street skateboarding.
Yes. Skateboarding made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021). It featured street and park disciplines for both men and women. Japan dominated the inaugural competition — Momiji Nishiya won the women's street gold at just 13 years old, and Yuto Horigome won the men's street gold. The sport appeared at the Paris 2024 Olympics as well.
Tony Hawk is widely regarded as the most famous and influential skateboarder of all time, largely due to his 900 in 1999 and his video game franchise that introduced millions to the sport. For technical trick innovation, Rodney Mullen — who invented the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, and 360 flip — is often called the greatest ever. Modern fans also point to Nyjah Huston, the highest-paid skateboarder in history, as the dominant competitive force of his era.
Last updated: March 2026