Christian Hosoi

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Christian Rosha Hosoi (born October 5, 1967 in USA) is a professional skateboarder. He was also known by the nicknames "Christ" and "Holmes". Hosoi, along with Tony Hawk, were the most popular skateboarders for the better part of the 1980's. Hosoi is married to Jennifer Lee and has two sons, Rhythm and Classic[1]. He currently lives in Huntington Beach, California.

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[edit] Early skateboard career

Hosoi started skating at six years old with veterans such as Shogo Kubo, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams as models. His father, Ivan "Pops" Hosoi became the manager of the Marina Del Ray Skatepark, and Christian quit school and spent his time at the skatepark where he quickly developed his skateboarding talent. In 1979 Hosoi was sponsored by Powell Peralta. He left a year later when Powell Peralta would not turn him pro, and he joined Dogtown Skateboards which 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 vert 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 holding the world record. 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, earned Hosoi more money than he'd ever dreamed of.

For a short while he was on the Alva team after Tony Alva himself hooked him up to start the company. Christian had a lot of both funtional and crazy designs on the boards, for example the cut- in-tail. In some magazine ads Tony Alva took the credit for the design. This made Christian mad and quit Alva to start his own company Hosoi Skates, with help from his dad. The company first run through Skull Skates, then through NHS/Santa Cruz, and released his signature and iconic Hammerhead model, with the shape inspired by the namesake shark, which proved so popular it was couterfeited.[2] 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.[3]

[edit] Incarceration

Hosoi's skateboard career began to falter as a recession hit the US in the early 1990s, and skateboarding underwent a revolution with street skating becoming the dominant discipline, overshadowing the superstars of the previous decade and ushering a new generation of pros, with dwindling coverage of vertical riding in magazines and videos. Hosoi faced bankruptcy after financial difficulties with a series of failed skateboard companies; Tuff Sk8s, Sk8 Kultur, Milk, and Focus, in addition to a growing addiction to drugs. Hosoi had been evading the law, with two minor offenses and a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in court while on bail since 1995. This further pushed Christian into obscurity, as he avoided competitions and demos, including declining an invitation to the first X Games (then the Extreme Games), which was going to be marketed as a renewed rivalry between Hawk and Hosoi. The X Games would prove to be a turning point for Hawk —it revived the interest in vert skateboarding (and skateboarding in general) and he would go on to achieve some of his greatest skateboarding accomplishments as well as international fame and fortune unlike any other point in his career.

Christian was finally captured in January 2000 at the Honolulu airport. He was apprehended while attempting to transport 1½ pounds of crystal methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Hawaii. He was charged with trafficking with the intent to distribute, a federal crime, and Hosoi's third strike. He was sentenced to 5 years. Hosoi was incarcerated at the San Bernadino Central Detention Center.

[edit] Christianity

While in prison, Hosoi married girlfriend Jennifer Lee, became a born again Christian through the urging of his wife and her uncle Christopher Swain, a pastor, as well as earning his high school diploma. He was supported by the skate industry while in prison, receiving a pro model deck though the Red Kross/Emergency division of Black Label Skateboards, as well a tribute deck by Shorty's and Chad Muska featuring an homage to Hosoi's first pro model deck on Sims with the Rising Sun graphic, and guest decks through Mark Gonzales' Krooked Skateboards and Pocket Pistols Skateboards, the latter two releasing decks in the famous Hammerhead shape. In June 2004 Hosoi's sentence was reduced for good behavior and he was released on parole. Hosoi continues to be open about his new found faith, having become ordained as an associate pastor at The Sanctuary of Huntington Beach, California, and has resumed his skateboarding career.

[edit] Post-prison

Hosoi was back on a skateboard within two weeks of his release, having not stepped on one during his five years in prison.[4] He quickly demonstrated his innate skateboard talent, pulling off big airs with the style and grace he was revered for. He has since left Black Label, and has once again in the process of restarting Hosoi Skateboards, through Pocket Pistols. He has appeared in Stephen Baldwin's Livin' It LA a Christian-themed skateboard DVD. In 2006 he signed with Vans, receiving a pro model shoe, the Hosoi Sk8-Hi[5] featuring the Rising Sun graphic that adorned his debut pro model deck with Sims. He will also be featured in the upcoming Tony Hawk's Project 8 video game. A documentary titled Rising Son: The Legend of Christian Hosoi directed by longtime friend Cesario "Block" Montaňo was released in limited screenings in August, September, and October 2006, with the DVD released in November.

[edit] Current Sponsors

  • Hosoi Skateboards
  • Independent Trucks
  • Vans
  • Quiksilver
  • Ogio Backpacks
  • Ninja Bearings
  • Khiro Bushings
  • Pro-Tec helmets
  • Activemailorder.com
  • Daggerskates.com
  • King of Kings Skate Ministries

[edit] Contest history

  • Placed in top 5 in 1980 Van's/Offshore Amateur State Finals

(California) in boys 11-13 division.

  • 1st in 1985 NSA Summer Series #5 (Vancouver, BC): pro vert.
  • 2nd in 1986 Expo 86 (Vancouver, BC): vert
  • 1st in 1988 Vision Skate Escape: vert.
  • 1st in 1988 Titus World Cup (Germany): vert.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://hosoiskates.com/?m=200610
  2. ^ http://www.skateboardermag.com/skateboarder-news-features/features/15hosi/
  3. ^ http://www.skateboardermag.com/skateboarder-news-features/features/15hosi/
  4. ^ http://www.50-50.com/absorb/articles/2004/hosoi_is_back.shtml
  5. ^ http://skate.vans.com/SHOES/legends.html
  • Brooke, Michael (1999). Concrete Wave: The History Of Skateboarding. ISBN 1-894020-54-5.
  • Sports Illustrated (June 7, 2004). Skate and Destroy article by Karl Taro Greenfeld
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