Lance Mountain
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Robert Lance Mountain born June 13, 1964 in Pasadena, California was one of the more popular skateboarders throughout much of the 1980's, and one of the five most legendary members of the Bones Brigade, as featured in the 1987 classic The Search For Animal Chin (Bones Brigade Video Three).
When contests were the main judge of status in the skateboarding world, Mountain was a top competitor during street skating's first phase, but he specialized at riding vert (on ramps and in pools), where he also regularly placed in the top five.
Mountain was first sponsored by Variflex in 1981 before joining Powell Peralta a year later, where he formed a strong friendship with Stacy Peralta, the team leader and director of the Bones Brigade video series.
Mountain gained further eminence when he won the Upland Turkey Shoot at Upland Skatepark in 1983, against tough competition from fellow team riders Steve Caballero, Mike McGill and Tony Hawk. This was followed by Mountain acting as the backdrop of skateboarding's first, full length company video, The Bones Brigade Video Show, from 1984. In it, Mountain serves as the segue for all the vert and freestyle parts as he skateboards around Los Angeles, showcasing street skating in its infancy as a legitimate discipline.
In the early 90's, the skateboard industry went through a major shift as street skating overtook vertical skateboarding as the dominant discipline, and the popularity of the Bones Brigade faltered as next wave of skaters made a name for themselves. He left Powell Peralta and started his own skateboard company, "The Firm" in 1991 with notable skateboarders including Bob Burnquist, Ray Barbee, and Rodrigo Teixeira. On March 13, 2006, Lance Mountain announced the end of The Firm[1]. He is now riding for Flip Skateboards, in addition to Fury Trucks, and Stüssy clothing.
Mountain is married to Yvette Loveless and has one son, Lance Ronald Cyril Mountain.
[edit] Trivia
Lance Mountain is the inventor of the fingerboards, back in the mid 80's, fashioning out of cardboard, pencil erasers, and a disassembled Hot Wheels toy. It was featured in an article in Transworld Skateboarding Magazine as well as in the Powell Peralta video, Future Primitive. It was created as a fun do-it-yourself project, using kitchen sinks to emulate pool riding. It has since evolved into a major toy category selling multiple millions of units, most prominently under the Tech Deck brand.
He was the co-designer of the Independent Stage V truck, along with Steve Caballero. [2]
He is the co-inventor of the Gay Twist, along with Neil Blender.[3]
Mountain was a regular contributor to 411 Video Magazine, introducing each issue.
He is also a Christian, along with other notable skateboarders such as Christian Hosoi, Jay Haizlip, Austin Stephens, Josh Harmony, Ray Barbee, Jamie Thomas, Chris Cole, Mark Rogowski, and Tommy Sandoval.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.concretedisciples.com/bbs/index.php?action=vthread&forum=6&topic=12257
- ^ http://www.independenttrucks.com/team/rider.php?rider=scaballero
- ^ http://www.thefirmskateboards.net/teampage/lance/interviews_nav./tws-87/tws_87.html
4. http://www.theuprisingishere.com/uprising2006.swf
He has a stong reputation for inverts too,and invented the frontside invert to fakie,as well as making the one-footed sadplant his signature trick. In 1979 he and his father,a British ex-pat,took a trip to the UK and visited several skateparks in the south east,including Gillingham Black Lion,Harrow Solid Surf and The Rom.Photo's taken at these parks show Lance already at an advanced skill level,and can be seen on The Firm's website archive.
