Natas Kaupas
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Natas Kaupas (born in 1969) is a semi-retired professional skateboarder of Lithuanian descent. He grew up in South Santa Monica, California in the area known as Dogtown. He is often referred to as one of the first true professional street skateboarders.
Kaupas began skating during his childhood years. In 1983 Kaupas won a local Santa Monica surfing contest and received a Santa Monica Airlines (SMA)skateboard as a first place prize. SMA was operated out of the back of a surfshop owned by Skip Engblom. Kaupas approached Engblom about becoming a member of his skate team, which did not exist. Engblom was however impressed with Kaupas's skating ability and offered to sponsor him. Kaupas would then utilize his surroundings preferring not to ride ramps or parks. At the time street skating was never considered by skateboard makers and riders.
As Kaupas began to hone his skills on the streets of Santa Monica others took notice. Kaupas by his own admission remained clueless or uninterested in the skateboard subculture. By the mid 1980s Kaupas had discovered riding walls where he would throw his skateboard up on a wall and ride off of it. He then perfected this trick by just riding up the side of walls without using his hands. In 1984 Thrasher Magazine photographer and skating commentator Craig Stecyk took a photo of Kaupas riding off a wall. The members of Thrasher Magazine were so impressed by Kaupas the photo made the cover of the magazine in September 1984. This was odd as according to Kaupas he had never owned a copy of the magazine. With this cover photo Kaupas began to receive to more magazine coverage and professional skaters took note. Also in 1984 SMA released Kaupas's first pro-model, which featured a panther sketch drawn by Santa Monica artist Kevin Ancell. By now Kaupas was regularly skating with such notables as Mark Gonzales, Julien Stranger and Jim Thiebaud and setting the roots for what would be known as street skating. The combination of Kaupas and Gonzales would give the skateboarding a laundry list of new tricks and ideas. The first trick was transferring Rodney Mullen's kickflip from freesyle skating to street skating. Other tricks would soon follow.
In 1986 demand for SMA skateboards had grown at an increasing rate. Kaupas impressed Engblom when he approached Santa Cruz skateboards about a distribution arrangement. While at a pro-am skate contest held in Oceanside, California Kaupas stunned the crowd by attempting a board slide down a handrail. Although his attempt was unsuccessful, skating history was made. This was followed up when Kaupas and Gonzales performed what is considered the first legitimate rail slide and later with 50-50 grinds.
In 1987 Santa Cruz released the skateboarding video Wheels of Fire. Kaupas played a role in the film and showed the world what he had been doing all these years in Santa Monica. He received a sudden jolt of notoriety and soon critics began questioning his first name. Natas spelled backwards is satan. Kaupas attempted to explain that his name as being the masculine version of Lithuanian female name of Natalia. He then poked fun at the critics when he began to wear the rap group Public Enemy t-shirts. Despite his growing popularity Kaupas was not keen on being so well known and avoided crowds of fans, preferring to just skate. In 1988 Kaupas had become such a well-known figure that shoe company etnies was so impressed they offered him his own pro model shoe, an entirely new concept in the skating world. The marketing and design of the shoe was influenced by Kaupas. He was able to use his artistic talents, which he later incorporated in SMA skateboard designs as he was practically managing the company and team. At the time a skater playing such an important role in a board company was a new idea.
In 1989 Santa Cruz released a follow up video entitled Streets on Fire, which Kaupas played a greater role. Kaupas had already tested the ollie to new heights but he stunned the skateboard world when he ollied up on a fire hydrant and performed a 720 degree spin while filming the video. The trick would be known as the 'Natas spin' and has only been duplicated by a few individuals, namely Corey Sheppard in Blind "What If". [1] It has now been adapted to snowboarding as well. [2] This trick has also been incorporated into the Tony Hawk's series since Tony Hawk's Underground 2.
Kaupas along with fellow skater Jim Thiebaud, who was now skating for SMA, began a tour across America driving used Cadillacs. During the tour the duo discovered many unknown but talented skaters that would later skate for SMA. Upon their return and by 1990 skateboarding's hype had died with a slowing US economy. Kaupas continued skating and managing SMA.
In 1991 fellow pro skater Steve Rocco, who started World Industries skateboards, approached Kaupas about starting his own line of skateboards. Kaupas left SMA and began 101 Skateboards. The company would become an outlet for Kaupas to employ his graphic and artistic talents. By 1992 101 had become a major brand and Kaupas was still actively skating, however this would change after he suffered from a broken ankle. While convalescing Kapaus explored his artistic talents more and began to use computer graphics programs. He was soon asked to assist with the first issue of the Big Brother skateboarding magazine, which was also owned by World Industries.
As World Industries and 101 Skateboards became more successful, scooping up many well-established pro skaters and new emerging amateurs, Kaupas lost interest. Kaupas then received a call from Larry Flynt Publications. The company was interesting in launching a new magazine entitled Rage and needed an art director. The tone of the magazine changed and Kaupas lost interest, leaving shortly afterwards. In 1998 Kaupas along with longtime friend Mark Oblow formed Vita Shoes, which was short lived. Kaupas then found plenty of work in design and art with clothing company Quiksilver and Element Skateboards. Both companies also sponsored him for their skateboarding team. Quiksilver soon promoted Kaupas to the role of graphic director.
In 1998 Element Skateboards rereleased his pro model board. In 2003 etnies followed suit with a rerelease of his pro shoe. In 2004, Natas started a new own board company, Designarium under the manufacturing and distribution of NHS. Natas' art background led him to focus Designarium on artists rather than pro skaters. He has commissioned artists to interpret his original Santa Monica Airlines Panther graphic into their own vision. Each board is produced in limited edition runs. Currently Natas Kaupas still skates and surfs having left an indelible impact on the world of skateboarding.
[edit] References
101: History of street skating video, 2006
