Tony Hawk's First 900: The Moment That Changed Skateboarding Forever

The Greatest Trick in Skateboarding History

On June 27, 1999, Tony Hawk did something no human had ever done on a skateboard: he landed the 900 — two and a half full rotations in the air — live on national television at the X Games in San Francisco, CA. It wasn't just a trick. It was a turning point for an entire sport and culture.

What made it even more extraordinary? The competition had officially ended. Tony kept going anyway. Attempt after attempt, fall after fall, the crowd and his fellow skaters rallied around him in a moment of pure camaraderie that the world had never seen from skateboarding before. When he finally landed it, millions of viewers witnessed firsthand what skateboarding is really made of: passion, determination, and an unbreakable will to push beyond what's possible.

The Perfect Storm

Shortly after that historic night, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was released — and a whole new generation of skateboarders was born. The 900. The video game. The cultural moment. It truly was "the perfect storm."

In this Storied original, host Torey Pudwill takes us back to that night, while legendary skate figures break down the moment and its lasting impact on skateboarding culture:

• Rodney Mullen
• Jamie Thomas
• Bob Burnquist
• Colin McKay
• Andy Macdonald
• Bucky Lasek

Watch: Tony Hawk's 900 — The Perfect Storm

This is the story of the night skateboarding changed forever. And it's a story worth watching more than once.