Eric Koston

Koston performing the Fandangle.

Eric Koston (born April 29, 1975 in Bangkok, Thailand) is an American professional skateboarder. His family moved from Bangkok to California when he was 9 months old and he settled in San Bernardino when his parents divorced. He began skateboarding at the age of 11, when his older brother handed him an old Mark Gonzales board with mismatched trucks. He picked up skateboarding quickly and eventually dropped out of school in the 10th grade to become a full time professional skateboarder.

Koston turned professional in 1991 when he joined the H-Street team. He went to live in the H-Street house in San Diego for six months. In 1992 Koston moved to Los Angeles when Natas Kaupas got him into the 101 team. On 101 he established himself as a leading switchstance skateboarderâ€"pioneering such technical tricks as the nollie flip noseslide and the switch kickflip backside tailside and also taking a switch 360 flip down the Embarcadero 7 during his part in 101's 1993 video Falling Down.

While many people believe either Koston or Karl Watson to be the inventor of the "crooked" grind, (nicknamed the K-grind after either Karl or Eric K), it was in fact Dan Peterka who invented this trick. Since the name Peterka is somewhat difficult to pronounce, and Koston was seen doing front-foot flips out of the grind a short time after its conception, the grind was renamed "k(oston)-grind" after his mastery of the trick. It was later changed to crooked grind as Koston was too modest to hold a title on a grind that he in fact did not invent.

In 1993 Rick Howard and Mike Carroll started Girl and asked Koston to join the team. He accepted and quickly became one of Girl's most influential skaters. Koston is also known for creating his own trick, the Fandangle, a one-footed nose grind, which quickly found itself in magazines and in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. However, Koston admits the trick was the result of quick photography and a bailed trick on his part - as he was trying to avoid injury from a failed grind, Koston leaped off of his board, giving the appearance that he was in fact grinding with one foot. While with Girl, Koston was named the "Skater of the Year" by Thrasher Magazine in 1996.

Along with his highly successful skateboarding career, Koston has branched out into the world of business, and is one of the owners of a clothing company called Fourstar. While a member of the éS Footwear shoe team, Koston proposed that before his contract ran out in 2007, he become a part owner of the company he had worked with for so long. When his proposition was surprisingly rejected, he decided to part ways with éS. After months of rumors and speculation, he decided to sign with the Lakai shoe team, joining friend Mike Carroll. Koston is scheduled to release his new shoe during the 2006 holiday season.

He's currently sponsored by Girl skateboards, Lakai footwear, Ogio bags, FourStar clothing, Independent trucks, Spitfire wheels and Active Mail Order

Contest history

*1st in 2003 X Games: street
* 1st in 2003 X Games: Global Championship
* 1st in 2003 Gravity Games
* 1st in 2002 X Games: street
* 1st in 2002 Gravity Games: street
* 1st in 2002 Tampa Pro
* 1st in 2002 X Games: street
* 1st in 2001 Gravity Games: street
* 1st in 2001 Slam City Jam: street
* 1st in 2000 Gravity Games: street
* 1st in 1996 Tampa Pro
* 1st in 1995 PSL: street