Tom Schaar, a 12-year-old boy from Malibu, California, crushed the dreams of famous and amateur skateboarders this week when he set a world record to become the first person to land a three-rotation 1080 move.
Tom Schaar, a six-grader, pulled off the maneuver consisting of three full rotations that has been unsuccessfully attempted by the sport’s best for years.
The boy who is less than 5 ft tall completed the difficult trick at the Woodward West action sports camp in Tehachapi, California.
Tom Schaar told ESPN.com: “It was the hardest trick I’ve ever done, but it was easier than I thought.”
The boy completed the move after trying five times.
Tom Schaar has skated throughout his short life.
He has completed a number of stunts with his skateboard, including a 720 maneuver.
But the 1080 move spun Tom Schaar into the record books – and dashed the hopes of well-known skaters who were pegged as being the first to be able to land the tough stunt.
Shaun White, defending X Games Skate Vert champion, was believed to become the first to achieve the move.
He won his first Winter Olympic snowboard gold medal in 2006.
There was also another youngster, 14-year-old Mitchie Brusco, who was viewed as the sure bet to do a 1080 when he tried it in Pennsylvania.
But instead the 80-lb Tom Schaar destroyed those possibilities.
Bob Burnquist, the 35-year-old defending X Games Big Air gold medalist, told ESPN that he hopes to learn from Tom Schaar in the future.
Bob Burnquist said: “Tom’s a little giant and a spinning machine.”
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