Eric Koston

Eric Koston
Koston busting out a Fandangle.
Personal information
Ethnicity Thai-American
Born (1975-04-29) April 29, 1975
Bangkok, Thailand
Residence Los Feliz, California, U.S
Height 6 ft (1.8 m)
Weight 160 lb (73 kg)
Spouse(s)
Ashlee Gaston-Koston (m. 2012)
Website www.theberrics.com
Sport
Country  United States
Sport Skateboarding

Eric Koston (born April 29, 1975) is an American professional skateboarder and company owner.[1][2] He has been featured in the Tony Hawk's video game series, and the Electronic Arts (EA) video games Skate 2[3] and Skate 3.[4] Koston co-owns both Fourstar Clothing (with Guy Mariano)[2] and the skatepark/website "The Berrics" (with professional skateboarder Steve Berra).[5][6]

Early life

Eric Koston was born in Thailand, in the same hospital as fellow professional skateboarder Alphonzo Rawls (a shoe designer as of 2011).[7][8] Koston was raised in San Bernardino, California, United States (U.S.) and began skating in 1986.[9]

Professional skateboarding

One of Koston's first board sponsors was the H-Street company that was co-founded by Tony Magnusson and Mike Ternasky.[10] During Koston's time with the company the team included Danny Way and Matt Hensley, but Koston sought a larger entity and later parted ways with the company.[11] Following H-Street, in 1992, Koston joined 101 (a legendary division of World Industries headed by Natas Kaupas) and in 1994 the Girl team and appeared in the videos Goldfish, Mouse, Yeah Right, and Pretty Sweet.[12]

Koston was a leading team rider for the éS brand and an "Eric Koston éS Game of Skate" was held annually over numerous years.[13][14][15] Koston also appeared in the éS video Menikmati in which he returns to his birthplace of Bangkok.[16]

Following his departure from éS, Koston joined the Lakai roster and a video was published onto YouTube to announce the move. After joining the company in 2006, Koston filmed a part for the 2007 Lakai video Fully Flared. Koston's eventual departure for a place on the Nike SB team was accompanied by a YouTube video that parodied the George W. Bush shoe-throwing incident.[17]

Nike SB immediately promoted Koston's recruitment to the brand's team with a signature shoe—the "Eric Koston 1" model[18]—and a contest for consumers, entitled "Mr. Control It All".[19]

A promotional campaign, identified by the hashtag "#thelegendgrows", was launched by Nike to coincide with release of Koston's second signature shoe model the "Eric Koston 2". An advertisement that included other Nike athletes, such as Tiger Woods, and Koston's Nike SB teammates was filmed[20] and a behind-the-scenes video was also published on the brand's YouTube channel.[21] Koston used the Eric Koston 2 design as a basis for a limited edition golf shoe, named the "Koston 2 IT", and a corresponding launch was held in London, UK at the 1948 Stadium store in Shoreditch.[22] During the promotional campaign for the Eric Koston 2, Koston explained his overall experience working with Nike in comparison to the core skateboarding companies he has been sponsored by in the past:

Oh it’s…it’s crazy. It’s completely different, I hate to say it, but it’s so much better because of what…not only in the design aspect and the resources…cos I’ve copied so many Nike shoes, you know, I tried to mimic them as close as possible and using the best those companies, éS and Lakai could do. But we couldn’t totally execute it…it was getting as good as I could get it, but it wasn’t quite there. But with Nike, I get to use all those bits and pieces that I’ve always wanted to use, and I have access to a lot of great technology and a lot of, basically cutting-edge shit, that like, it’s cool, you know. And I can really, truly, feel like I can innovate. So there’s that, but not only that, they actually function; I guess from start to finish, even the marketing side of things it’s above and beyond, it’s crazy.[23]

In 2016, Nike and Koston would release the "Nike SB Koston 3 Hyperfeel", taking inspiration from Nike's soccer line. This shoe would be one of the first skateboarding shoes to incorporate an ankle collar made of Flyknit material to provide support and stability.[24] Upon the shoe's release, Koston claimed it to be "the most progressive SB [Nike Skateboarding] shoe to date".[25]

As a sponsored rider for the Oakley sunglasses brand, Koston completed the "Fear and Loathing in Australia" video project that was filmed in early 2013. Accompanied by teammates, Rune Glifberg, Ryan Sheckler, and Curren Caples, Koston appears in a video that was published on June 5, 2013[26] and photographs that were shot by professional skateboarder Arto Saari. Koston revealed the injuries that he has sustained throughout his career on the micro-site for the project: "Nothing major. Few bad ankle sprains, dislocated finger, stitches and tendonitis in the knee. #minor."[27]

Sponsors

As of September 2018, Koston is sponsored by the following companies: Nike SB,Numbers , Independent Truck Company,[28] Spitfire Wheels,[29] Fourstar,[2] Diamond, Supreme, The Berrics, Oakley,[30] Jessup,[31] and Skullcandy.[5] On Friday, February 20, 2015, he did a promotional spot on his Instagram account for the McDonald's Corporation, making him among the first popular professional skateboarders to advertise for the mega-chain.[32]

Setup

In a 2009 video segment, Koston stated that his setup consisted of a Girl skateboard deck (8 and one-eighth-inch wide), Independent 139 trucks (high), 50 millimetres (2.0 in) Spitfire wheels, Bones Swiss bearings, and Bones yellow bushings (medium).[33] Koston does not reveal the type of hardware or griptape that he used at the time, but, as of August 2012, he is sponsored by Diamond (hardware) and Jessup (griptape).[34]

Departure from Girl Skateboards

On November 19, 2015, Girl Skateboards made the announcement that Koston, along with professional skateboarder Guy Mariano, would no longer ride for the company. The news was announced through Girl's Instagram page, captioned "Thanks for the memories." Both skaters were original team members of Girl, riding for the company for 22 years. On January 8, 2016 a picture was posted to Skate Mental's instagram page of Koston's name on a deck.[35] The picture was quickly deleted. Koston has stated in an interview that he will be riding Skate Mental and WKND boards while he and Guy Mariano work on their unnamed company. In December 2016 He announced the formation of Numbers Skateboards, a company with no apparent identity, but an incredibly talented team of top names and new talent [36]

Entrepreneur

Koston is the owner of Numbers edition skateboards along with his friend Guy Mariano.[36] Along with friend and professional skateboarder Mariano, Koston cofounded the Fourstar clothing brand in 1996: "The year was 1996, Guy Mariano and I had no clothing sponsors, and at that point in our lives we had purchased enough Polo, Hilfiger and Nautica gear to think, hey, maybe we should start a clothing company." As of July 2013, Fourstar sponsors a team of thirteen skateboarders and has released four videos.[2][37] Koston was also a part-owner of the Lakai shoe brand that, like Fourstar, is distributed by Crailtap.[23]

The Berrics is a privately owned, indoor skatepark owned by Koston and Steven Berra. It is also a website that features content filmed in the skatepark, as well other skateboard-related media. The facility's name is a portmanteau of the owners' names (the "Ber" of Berra's surname and the "ric" of Koston's first name).[38]

Founded by professional Australian surfer Josh Kerr and professional US skateboarders Mikey Taylor and Paul Rodriguez, the Saint Archer Brewing Co. is a microbrewery that is co-owned by the brand's "Ambassadors," including Koston.[39] The team of Ambassadors includes professional skateboarders Sean Malto, Brian "Slash" Hansen, and Bryan Herman; professional and non-professional surfers Taylor Knox, Dusty Payne, Laura Enever, and Jeff Johnson; former professional snowboarder Todd Richards; photographer Atiba Jefferson; and surfboard shaper Chris Christenson.[40]

Influence

Koston has been described as the "Michael Jordan of skateboarding" by teammate and professional skateboarder Brandon Biebel.[41] Paul Rodriguez has identified Koston as the person that he would most like to model his career after[42] and explained Koston's significance in a July 2013 interview: "This guy to me is the end all, be all. You got to understand, this guy, he's my 100% role model in life. I studied everything he's ever done. You know, I love this guy, he's my favorite skater—period."[43] Rodriguez also stated that his all-time favorite video parts are those of Koston.[44]

Video games

Contest results

Event 1996 1997 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Summer X Games 1, "park"1st
Summer X Games 2, "park"3rd
Summer X Games 5, "park" 1st
Summer X Games 6, "street"1st
Summer X Games 6, "park"1st
Summer X Games 6, "best trick"1st
Melbourne Global World Cup, "street"1st
Vancouver Slam City Jam, "street"1st
Cleveland Gravity Games, "street"1st
Summer X Games 7, "park"1st
Vancouver Slam City Jam/VTC#1, "street"1st
Boost Mobile Vegas Pro Invitational, "street"1st
Cleveland Gravity Games, "street"4th
X Games 8 Global, "park"1st
Summer X Games 8, "street"1st
Summer X Games 8, "park"1st
Summer X Games 8, "best trick"1st
Goofy VS Regular, "street"2nd
X Games 9, "street"1st
World Cup Season Ender, "street"1st
Dew Tour Season Ender, "street"1st
Dew Action Sports Tour, "park"1st
Van's Downtown Showdown, "stair set"1st
Van's Downtown Showdown, "bank to bank"1st
West 49 Canadian Open, "street"1st
West 49 Canadian Open, "rail"1st
Dew Tour, "park"1st
X Games 11, "street"1st
Tampa Pro, "street"1st
X Games 12, "street"5th
Event 1996 1997 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Filmography

Television

Videography

  • Union: Right To Skate (1992)
  • 101: WWII Report (1992)
  • H-Street: Next Generation (1992)
  • Girl: Goldfish (1993)
  • 101: Falling Down (1993)
  • 411VM: Issue 2 (1993)
  • 411VM: Issue 3 (1993)
  • 411VM: Best Of 411, Volume 1 (1994)
  • Etnies: High 5 (1995)
  • Transworld: Uno (1996)
  • Girl: Mouse (1996)
  • Eastern Exposure: Zero (1996)
  • Duck Cinema (1997)
  • Chocolate: The Chocolate Tour (1999)
  • 411VM - Brazilian Vacation (1999)
  • 411VM - The First Step (1999)
  • éS: Menikmati (2000)
  • Big Brother: Crap (2001)
  • Tony Hawk's Gigantic Skatepark Tour (2001)
  • OP King of Skate (2002)
  • Transworld: Chomp on This (2002)
  • 411VM - Vancouver 2002 (2002)
  • éS: Germany Tour 2002 (2002)
  • Thrasher: King Of The Road 2003 (2003)
  • Girl: Yeah Right! (2003)
  • Closure (2003)
  • 411VM: Issue 60 (2003)
  • Thrasher: S.O.T.Y. Video (2003)
  • éS: Europe Tour 2003 (2003)
  • Girl: Harsh Euro Barge (2003)
  • Thrasher: King Of The Road 2004 (2004)
  • Fourstar: Catalog Shoot (2005)
  • Fourstar: Super Champion Funzone (2005)
  • Girl: What Tour? (2005)
  • Globe: The Global Assault (2006)
  • Girl: Yes We CANada (2006)
  • Chocolate: Hittin' Britain & Oui Will Rock You (2006)
  • Lakai: Fully Flared (2007)
  • The Berrics: Battle Commander (2007)
  • Girl/Chocolate: Badass Meets Dumbass (2007)
  • Fourstar: A Tribe Called Mapquest (2008)
  • Lakai: The Final Flare! (2008)
  • Girl/Anti Hero: Beauty and The Beast (2008)
  • Girl: Yanks On Planks (2008)
  • Girl/Anti Hero: Beauty and The Beast 2 (2009)
  • Nike SB: Don't Fear The Sweeper (2010)
  • Thrasher: King Of The Road 2010 (2010)
  • Girl/Chocolate: Der Bratwurst Tour Ever (2010)
  • Girl/Anti Hero: Beauty and The Beast 3 (2010)
  • Girl: Outbackwards (2010)
  • Thrasher: King Of The Road 2011 (2011)
  • Girl: Unbeleafable (2011)
  • Girl/Chocolate: Pretty Sweet (2012)
  • Supreme: cherry (2014)
  • Nike SB: "Chronicles 3" (2016)[12]

References

  1. ↑ Daryl Angel (23 November 2010). "Classics: Eric Koston Menikmati 2000" (Video upload). Thrasher Magazine. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Eric Koston; Guy Mariano (2012). "About". Fourstar Clothing. Fourstar Clothing. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 "EA Skate 2 - Koston". Tackyworld. Tacky Products AS. 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 Blair Alley (10 May 2010). "EA SKATE 3 INTRO TRAILER" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 Kelli Hargrove (4 April 2012). "SKULLCANDY PARTNERS WITH THE BERRICS". Transworld Business. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  6. ↑ airborneforever16 (30 March 2009). "DVS Inside The Berrics Part 2" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Patrick O'Dell (July 2012). "ERIC KOSTON – PART 1 EPICLY LATER'D". Vice. Vice Media Inc. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Footnotes Alphonzo Rawls". The Berrics. The Berrics. 29 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  9. ↑ Cave, Steve (2013). "Eric Koston Profile". skateboard.about.com. Steve Cave. Retrieved 2015. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ↑ Ride Channel (16 August 2012). "Tony Magnusson Loses Fingers, H-Street, Plan B and More on Free Lunch" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  11. ↑ YouTube. Perf. Eric Koston. YouTube. YouTube, 16 Sept. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Eric Koston skate videos". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  13. ↑ skateboardermag (28 September 2005). "KOSTON'S GAME OF S.K.A.T.E." Skateboarder Magazine. GrindMedia, LLC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  14. ↑ Chris Custer (26 April 2006). "P.J. Ladd vs. Eric Koston {eS Game Of Skate}" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  15. ↑ REELcompdotcom (15 March 2008). "ES Game of Skate-C. Cole vs. Nyjah Huston vs.Mike-Mo Capaldi" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  16. ↑ bloodyfrenchfred (13 October 2011). "ÉS MENIKMATI ERIC KOSTON (HQ)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  17. ↑ pat sison (13 April 2009). "Koston Leaves Lakai" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  18. ↑ Jack Lowe (May 2011). "Nike SB Eric Koston & Lunarlon Video". HUH. HUH. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  19. ↑ nikeskateboarding (23 March 2012). "Nike SB: Eric Koston - Mr. Control It All" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  20. ↑ nikeskateboarding (22 March 2013). "Nike SB Eric Koston 2 -- The Legend Grows" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  21. ↑ nikeskateboarding (22 March 2013). "Nike SB Eric Koston 2 -- The Legend Grows (Behind The Scenes)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  22. ↑ nikeskateboarding (27 April 2013). "Nike Skateboarding: Koston 2 IT Launch at 1948 London" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  23. 1 2 Vinny Tang (March 2013). "INTERVIEW: ERIC KOSTON & SEAN CARBOY ERIC KOSTON AND NIKE SB DESIGNER, SEAN CARBOY, BREAK DOWN THE NEW NIKE SB KOSTON II". Acclaim. ACCLAIM Pty Ltd. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Nike Page". www.nike.com. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  25. ↑ chrisdanforth (2017-01-31). "Eric Koston Nike SB Hyperfeel 3 Interview". Highsnobiety. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  26. ↑ oakley (5 June 2013). "Fear and Loathing in Australia -- Oakley Skate in Oz" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  27. ↑ "One Icon: Fear & Loathing in Australia". Oakley. Oakley, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  28. ↑ Christian Senrud (3 August 2012). "FALL 2012 INDEPENDENT TRUCKS CATALOG". Skateboarder Magazine. GrindMedia, LLC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  29. ↑ Spitfire Wheels (21 May 2012). "Eric Koston Spitfire Ltd Ed. F1 Purple Ball" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  30. ↑ "Team – Eric Koston". Oakley. Oakley, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Eric Koston". Jessup Griptape. Jessup Griptape. 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  32. ↑ Koston, Eric, I. "Instagram Account". Instagram. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  33. ↑ ripzinger (15 July 2009). "koston's set up" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  34. ↑ "Eric Koston Skater Profile". SPoT Skate Shop. Skatepark of Tampa. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  35. ↑ Lucas Wisenthal (9 January 2016). "Skate Mental Posted a Shot of a Board With Eric Koston's Name on It". The Ride Channel. The Ride Channel. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  36. 1 2 https://skateboarding.transworld.net/videos/numbers-koston-guys-company-announced/
  37. ↑ "Fourstar Clothing skate. Four star went out of business shortly before Mariano and Koston left to found Numbers edition videos". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  38. ↑ Chris Nieratko (18 March 2009). "Enter The Berrics". ESPN Action Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  39. ↑ Templeton Elliot (29 July 2013). "Mikey Taylor For Saint Archer". The Skateboard Mag. Strictly Skateboarding. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  40. ↑ "Our Crew". Saint Archers Brewery. Saint Archers Brewery. 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  41. ↑ RIDEChannel (12 September 2012). "Brandon Biebel on Eric Koston, His Medicine, Girl Skateboards and More on Free Lunch (Part 2 of 2)". YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  42. ↑ Blair Alley (20 December 2011). "The 30 Most Influential Skaters Of All Time". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  43. ↑ Network A (9 July 2013). "Pro Skateboarder Paul Rodriguez—The Way Up, presented by Target" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  44. ↑ "Skate On Film". ESPN Video. ESPN Internet Ventures. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  45. ↑ TiEmKej (25 November 2011). "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - Eric Koston" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  46. ↑ "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 – Credits". allgame. Rovi Corporation. 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  47. ↑ "Tony Hawk's Underground". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive Inc. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  48. ↑ "THUG 2 Featuring Eric Koston Coming Tomorrow!". éS. Sole Technology. 5 October 2004. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  49. ↑ RatingTheGames (18 July 2012). "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD "Eric Koston" Slow-Mo Trailer HD" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  50. ↑ Kyle Anderson (22 May 2013). "Super Rad! A Talk with Christian Jacobs About "The Aquabats! Super Show!"". Nerdist. Nerdist. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
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