900 (skateboarding)

The 900 is a 2½-revolution (900 degrees) aerial spin performed on a skateboard ramp. While airborne, the skateboarder makes two-and-a-half turns about their longitudinal axis, thereby facing down when coming down. It is considered one of skateboarding's most technically demanding tricks.

A number of opinions exist about pre-1999 900s. The most prominent of these is the argument that Danny Way landed the 900 in 1989, and it appears in an early Santa Cruz film. In 1999 Tony Hawk said:

Well, he was shown in a video almost 10 years ago. He was really close, but he didn't make it. He came the closest by far, but they cut the video before he fell. So it may have misled some people. There are only five people who have been able to spin completely and he's one of them. Tas Pappas and Rob Boyce also have spun it, but they haven't landed it. We've all been trying it and killing ourselves.

Tony Hawk, one of the most successful vertical pro skateboarders in the world, landed "The 900" at the 1999 X-Games after ten failed attempts. It was past regulation time but, as one announcer said, "We make up the rules as we go along. Let's give him another try." Other skaters protested, but Hawk continued. Hawk twice landed on his board, but it flew out from under him. When he finally completed the trick, his arms windmilled and his hand barely grazed the ramp. Nonetheless, he rode away. He was awarded 1st place in the "Best Trick" event despite going over the time limit. At a later X-Games, Hawk landed the trick again, this time during regulation time. In his book, the 900 was the last on the wishlist of tricks Hawk had written a decade earlier. Other tricks on the list included the ollie 540, kickflip 540, and varial 720. In a 1999 interview, Hawk said he does not have "any desire to spin further". He did, however, successfully land the trick during press interviews for the video game Tony Hawk: Ride and at the "Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up for Skate Parks" event. In 2011 Hawk was still able to land his famous 900 and posted a video of the trick via his Twitter account stating "I'm 43 and I did a 900 today." On June 27, 2016, Hawk successfully landed another 900 at age 48, 17 years to the day from when he completed his first at the X-Games, and indicated that it would likely be his last 900.

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