Phenomenal achievements and a lasting imprint on their sport. That's what's in store for the extreme sports athletes we're introducing you to today.
While extreme sports continue their rise, with the appearance of certain disciplines at the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer, let's zoom in on a few key athletes. They've left their mark for a long time to come, so the next time we tell you about Tony Hawk's 900 or Kelly Slater's 11 titles, you'll know who we're talking about.
Kelly Slater, a surfing figure for decades
When you think of surfing and extreme sports, the image of the "King" immediately springs to mind. And with good reason. The 49-year-old American holds 11 world championship titles (including the record for the youngest and oldest male champion) and no fewer than 55 World Tour rounds won. In 2019, at the age of 47, Slater also won his third "Vans Triple Crown", a major competition in the surfing world. Although he's no longer in the running for another world title, the young Floridian is putting up a good fight. He first entered the WCT in 1989 (yes, you read that right).
Notoriously, Slater owns a wave pool in Lemoore, California, which now serves as a round of the world championship, the Surf Ranch Pro.
Tony Hawk, father of the 900
10 X Games gold medals - that's the number to remember for Tony Hawk. At 53, he is the father of some fifty skateboard tricks, mainly on ramps. At the 1999 X Games, Tony Hawk was the first skater in history to perform a 900 (two and a half turns in the air). For the past 20 years, his name has been associated with a series of video games, selling over 30 million copies. A man with a heart, the Californian created the "Skatepark Project": 10 million euros were used to create 600 skateparks around the world, for populations ill-equipped to practice the sport.
Kilian Jornet, the "ultraterrestrial
At the age of 33, Kilian Jornet has already made a name for himself. Ski-mountaineering, mountaineering, ultra-trail, mountain running: the Spaniard is a jack-of-all-trades and, above all, an outstanding athlete. He holds several world records, including the ascent of Mont Blanc, Denali and the Matterhorn. Eight times world ski-mountaineering champion, four times winner of the Skyrunner World Series, no competition seems to stand up to him. Not even the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (three victories) or the Grand Raid de La Réunion, which he has already won. An exceptional record of achievement that has earned him the nicknames "extraterrestre" or even "ultraterrestrial". And the title of Adventurer of the Year awarded to him by National Geographic magazine in 2014 and 2018.
Rachel Atherton, monster on a DH bike
Let's hear it for the ladies, with downhill racer Rachel Atherton. Five World Champion titles and six World Cups to her credit (with 39 rounds won). In 2016, she broke Anne-Caroline Chausson's record of 10 consecutive World Cup runs won by a woman. That season, she won every stage. The Englishwoman is now associated with her brothers Dan and Gee, also professional mountain bikers, at Atherton Bikes. They are now manufacturing their own brand, in their own name of course. A family affair!
Candide Thovex, the Frenchy king of freeride
We're delighted to include a Frenchman in our selection. Annecy-born Candide Thovex is a major figure in extreme sports. A specialist in freeride and freestyle skiing, he has won six X Games gold medals and one silver. He first came to prominence with a 36-meter jump over a 12-meter ravine in Alta, USA. Since then, the rider's videos have attracted millions of Internet users, like One of those days below.