John Cardiel

Links

Hometown: Half Moon Bay, California, USA Stance: Goofy -Turned Pro for Dogtown in 1990 -1992 Skater of the Year, Thrasher Magazine -2015 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Inductee John Cardiel, born December 14, 1973, in San Jose, California, is one of skateboarding's most revered and enduring legends. Growing up in Half Moon Bay and later in Grass Valley, Cardiel's skateboarding journey began at a young age when he was captivated by the sight of older skaters at a local store. His early years saw him skate pools and hills, where he developed a unique style and quickly mastered tricks like the 180 ollie, even before fully understanding their significance in skateboarding (Tershay, 2025). Cardiel's rise to fame came in the 1990s when he earned widespread recognition in the skateboarding community. After a standout performance at the Boreal Mountain contest in 1990, he caught the attention of Dogtown's Jim Muir, who released his debut part in *DTS, The Video* (Tershay, 2025). He became an integral part of Dogtown, Spitfire, and Venture Trucks before joining Black Label and co-founding Anti-Hero Skateboards in 1995 alongside Julien Stranger. His passion, intensity, and commitment to pushing boundaries earned him the coveted "Thrasher Skater of the Year" award in 1992 and solidified his status as a top-tier pro skater (Eisenhour, 2018). However, Cardiel's career faced a major setback in 2004 when he suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a skateboarding tour in Australia. Initially told he would never walk again, Cardiel defied the odds through relentless determination and physical therapy, making a remarkable recovery that allowed him not only to walk but to return to skateboarding and pursue new passions, such as fixed-gear cycling (Eisenhour, 2018). Cardiel's influence extends beyond his technical prowess. He remains a core member of Anti-Hero, still skating for them, along with Vans, Spitfire, and Independent. In addition, he owns "Break Free Customs", a business that creates custom bikes and skateboards. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of skaters, demonstrating the power of resilience and passion (Tershay, 2025).
Videos
video magazine (72 min)
Geoff Rowley, Caine Gayle, Eric Koston, Ethan Fowler, Jeremy Wray, Mark Gonzales ("Gonz"), Matt Beach, Mike Carroll, Pat Duffy, Rick Howard,
Added: Unknown
video magazine (55 min)
Caine Gayle, Donny Barley, Eric Koston, Ethan Fowler, Jeremy Wray, Jon Comer, Matt Beach, Mike Carroll, Pat Duffy, Rick Howard,
Added: Unknown
Chomp On This (2002)
independent (59 min)
Arto Saari, Mark Appleyard, Ali Boulala, Geoff Rowley, Adrian Lopez, Alex Moul, Brandon Biebel, Cairo Foster, Diego Bucchieri ("The Butcher"), Eric Koston,
Added: Unknown
magazine (45 min)
Arto Saari, Ali Boulala, Geoff Rowley, Brandon Biebel, Caine Gayle, Chad Bartie, Daewon Song, Danny Garcia, Donny Barley, Eric Koston,
Added: Unknown
Added: Unknown
magazine (48 min)
Ethan Fowler, Jake Rupp, Josh Kalis, Keith Hufnagel ("Huf"), Max Schaaf, Rob Dyrdek, Scott Johnston, Chris Senn, Dan Drehobl, Danny Way,
Added: Unknown
Added: Unknown
magazine (47 min)
Geoff Rowley, Alex Chalmers, Eric Koston, Josh Kalis, Keith Hufnagel ("Huf"), Max Schaaf, Mike Carroll, Rick Howard, Ronnie Creager, Willy Santos,
Added: Unknown
magazine (42 min)
Cairo Foster, Daewon Song, Forrest Kirby, Josh Kalis, Mark Gonzales ("Gonz"), Max Schaaf, Ronnie Creager, Chad Muska, Chris Senn, Dan Drehobl,
Added: Unknown
video magazine (56 min)
Daewon Song, Eric Koston, Ethan Fowler, Gino Iannucci, Heath Kirchart, Jeremy Wray, Jon Comer, Keith Hufnagel ("Huf"), Max Schaaf, Mike Carroll,
Added: Unknown
full-length (57 min)
Arto Saari, Don Nguyen ("Nuge"), Eric Koston, Erik Ellington, Gino Iannucci, Heath Kirchart, Jerry Hsu, Kenny Anderson, Kevin Long ("Spanky"), Lizard King (Mike Plumb),
Added: Monday, November 16, 2015
video magazine (42 min)
Alex Chalmers, Javier Sarmiento, Kenny Anderson, Bastien Salabanzi, Dan Drehobl, JB Gillet, Chany Jeanguenin, Luy-Pa Sin, Vaughan Baker, Sven Kilchenmann,
Added: Monday, November 20, 2023