Tony Hawk Rides Hoverboard
Not a hoax this time
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Skateboard legend Tony Hawk visited Hendo Hoverboard for a ride on one of its prototypes, as detailed in a YouTube video posted by the Ride Channel skateboarding website.
This may bring up a feeling of déjà vu: Hawk participated in a hoverboard video for company called Huvr. That turned out to be a Funny or Die prank, and Hawk eventually apologized for misleading his fans.
This time it’s real. Hendo’s board uses battery-powered magnets to levitate an inch above a specially prepared surface. The hoverboard’s makers are currently raising money on Kickstarter to begin mass-producing the boards. So far, they’ve garnered $460,000, putting them on track to more than double their $250,000 goal. And while the effect is more air hockey table than Marty McFly, the board allowed Hawk to perform some impressive spins.
Read contributing editor Hampton Sides’ 2002 feature profile of Tony Hawk.