https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUzzAsN4ffw
VIA – DAILY MAIL
- Kubo, a married father, was pulled to shore by witnesses who saw him struggling in the water off the coast of Hawai’i Kai, Honolulu on Tuesday
- He could not be revived and was pronounced dead
- He had been an original member of the Zephyr surf shop’s Z-Boys, which was formed in Venice, California in 1975
- The team are credited with inspiring a new wave of skateboarders with their never-before-seen tricks
- They starred in a 2001 documentary, which was turned into a 2005 movie starring Heath Ledger and Emile Hirsh, ‘Lords of Dogtown’
By Daily Mail Reporter
Published: 16:31 EST, 25 June 2014 | Updated: 18:39 EST, 25 June 2014
Legendary skateboarder Shogo Kubo has died while paddle boarding by himself off the coast of Hawai’i Kai, Honolulu.
Kubo, 54, passed away on Tuesday after witnesses saw him struggling in the water in an area known as ‘Seconds’ off Portlock Point and people swam out to bring him to the shore, authorities said.
Emergency responders tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead on the beach, TMZ Sports reported. Authorities are not calling the death suspicious.
Kubo, a married father, was an original member of the Zephyr surf shop’s Z-Boys skateboarding team, which was formed in Venice, California in 1975.
Kubo and the rest of the Z-Boys team is credited with inspiring a new wave of skateboarders with their tricks, some of which had been taken from surfing
The team is credited with inspiring a new wave of skateboarders with their tricks, some of which had been taken from surfing, the Star Advertiser explained.
The group featured in the 2001 film ‘Dogtown and Z-Boys’, a documentary made by Stacy Peralta, who was in the original skateboarding team. Peralta won a best director nod at the Sundance Film Festival with the movie.
The documentary was later made into a 2005 Hollywood move, ‘Lords of Dogtown,’ which starred the late Heath Ledger. Kubo’s character was played by skateboarder Don Nguyen.
Jim Muir, the founder of Dogtown Skateboard, told TMZ Sports: ‘He was a friend and a brother and he passed away doing what he loved.’
As well as Muir, the other original members included Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Bob Biniak, Chris Cahill, Paul Constantineau, Peggy Oki, Stacy Peralta, Nathan Pratt, Wentzle Ruml IV and Allen Sarlo.
The team were known for skating in empty swimming pools.
‘All that I can say is that with reverence my heart is heavy in the loss of Shogo, a brother with a big heart,’ Oki told ESPN.
One of Z-Boys co-founder, Skip Engblom, said when he saw Kubo skate, he knew he wanted him on the team.
‘The guys just saw him around and said, “This guy’s unreal,” and he was in,’ Engblom said. “He had a really clean and efficient style, and I think he was really underrated.
‘Tony and Jay and Stacy got all the attention, because Shogo wasn’t one of those “look at me” guys. He just quietly went about his business of destroying every pool that he found.’
Star: A Hollywood movie that was released in 2005, Lords of Dogtown, told the story of the team’s humble beginnings in the 1970s. Professional skater, Don Nguyen (seen sitting in the pool right) played Kubo
Struggle: Kubo struggled in the water in an area known as ‘Seconds’ off Portlock Point in Hawai’i Kai
In an interview in 2002, Kubo explained: ‘We were aggressive and confident and stood out because we were so different, like beach bums.’
After news of his death, tributes and condolences flooded in for the skateboarder.
Engblom said: ‘I’m really trying to process the fact that he’s gone, because the last time I saw him he was so unbelievably healthy and active. I’m glad he went out doing something he loved doing.’
Younger skaters would think of him as a massive influence, curator of the Morro Bay Skatelab Skateboard Museum Jack Smith said.
In their own tribute, Quicksilver.com added that Kubo was known as the ‘layback master’ whose aerial and sliding skate moves were the basis for today’s aerial skateboading.
Kubo was an original member of the Zephyr surf shop’s Z-Boys skateboarding team, which was formed in Venice, California, in 1975
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