Chris Cole (skateboarder)

Chris Cole (born March 10, 1982) is a professional skateboarder. As of September 2020, his sponsors are: Fallen Footwear, Monster Energy, Bones Bearings, Cult Crew, Thunder Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, Stance, Kershaw Knives, Grizzly Griptape, GoPro, Indian Motorcycles, cbdMD, Remind Insoles, and most recently Zero Skateboards in September 2020.

For other people named Chris Cole, see Chris Cole (disambiguation).
Chris Cole
Cole in Rotterdam (2011)
Personal information
Full nameJames Cole
Nickname(s)Cobra
Born (1982-03-10) March 10, 1982
Statesville, North Carolina, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight181 lb (82 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportSkateboarding
Event(s)Street skateboarding
Medal record
Representing  United States
Summer X Games
2006 Los Angeles Street
2007 Los Angeles Street
2007 Los Angeles Street Best Trick
2013 Munich Street League Skateboarding
2013 New Jersey Street League Skateboarding
2005 Los Angeles Street

Early life

Chris Cole was born in Statesville, North Carolina but moved to the Philadelphia area at a young age.[1] Cole grew up in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.[2]

Career

Cole gained attention following the completion of a number of difficult tricks: 360 flip, Switch Frontside flip and Backside 360 ollie down the staircase at Wallenberg High School in San Francisco, California. Backside 360 Kickflip down the Carlsbad gap in Carlsbad, California & Martin Place Amphitheatre in Sydney, Australia. But most notable a Backside flip, Switch Frontside flip and a Backside 360 ollie down the "Love Park" fountain in Philadelphia as seen in his Transworld In Bloom, and Fallen Ride the Sky Video Parts.[3][4]

Chris Cole signing autographs during the DC Riot Tour in the Netherlands.

Cole was formerly a member of the G-Spot Skate and Snow team, before being sponsored by Enjoi and Zero Skateboards.[5] Reflecting on the early stage of his career, Cole stated in a 2009 Thrasher interview:

I really like Enjoi. The brand is a breath of fresh air. I was on the East and detached from any team member so I was kind of a guy who rode the products, but not on the team. Especially ’cause they are a group of friends. I hung out with Marc Johnson a couple times. He was totally cool. I have always been a huge fan of his, so that was great.[6]

Cole's other past sponsors include World Industries, Axion Footwear, Tensor Trucks, Ezekiel clothing, Speed Demon Bearings, Enjoi, Circa Footwear, eS Footwear, Omit Apparel, but the most significant were Zero Skateboards and Fallen Footwear.[4][7][8]

In May 2013, following a bet between Cole and professional skateboarder Mike Mo Capaldi, Cole became a team rider for the Glassy brand—Capaldi and Cole, who are teammates on the DC Shoes team, agreed that Cole would join the Glassy team if he lost to Capaldi in any contest. The pair competed in the Battle at the Berrics 6 contest on May 18, 2013 with Capaldi being the winner;[9] however, as of July 9, 2014, an announcement had not been made regarding the new sponsorship arrangement and Cole does not appear on the brand's "Team" page.[10]

A segment on Tony Hawk's RIDE Channel, published on July 6, 2014, asked Cole—who was riding a blank, black-colored skateboard deck at the time—if he knew of any possibilities for his next skateboard deck sponsor and he indicated that he was not aware of any options at the time.[11] On June 27, 2014, Cole posted an announcement of his departure from Zero on the social media platform Instagram, without a corresponding reason; however, a reply from the Zero Instagram account thanked Cole for his "loyalty & dedication."[12] Prior to the release of a limited edition series of 666 "Chris Cole" skateboard decks—Cole confirmed that the decks were not related to any brand, including a potential one of his own—that he officially parted ways with zero on July 1, 2014, which is displayed on the decks in Roman numerals.[13]

Cole is perceived as an "ambassador" for skateboarding, representative of the generation that he is a member of, and he explained his perspective on the matter in an October 2014 interview:

When I started getting asked to talk about skateboarding in front of people, I found that my love for skateboarding wasn’t the same as everybody else’s. I have a skate rat mentality, much like the kids that are out there skating, and less like the older, more jaded people that get paid to do it. I love it so dearly, and I feel like the people that get paid to do it and represent it in the public eye, they should really love it too ... I also just wanna live a full life and it not to be all about just tricks at spots ... Who should represent this sport? Someone that dedicated their life to it and loves it.[13]

In May 2015, Chris became a member of Plan B Skateboards

In September 2020, Cole rejoined Zero Skateboards[14]

Company owner

Cole was a co-owner of Reign Skate Shop in Fairless Hills, PA, and a former shareholder of the Zero skateboard company.[15] Cole parted ways with Zero on June 27, 2014, after three years as a shareholder and 13 years as a team rider. Cole explained:

I have had so many amazing years on ZERO. I can’t explain to anyone how awesome these years have been. With a heavy heart, it is time for ZERO and I to part ways. My decision has absolutely nothing to do with the partnership with Dwindle. I believe that partnership will do great things. Hold tight to see what the future holds … Where we’re going, we don’t need roads …[12]

In an October 2014 interview, Cole clarified that he was a "silent shareholder" with Zero, meaning that "any of the shares that I [Cole] had were contingent upon the actual sale of Zero. And that never happened and it’s not gonna happen ... There was absolutely no payoff and I’m not a shareholder any longer."[13]

Cole was the founder of skateboard clothing company Omit Apparel. Started in 2011 and based out of Irvine, California, US, Omit Apparel ceased to be an operational company in late 2012 and Cole's sponsorship deal with DC Apparel was announced in April 2013.[16][17]

Cole is also an avid BMX rider and co-owns Cult, a BMX company that sponsors a team of riders.[18] Team members include Chase Dehart, Dakota Roche, and Chase Hawk.[19]

Awards and contest appearances

Cole was awarded Thrasher Magazine's "Skater of the Year" accolade in both 2005 and 2009 (a feat achieved by only Cole and Danny Way).[20] He has also received the "Reader's Choice" award from Transworld Skateboarding magazine.

Cole's team, Zero, won Thrasher Magazine's "King of the Road" contest three times consecutively and he won the gold medal at the X Games on two consecutive occasions.[21] Cole has also been victorious in other contests, including Back to the Berg and the DC Copenhagen Pro.[22] In late June 2013, Cole won the gold medal at the Street League Skateboarding contest at the Munich leg of the X Games.[23]

Cole came first place in the second round of Battle at the Berrics, the flatground competition run by The Berrics.[24]

Maloof Money Cup

Cole was victorious in the first three rounds of the Maloof Money Cup and, in the wake of his winning run, the event owners, the Maloof brothers, offered US$1 million to the first person who wins four Maloof Money Cup titles. As of July 9, 2014, a further announcement on the offer had not been made.[25]

Video games

Cole has appeared in the skateboarding video games: Skate, Skate 2, Skate 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5.[26]

Personal life

As of March 2016, Cole lives in San Marcos, California, US, with his ex-wife Christine, his son Wyatt and daughter Penelope.

Timeline
  • 2000: Attained professional status
  • 2002: Transworld's VideoRadio
  • 2002: Transworld's In Bloom
  • 2004: Cole and Zero team win Thrasher's King of The Road
  • 2004: 1st place in Street Best Trick, Tampa Pro contest (4th place in Street)
  • 2005: Gold medal in Street, Gravity Games
  • 2005: 16-page spread in The Skateboard Mag (June)
  • 2005: First signature shoe, "The Trooper" (Fallen)
  • 2005: Cole and Zero team win Thrasher's King of The Road
  • 2005: Final part in Zero video New Blood
  • 2005: Thrasher Magazine's "Skater Of The Year"
  • 2006: Cole and Zero team win Thrasher's King of The Road (three times consecutively)
  • 2006: 2nd place in és Game of Skate
  • 2006: Gold medal in Street, X Games
  • 2007: Gold medal in Street, X Games[21]
  • 2007: Winner of és Game of Skate
  • 2008: 3rd place in Maloof Money Cup
  • 2008: Cole and Team Regular won Etnies "Goofy vs Regular"
  • 2008: Winner of és Game of Skate
  • 2009: Winner of Back to the Berg
  • 2009: Winner of Maloof Money Cup (US$100,000 prize money)
  • 2009: Readers Choice Award from Transworld Skateboarding
  • 2009: Winner of Dew Tour
  • 2009: Battle Commander for TheBerrics.com
  • 2009: Winner of Battle at The Berrics 2
  • 2009: Thrasher Skater of the Year (Cole is the second person to win the award twice, after Danny Way)
  • 2010: Third signature shoe, "The Hi-Volt" (Fallen)
  • 2010: Cole joins the Monster Energy team
  • 2010: Winner of Maloof Money Cup in Queens, New York (US$100,000 prize money)[22]
  • 2010: Winner of Maloof Money Cup in Costa Mesa, California (US$100,000 prize money)
  • 2010: Winner of 14th Annual Johnny Romano Skate Jam for Make A Wish, Best Trick (US$2,000.00 prize money)
  • 2010: 2nd place in Street League Skateboarding, Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • 2010: Cole joins the Stance Team
  • 2011: Cole is announced as DC Shoes' new professional
  • 2011: Cole releases his inaugural DC shoe, the Chris Cole S
  • 2011: Cole starts Omit Apparel clothing label
  • 2011: 6th Place Street League Seattle
  • 2011: 1st Place Wonka Free Ride Street League Seattle
  • 2011: 2nd Place Street League Kansas City
  • 2011: 1st Place Wonka Free Ride Street League Kansas City
  • 2011: 3rd Place Street League Glendale
  • 2011: 1st Place Wonka Free Ride Street League Glendale
  • 2011: 3rd Place Street League Newark
  • 2011: 2nd Place Wonka Free Ride Street League Newark
  • 2012: 2nd Street League Glendale
  • 2012: 1st place Street League Glendale Chevy Overdrive
  • 2012: 1st in Copenhagen Pro contest
  • 2012: 2nd Street League Newark, New Jersey
  • 2013: 1st Street League Munich, Germany
  • 2013: 1st Street League Super Crown Championship
  • 2014: Cole leaves Zero and Mob Grip
  • 2015: Cole joins Plan B Skateboards
  • 2019: Cole leaves Plan B Skateboards
  • 2019: Cole joins Fallen Footwear
  • 2020: Returns to Zero Skateboards

References
  1. "The Nine Club With Chris Roberts - Episode 95" (Video upload). The Nine Club on YouTube. Google Inc. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  2. chriscobracole.com/biography
  3. Blair Alley (30 April 2010). "Black Fridays: Chris Cole & Wallenberg Uncut". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  4. the Messageboarders (22 April 2009). "Chris Cole Interview". Thrasher. BNQT Media Group. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  5. "Chris Cole Bio". EA Skate. Electronic Arts Inc. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  6. Messageboarders (22 April 2009). "Chris Cole Interview". Thrasher Skateboard Magazine. USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties High Speed Productions, Inc. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  7. Adam Salo (28 January 2011). "Chris Cole on DC Shoe Co". ESPN Action Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  8. Skyler Wilder (23 August 2010). "BEHIND THE SCENES AT CHRIS COLE'S REIGN SKATE SHOP". Transworld Business. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  9. "CHRIS COLE vs MIKEMO CAPALDI". The Berrics. The Berrics. 18 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  10. "Team". Glassy Sunhaters. Glassy Sunhaters. 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  11. "Behind the Scenes at Street League Chicago with Chris Cole, Andrew Reynolds, and More!" (Video upload). RIDE Channel on YouTube. Google Inc. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  12. Zac (28 June 2014). "Chris Cole Leaves Zero Skateboards". Caught In The Crossfire. Division Media. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  13. Ian Michna (28 October 2014). "BREAKING UP WITH ZERO AND CHRIS COLE'S NEXT MOVE". Jenkem. Jenkem. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  14. https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7iwmtjmfS/
  15. michaelgoodwin (25 January 2011). "Chris Cole Now a Shareholder of Zero Skateboards SKATEBOARDS". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  16. Kevin Duffel (24 June 2011). "NEWSHIT INTERVIEW: CHRIS COLE DISCUSSES OMIT". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  17. "DC Welcomes Chris cole to Apparel Team". DC. DC Shoes, Inc. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  18. RIDEChannel (8 February 2012). "Chris Cole's best advice, Cult BMX, and a stupid story - Free Lunch (Part 2 of 2)". YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  19. "Crew". Cult Crew. www.cultcrew.com. 2009–2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  20. Shelley Lee Jones (7 December 2009). "Chris Cole Skater Of The Year". Huck. The Church of London. Archived from the original on 29 August 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  21. Singleton, K. J. M. (2007-08-03). "Cole wins another skateboard gold". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  22. Salo, Adam (2010-06-21). "Maloof Money Cup NYC finals". ESPN. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  23. TWS (30 June 2013). "Chris Cole Wins Street League at X Games Munich". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  24. "Chris Cole wins Battle of the Berrics 2". Allisports. Alli, Alliance of Action Sports, LLC. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  25. Bernie Wilson (17 May 2011). "Skateboarder Cole to get shot at $1 million bonus". UT San Diego. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  26. "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD - Chris Cole Slow-MoTrailer". Gamespot. CBS Interactive Inc. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
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