Another year means another Thrasher King of the Road! The 2018 edition was no exception to the most intense challenge in skateboarding history.
This year's competitors were skateboarders from Element, Real, and Foundation, and they truly delivered. As always, Thrasher editors Michael Burnett and Jake Phelps provided a wildly challenging book of tasks, pushing the teams to perform tricks from groundbreaking to absurd.
Thrasher arranged for some top-tier mystery guests, with Foundation welcoming Toy Machine’s pro rider Axel Cruysberghs, Real gaining Birdhouse pro and four-time King of the Road winner Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, and Element Skateboards including Deathwish pro and 2017 Skater of the Year Jamie Foy. Naturally, there were many other major figures in skateboarding throughout the journey, featuring industry icons like Louie Barletta, Jamie Thomas, and Bam Margera.
Highlights of the journey included Real’s tribute to the late Thrasher videographer and skateboarding icon P-Stone, Zion Wright’s incredible ‘Longest Kinked Rail’ challenge, the mid-trip dirt board race, and Kyle Walker’s massive 180 over a fence gap!
As is customary with King of the Road, some fortunate amateurs on the teams turned pro. The first this year was an emotional Zion Wright receiving his pro board for Real Skateboards right after completing several tough challenges, along with Element amateur Tyson Peterson being surprised at the very end of the tour with his own pro board!
At the conclusion of the journey, everyone reconvened for a few more last-minute challenges and the awards ceremony.
It came as no surprise that Element’s Evan Smith took the MVP award, having accumulated the most points of anyone on the trip. Foundation secured third place, Real claimed second, and Element emerged victorious, earning themselves $50,000 and a spot on the next Thrasher Mag cover!
You can watch all the King of the Road webisodes on YouTube, and you can browse Thrasher merchandise here!