Despite humble beginnings in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Luan Oliviera began to turn heads shortly after he picked up a skateboard at age nine. After winning the Tampa Am back-to-back in 2008 and 2009 it was clear he has almost telepathic control over his deck. He can seemingly will his board back under his feet after mind-blowing combinations like the half-Cab heelflip noseslide bigger heelflip out that punctuated his ender in the 2015 Push series. During his pro career, he has continued to prove he’s a formidable contest skater, winning the Tampa Pro in 2013 and 2015, and standing on X Games and Street League podiums. But for Luan, the glory and contest prizes are not why he skateboards. He skates for himself, for the joy of getting to roll with his friends every day, because skateboarding is his life. As he was quoted in a Rolling Stone interview, “Without skateboarding, I would be dead.”