Hawaiian Extreme Sports Feature: Thumper Nagasako
Hawaiian Extreme Sports Feature: Thumper Nagasako
The story behind Maui's Thumper Nagasako and his career as a professional inline skater.
(Produced in 2010)
Thumper Nagasako has made the leap from his solitary practice on an island in the Pacific to competing on the World stage such as the X-Games, Gravity Games and the World Championships.
His passion has taken him all over the US and all the way to Germany, England, Russia and Barcelona.
His rookie year he finished the year ranked #4th in the World and the #1 American.
He also was also the top American at the last X-Games, European Challenge in Russia and the Kings of Warriors in Barcelona. He’s been on NBC, ABC, FS SPORT, ODN, ESPN, ESPN2 and other major networks. Thumper is the only inline skater from Hawaii to turn pro.
Since he was 11 years old he wanted to become pro and once he started he never looked back. His career has been a rollercoaster ride. He has had many injuries, surgeries, lots of traveling and many difficulties with training on Maui in isolation from other pros.
In 2008 he moved from Hawaii to the world famous action sports training camp Woodward in Pennsylvania to further pursue his career. For over the past 4 years Thumper has been training there pursuing his passion.
In late 2012 he moved back home to Maui, Hawaii.