Leap Of Faith: Who Landed Safely And How?

The Leap of Faith is a skateboarding stunt performed by Jamie Thomas in 1997. It involved a 17-foot drop at a school in San Diego, California, and was featured in Zero Skateboards' video Thrill of It All. While Thomas did not land the trick perfectly, as his board snapped upon landing, he is considered the only person to have attempted the stunt without breaking any bones. The Leap of Faith is regarded as a significant moment in skateboarding history, with Thomas becoming an industry celebrity and inspiring other skaters to attempt similar dangerous stunts.

Jamie Thomas's 1997 stunt

In 1997, 22-year-old Jamie Thomas performed a legendary skateboarding stunt known as the "Leap of Faith". The stunt took place at Point Loma High School in San Diego, California, where Thomas dropped 17 feet down a set of stairs and landed on a handrail.

Thomas approached the handrail and executed an ollie melon, descending with grace and calmness. However, as he neared the ground, his feet were slightly too close to the middle of the board. This small error resulted in a magnified impact, causing his board to snap and his body to tumble. Despite the fall, Thomas maintained his composure and slid out of the frame with finesse.

The "Leap of Faith" was featured in the 1997 skateboard video "Thrill of It All" by Zero, Thomas's newly founded brand. This stunt propelled Thomas to industry celebrity status and solidified an era of street skating focused on big tricks. It also served as a publicity stunt for Zero, with photos of the jump emblazoned with the slogan "Jamie Thomas Rides for Zero".

The "Leap of Faith" has only been attempted a few times since, with other skaters trying to best Thomas's feat. Unfortunately, some of these attempts resulted in injuries, including a broken leg for Richard King. In 2005, the school installed an elevator at the site, ensuring that no one would attempt the dangerous leap again.

Richard King's attempt

Richard King attempted the Leap of Faith, a 17-foot drop at a schoolyard in San Diego, California, on a skateboard. King broke his leg during the attempt, plummeting to the concrete like a rock.

Footage of King's attempt is available online, and it shows him plummeting to the ground and breaking his leg. King's attempt took place after Jamie Thomas's attempt, which was featured in the skateboard company Zero's 1997 video "Thrill of It All." Thomas, a 22-year-old from Dothan, Alabama, became an industry celebrity overnight as a result of his attempt.

In 2005, an elevator was built at the site of the Leap of Faith, ensuring that no one would attempt the drop again. The spot now belongs solely to Jamie Thomas.

The spot's demolition

The Leap of Faith spot in San Diego, California, has been demolished. An elevator was built on the site in 2005, blocking access to the 17-foot drop that Jamie Thomas famously skated in 1997. Thomas's attempt, which ended with him falling and his board snapping, was the only instance of someone skateboarding the Leap of Faith. The spot now belongs solely to him.

The Leap of Faith was a handrail at Point Loma High School in San Diego. In 1997, Thomas, a 22-year-old skateboarder from Dothan, Alabama, performed an ollie melon over the handrail for Zero's video "Thrill of It All." Although he fell and his board broke on landing, Thomas walked away unharmed and made skateboarding history. His attempt inspired other skaters to try the Leap of Faith, with several people sustaining injuries, including Richard King, who broke his leg.

In 2005, an elevator was built at Point Loma High School, blocking access to the Leap of Faith. This ensured that no one would attempt the dangerous drop again. The spot became the sole domain of Thomas, who, in addition to his skateboarding career, went on to found the skateboard brand Zero.

The demolition of the Leap of Faith spot in San Diego did not deter other skateboarders from seeking out similar challenges. In Miami, Jace DeTomasso discovered a spot similar to the original Leap of Faith and successfully ollied it. This new spot sparked discussions about its size compared to the original and inspired skateboarders to continue pushing the boundaries of the sport.

Jace DeTomasso's Miami Leap of Faith

In 1997, skateboarder Jamie Thomas performed a stunt known as the "Leap of Faith" in San Diego, California. The stunt involved a 17-foot drop, which Thomas approached by performing an ollie melon. While Thomas did not land the trick cleanly, he managed to walk away without any serious injuries, making him the only person to attempt the Leap of Faith and escape unharmed.

In 2022, a skateboarder named Jace DeTomasso discovered a spot in Miami that resembled the Leap of Faith gap in San Diego. DeTomasso successfully ollied the gap, leading some to wonder if this new spot was bigger than the original Leap of Faith. DeTomasso's feat was captured in a YouTube video by Jenkem, who also measured the drop to compare it to the original Leap of Faith in San Diego.

The original Leap of Faith in San Diego has since been demolished, with an elevator built on the site to prevent future attempts. Despite this, it remains an iconic moment in skateboarding history, with Thomas' attempt considered a display of skill and a publicity stunt that helped launch his career and solidify his status as a legend in the sport.

The Miami Leap of Faith, as it has come to be known, showcases the continued evolution of skateboarding and the pursuit of bigger and better tricks. DeTomasso's successful attempt at this new spot demonstrates the bravery and skill required to push the boundaries of what is possible on a skateboard.

The original Leap of Faith's influence

The original Leap of Faith was performed by skateboarder Jamie Thomas in 1997. It was a 17-foot or 18-foot drop at Point Loma High School in San Diego, California. Thomas's attempt was filmed and featured in Zero Skateboards' video "Thrill of It All".

Thomas's leap was groundbreaking and influential for several reasons. Firstly, it showcased an immense level of skill and bravery, as he executed a melon grab ollie and maintained composure during the descent. Secondly, it pushed the boundaries of what was considered possible in skateboarding, marking the pinnacle of gap jumping at the time. No one has verifiably skated a drop that big since, and Thomas's attempt served as a benchmark for future skaters.

The original Leap of Faith also had significant cultural and commercial implications. It elevated Thomas to industry celebrity, with his fame extending beyond the skateboarding world. He was featured in video games and immortalised in other media. The stunt also served as a powerful marketing tool for Thomas's newly founded brand, Zero. Photos of the leap, emblazoned with the brand name, appeared in full-page ads, generating immense publicity.

Additionally, the original Leap of Faith embodied an emerging style of street skating that emphasised dexterity, risk-taking, and spectacle. It inspired a generation of skaters to seek out bigger challenges and push the limits of what their boards and bodies could achieve. The influence of Thomas's leap can be seen in subsequent videos and attempts by other skaters, who sought to emulate his daring feats.

In conclusion, the original Leap of Faith by Jamie Thomas was a pivotal moment in skateboarding history. It combined athletic prowess, risk-taking, and self-expression, solidifying Thomas's legacy and influencing the evolution of the sport. The stunt's cultural and commercial impact extended beyond the skateboarding community, showcasing the potential for extreme sports to capture the public imagination.

Frequently asked questions