Natas Kaupas

Natas Kaupas, born on March 23, 1969, is an American former professional skateboarder who grew up in South Santa Monica, California, in the area known as Dogtown, and is of Lithuanian descent. He is often described as one of the first true professional street skateboarders, alongside Mark Gonzales, and is known for co-founding the clothing brand FUCT. In 1983 he won a local Santa Monica surfing contest and received a Santa Monica Airlines skateboard as the prize, which led its owner Skip Engblom to sponsor him. A photograph of him riding off a wall by Craig Stecyk appeared on the cover of Thrasher in September 1984, and SMA released his first pro model that year.