The "King of the 540," Sandro Dias has been a global force rotating high above the coping for over a decade. Without signs of slowing, the Brazilian's death-defying ramp skills make him one of the most memorable riders to watch. He combines an uncanny ability to spin more variations of 540 (one and a half rotations) than anyone else and maintain his extreme amplitude for entire runs.

Sandro has become the most consistent skater to pull off the elusive 900 (two and a half rotations landing with the opposite foot forward); he's been winning gold since 2004 when he made skateboarding history by nailing the first-ever 900 in a contest run. But the regular footer's intensity on the ramp is matched only by his easy-going nature off of it.

Sandro's time is now split between his childhood home in Santo Andr, Brazil and Costa Mesa, Calif. When he's not on the ramp, he's filming his TV show, appearing on Brazilian soaps and in feature films, or getting kids fired up about skateboarding through his multifaceted "O dia D" events.