2011 was a year full of deserving candidates for Thrasher's Skater of the Year but in the end the skater who embodied the magazine's way of doing things is Grant Taylor.

He kicked off the year with two covers back-to-back for Thrasher (the only skater to do that since Neil Blender), went on his second Thrasher King of the Road contest tour event and his second Thrasher Skate Rock tour.

Grant recently showcased his latest video part from SB Chronicles Volume 1 on the Thrasher.com and will debut another video part on December 3rd.



The selection of Taylor as Skater of the Year instead of Nyjah Huston is a strong statement by the magazine staying true to the core side of skateboarding. Huston's successful contest season accompanied with his highly anticipated "Rise and Shine" video gained attention from the mainstream while Taylor's year consisted of a more core path with extensive coverage in the print mags, video footage, and industry buzz.

In honor of Grant Taylor winning the skater of the year award his primary sponsor Volcom released a statement and tribute to Taylor, "These last few years Grant put it in hyper drive, truly a calculated adrenalin junky in constant attack mode. We are simply pleased as punch that Grant is now Thrasher Magazine's SKATER of the YEAR! Being alongside him, watching him grow up and become who he is today has been nothing short of incredible. We at VOLCOM all say Congratulations and wish you the best."

Here's a classic shot of Taylor when he was a Grom.

Photo courtesy of Volcom.