POPULIST 2014 — Luan Oliveira

Putting down brawny roots, Luan Oliveira’s 2014 was another eventful one. He put out a crispy Strike And Destroy part for Nike SB, won a silver medal at X-Games in Austin, killed it at Tampa Pro, placed 2nd overall for the 2014 Street League season, impeccably popped his flatground for BATB7—in which he placed 2nd overall—and scored a Street League People’s Choice Award (for which, Luan gets to design the course for the first stop of this year’s SLS). There’s no denying that this spontaneous and sure-footed Brazilian is one of skateboarding’s all-time best. But you get the feeling that come hell or high water, polished arena or crusty southern-hemisphere curbside, Luan’s year of thriving and surviving is nothing but an opening act for his onslaught of the coming decade. And don’t forget his Instagrams either. Luan and his fancy footwork are truly pushing the boundaries of skateboarding.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS. POLLS OPEN THIS SATURDAY, 1/17.