Nicknamed “Christ” and “Holmes”, Christian Hosoi is an American professional skateboarder who has an estimated net worth of$500 thousand. Born Christian Rosha Hosoi on October 5, 1967, he began skating at seven or eight years old with veterans Shogo Kubo, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams as his idols. In 1979, he was sponsored by Powell Peralta as an amateur. A year later, he joined Dogtown Skateboards to turn professional. At the age of 14, he turned pro with Sims Skateboards.

Hosoi emerged as one of the top competitors of vertical riding together with pros such as Steve Caballero, Mike McGill, Lester Kasai, and Mark “Gator” Rogowski. He eventually developed a rivalry with Tony Hawk with their contrasting styles in both skateboarding and lifestyles. Hosoi is known for his flair and graceful style while Hawk was raising the bar with his technical ability and difficult tricks. He invented the Christ Air and Rocker Air, and was renowned for pulling huge aerials where at one point he was the world record holder. Vertical skateboarding grew in spectator popularity with prize money to watch. Along with his major endorsements such as Converse, Swatch and Jimmy’Z, as well as receiving a pro model wheel, the OJ II Hosoi Rocket through Santa Cruz Speed Wheels, he earned more money than he had ever dreamed of.

In 1984, Christian Hosoi formed his own company, Hosoi Skates that was first distributed through Skull Skates then through NHS-INC. The board became so popular that it was counterfeited. He continued to be a threat despite the emergence of street skating in mid-to-late 1980s. He won both the vertical and street contests at the Lotte Cup contest in Japan in 1989.

Hosoi was considered as one of America’s top 40 skateboarders during the 1980s. However, he was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for carrying nearly 1.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine to Honolulu in January 2000. He was released on parole in the beginning of June 2004.