2001 Skater of the Year, Arto Saari left home (Finland) as a young Viking teenager after destroying the 1998 Lausanne Grand Prix and the string of European competitions that followed that summer to make it as a pro skater with nothing more than a mean bag of tricks and about three English words in his repertoire. Since then, Arto has made his home in Los Angeles and built a career as one of the most revered pro skaters alive.
Now evolving into an accomplished photographer (
www.artosaari.com), it is rare to encounter Arto without a Leica in his hands and a Flip Skateboard under his feet. Though Arto calls L.A. home, he brought a little bit of Finland with him. If you are ever so lucky to skate his backyard pool, home to some of the most legendary skate sessions of the new millennium, ask him for a taste of some reindeer, Finnish mustard and chocolate.
Arto Saari’s New Skate Industry Job
Epicly Later’d - Arto Saari, episode 1