We use cookies to improve your experience on our websites and for advertising. Privacy Policy

Accept all
Change your preferences
search
> surfing pro riders > Zoltan Torkos
Zoltan Torkos

Zoltan Torkos

Country flag United States

Age:

Born:

Status:  

Personal info:

Lives in: United States

Gender: Male

Nationality: American

AKA: "The Magician"

Height:

Weight:

Social media:

 

Websites:

 
www.zoltantorkos.com/
 
 
 

Skate specifications:

Surf specifications:

Snow specifications:

 

Stance:

Disciplines: Shortboard Surfing

Magic stick:

 
 

About:

 

Personal interests: To tune up this profile suggest an edit

Philosophy of life: To tune up this profile suggest an edit

Background: Inventor of new school aerial surf tricks including the infamous Surfing Kickflip.

 

What's up

The Surfing Magician | In Plain Sight In Plain Sight is back with it's second installment, 'The Surfing Magician', featuring the legend Zoltan Torkos himself. This episode dives deep into the story of Zoltan, the magician who dedicated much of his life to not only a unique style of surfing, but one particular move — the kickflip. Channeling his skateboard skills and background in making magic happen, Zoltan was fairly obsessed with landing a kickflip on a surfboard while riding a wave. In 2007, surf/skate/snow pillar Volcom sent word from high up in the surf industry hills that it would write a $10,000 check to the first person who could land a kickflip on a surfboard. (That was back when $10k was a down payment on a house, not three month’s rent for a Pleasure Point bungalow). A few years later, Torkos seemingly nailed it. He uploaded the clip online, sent it to Volcom, and his circle of friends started to celebrate. But Volcom deemed his theatrics did not meet their strict criteria, specifically the part specifying the flip had to be “above the lip.” Chaos ensued — or at least a lot of online chatter. Was it cool? Was it not? In surfing, cool is a commodity that never loses value, however it’s often like trying to fit an objective peg into a subjective hole. And where does magic fit in? His video went viral. Online masses came to his defense. Surf journalists went so far as to write entire columns deriding anyone who would even try something so far outside surfing’s unwritten standards. Zoltan would eventually collect his bounty. And many years later, he continues kickflipping and performing his stunts, in and out of the water. The sordid details aren’t important, but the story of Zoltan, the surfing magician, should keep its place in surfing history forever.

23/03/2022   |   video icon

First Ever Wave Pool Surfing Kickflips Zoltan Torkos - Lunasurf Full Grip Zoltan 'the magician' Torkos - the first person to land a surfing kickflip, and now the first to land the surfing kick flip in a wave pool - all riding Lunasurf Full deck Grip

09/08/2020   |   video icon
 
 

Share rider on

 

Top stories

2025 Local Motion Surf Into Summer At Home In The Hawaiian Islands - Results

10/06/2025   |   surfing

World Skateboarding Tour: World Cup Rome 2025 Park Results!

09/06/2025   |   skateboarding

Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 2025 - Hintertux Review

08/05/2025   |   snowboarding

Latest videos

John Michael Van Hohenstein honed in for Local Motion Surf Into Summer start The 2024 WSL Longboard Tour No. 3 John Mich...

07/06/2025   |   surfing

SNOWBOARD WEEK 2025 RECAP!

19/05/2025   |   snowboarding

Top-Scoring Women's Street Skateboarders at #Paris2024 🛹 | Best Moments The who is who of the international skating sce...

07/06/2025   |   boardriding