TOM SIMS - Rest In Peace - 1950 - 2012

by: Editor

According to SimsSnow.com, legendary snowboarding pioneer Tom Sims has passed away. We're still shaky on details but sources indicate he died of a heart attack on September 12 - a sad day for the action sports community.

 

Founder of Sims snowboards and skateboards Tom Sims led the charge along with fellow pioneers like Jake Burton to make snowboarding a legitimate sport in the 1970s and 1980s. A competitor in his early career Sims won the world snowboarding championship in 1983. He embodied the southern California skate and surf lifestyle and helped bring it to the mountains. His long blond air, mirrored aviators and surfy style typify Sims in classic photos by photographers like Bud Fawcett who often captured Sims riding in resorts throughout California.

 

One notable Sims moment came in the 1985 when he played the stunt double to Roger Moore in the James Bond 007 film A View to Kill.

 

Sims is credited with many of the most important innovations in both snowboarding and skateboarding including the first metal edged snowboard, the first snowboarding half pipe, the first freestyle snowboard, the first pro model snowboard. Also Sims was credited with building and marketing the world's first longboards for skateboarding in 1975 that were repped by early legends like Steve Caballero and Tony Hawk.

 

This documentary by Vice captures well the tale of this action sports great. RIP Tom Sims - you will be missed.

Powder and Rails - Tom Sims - Part 1

Powder and Rails - Tom Sims - Part 2