Skateboarding
Skateboarding
Danny León lands world-first grind across a football goal
Spanish skater Danny León takes on an extraordinary new challenge, grinding from post to post across a football goal. He reveals how he pulled off the trick — and the moment that scared him most.
Danny León has spent years seeing how far he can take his skating. This time, the Spanish skateboarder and Olympian took on a full-size football goal, grinding the entire length of its crossbar.
The spot was Atlético Madrid’s home ground, where León used a winch cable to build enough speed to get onto the narrow bar, 2.44 metres above the ground, and carry the grind from one post to the other.
León had to maintain his balance and perform a 50-50 grind across the full seven-metre rail, with the goal’s net adding another obstacle to an already technical trick. It took him several attempts before he could nail the trick.
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Grinding from post to post: A trick that required months of preparation
León is seen as an innovator in the skateboarding world and is always thinking of ways to progress the sport. This year alone, he’s launched a brand-new contest called Red Bull Plus One, timed a skate trick with a solar eclipse, finished third at Red Bull Bowl Rippers, and come up with his plan to grind a crossbar.
While the idea to skate across a football goal seemed simple on paper, the trick was months in the making as it required plenty of preparation and some clever engineering. León initially trained with a replica of the crossbar that was just half a metre off the ground before the structure was progressively raised.
León showcases the perfect blend of precision, balance and control
© Gianfranco Tripodo/Red Bull Content Pool
Protective mats and barriers were then gradually removed as he became more comfortable with balancing on the bar. It was during these training sessions that León realised his biggest challenge would be dealing with the flexibility and bounce of the bar.
“The most difficult thing was managing the instability of the crossbar,” recalls León. “It has a slight bounce, and when you're more than two metres high, any movement is amplified.”
Get to know Spanish skate sensation Danny León
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The engineering that helped León fulfill his dream
Once happy he could pull off the trick, the next stage was working out how he would launch himself 2.44 metres onto the top of the crossbar. With the help of SB Ramps, the perfect infrastructure was put in place so that León had the speed, angle and trajectory needed to reach the crossbar.
The crossbar provided a unique challenge due to its flexibility and bounce
© Gines Diaz/Red Bull Content Pool
The most difficult thing was managing the instability of the crossbar
A winch cable provided the necessary acceleration and the goal itself was secured with straps and sacks to limit its movement. Even the skateboard setup mattered. Fresh grip tape helped him keep his feet secure during the jump and subsequent grind.
With everything in place, León was able to complete a project that combined two of his biggest passions, skateboarding and football.
“This project is very special to me because it combines two of my greatest passions,” he says. “Being able to grind a goal in a stadium like the Riyadh Air Metropolitano is a dream come true.”
