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Tom's accomplishments speak for themselves.
A true pioneer, Tom brought forward thinking concepts and innovations that forever changed the landscape of the snow and skate industry.
His constant quest for the deepest powder, the longest downhill paved road and the smoothest wave has been and always will be an inspiration to us all.
I risultati di Tom parlano da soli.
Un vero pioniere, Tom portato avanti pensando i concetti e le innovazioni che hanno cambiato per sempre il paesaggio della neve e l'industria skate.
La sua costante ricerca della neve fresca più profonda , la più lunga strada in discesa asfaltata e la più morbida delle onde è stata e sarà sempre una fonte di ispirazione per tutti noi.
Tom Sims, pioneering skateboarder and snowboarder, died from cardiac arrest Wednesday night at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, near his home in California, according to a statement released by Sims Snowboards on Thursday.
Sims is frequently credited with inventing the first modern snowboard.
He built his "Skiboard" prototype in wood shop class in seventh grade in 1963, and followed with several skateboard and snowboard industry firsts, including the first snowboard with metal edges, the first pro-model and women's-specific snowboard.
He was also the first to incorporate some of the earliest high-back binding systems.
Sims ran a skateshop and founded Sims Skateboards in Santa Barbara in 1976 and won the Skateboard World Championships that same year.
He was featured, alongside Stacy Peralta, in the 1976 skate film "Freewheelin.'"
Christian Hosoi and the late Jeff Phillips both turned pro for Sims shortly thereafter.
In addition to topping many snow and skate podiums throughout his career, including winning the slalom event at the U.S. Open of Snowboarding in 1985, Sims was a snowboarding stunt double for Roger Moore in the 1985 James Bond film "A View to a Kill."
Memories and support poured out across the skate and snow communities Thursday.
"Thank you for your immense contributions to skateboarding and snowboarding, Tom. RIP," stated legendary skateboard photographer Grant Brittain via Facebook.
"He was definitely the innovator of what snowboarding is today, and his legacy and contributions will be forever remembered and widely embraced," Steve Fisher, a former Sims Snowboards team rider and two-time Winter X Games SuperPipe gold medalist, told ESPN.com. "What he stood for and what he did for the culture of action sports is so great that it should never go unrecognized or forgotten. He's a true pioneer."
Sims also helped introduce some of the sport's first halfpipe and freestyle competitions, and was the first to sponsor riders like Craig Kelly who would go on to bring the sport to new heights and mainstream attention.
Sims is survived by his wife Hilary, sister Margie Sims Klinger of Santa Barbara, sons Tommy and Shane, daughter Sarah and stepdaughters Alexa and Kylie Wagner.
13 settembre 2012
By: Sims Press Release | Date: Thursday September 13, 2012
(Santa Barbara, CA) September 13, 2012 – Tom Sims, snowboarding legend and pioneer, Sims suffered sudden cardiac arrest and died Wednesday, September 12, 2012 near his home at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Sims is survived by his wife Hilary, sister Margie Sims Klinger of Santa Barbara, sons Tommy and Shane, daughter Sarah and step daughters Alexa and Kylie Wagner.
Sims built the first “skateboard for the snow” in 1963 and founded the SIMS® brand in 1976. He continued to revolutionize the sport of snowboarding for nearly four decades. Sims brought several industry firsts to the world of snowboarding including the first snowboard, first metal edge snowboard, first pro-model snowboard, first women’s specific snowboard and the first folding highback bindings. In addition to a lengthy list of podiums throughout his professional career, Sims was the primary snowboarding stunt double for "007" Roger Moore in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill. Throughout the years, he continued to be a driving force within SIMS, leading the growth and progression of the brand.
The Sims family wishes for all memorial donations to be directed to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Online donations can be made in Sims honor here. The family will not be granting interviews at this time.
Tom’s accomplishments speak for themselves. A true pioneer, Tom brought forward thinking concepts and innovations that forever changed the landscape of the snow and skate industry.
