I came across these shots of Mat Hoffman from 2002, sort of by accident, while searching for some shots in my files. I’m not sure if they ever got used, but they’re from a “Soul Bowl” contest in Huntington Beach, CA in 2002. HSA (Hoffman Sports Association) was the sport organizer for the event, and while Mat wasn’t riding in the contest, he took some runs during practice. I can’t remember if he was injured or healthy… Injured or not, when Mat drops in it’s full throttle. Judging from the photos, whatever limb was almost detatched from his body at the time wasn’t holding him back. The photo on the left is a no-hander one-footer, which I’ve been know to call the “best trick in freestyle” on several occasions. Subjective, yes, but I stand by that, as it’s one of my favorites to shoot and to watch. Sure there are harder tricks, but that’s one that will never get old, at least to me. The photo on the right is pretty serious. The Soul Bowl was/is a full-size vert ramp, but also featured a 45-degree hip and bowl corners. People would jump the hip, but they’d mostly creep over it, and do feeler airs. Mat on the other hand, blasted the shit out of it with very little practice. In all the years the Soul Bowl events ran, I don’t think anyone else went this large over the hip… and Mat wasn’t even in the contest. Check out both shots larger after the jump.

Check out a previous archive photo of Mat here from 2003.

And a portrait of Mat from earlier this winter.