Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk recently took to social media to share a memory from a trip he made to Tijuana a decade ago. Posting a couple of photos taken at the San Ángel skatepark in September 2015, Hawk recalled making a brief stop there before heading to an event hosted by Nomadx at the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT).
To mark the anniversary, Hawk asked his followers if any of the young skaters pictured alongside him in the images were still using their boards. The post quickly drew reactions and comments from fans, some reminiscing about the moment and others chiming in with updates.
Not His First Time in Tijuana
While Hawk’s 2015 visit resurfaced in his memories, it was not his first connection to the city. Back in 1998, Tijuana played a starring role in The End, the iconic skate video produced by his company Birdhouse. For the film, Hawk donned a matador’s suit while skating at the Plaza Monumental in Playas de Tijuana.
According to Hawk, he and his team rented the bullring for about two weeks at a cost of roughly $1,500 USD. Their goal was ambitious: to build a custom vertical ramp more than four meters high in the middle of the arena. Designed by Tim Payne, the ramp cost around $40,000 USD to construct.
Hawk explained that the crew spent 10 days assembling the massive structure before dedicating the final four days to filming. He also saved one of the most dangerous sequences (a full 360-degree loop) for the very end to avoid the risk of injury early in the shoot.
From Bullring to Video Game Legend
The Tijuana project went on to inspire one of skateboarding’s most recognizable gaming landmarks. The Plaza Monumental’s vert ramp became the basis for the “Bullring” level in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, released in 2000. The video game cemented the bullring in pop culture, immortalizing Tijuana’s role in skateboarding history.
For Hawk, these memories highlight not just the evolution of his career, but also the unique places that have shaped skate culture over the years.
