Danny MacAskill facts for kids
MacAskill in 2009
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel MacAskill |
| Born | 23 December 1985 Skye, Scotland |
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Santa Cruz Bicycles |
| Discipline | Trials |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Street Trials |
Daniel MacAskill (born 23 December 1985) is a super talented Scottish trials cyclist. He comes from Dunvegan on the beautiful Isle of Skye in Scotland. Danny is a professional rider for Santa Cruz Bicycles. He is famous for his amazing street trials and mountain bike skills. Many people watch his videos online. In fact, his YouTube channel has over half a million followers! A newspaper in San Francisco even called him "one of the most exciting street-riding mountain bikers on Earth."
Contents
Life as a Pro Rider
Danny MacAskill became famous in April 2009. He released a five-minute video on YouTube that showed off his incredible street trials skills. His flatmate, Dave Sowerby, filmed the video. It quickly became very popular and was seen by many people. The video featured Danny doing stunts to the song "The Funeral" by Band of Horses.
From Mechanic to Bike Star
Before becoming a full-time rider, Danny practised for many hours every day for over 12 years. He used to work as a mechanic. But he loved biking so much that he quit his job to ride bikes all the time! Now, he lives in Glasgow, Scotland.
In June 2009, Danny even appeared in a music video. It was for the song "Winter Hill" by the band Doves. Later that year, in September 2009, he was also featured in a TV advert. This advert was for a Scottish jobs website called s1jobs.com.
Amazing Videos and Adventures
Danny MacAskill has made many popular videos. These videos often show him doing tricks in amazing places.
Way Back Home
On 16 November 2010, Danny released a new video called Way Back Home. This video was made by Red Bull Media House. It showed off many cool places around Scotland. You can see him riding near Edinburgh Castle and in North Berwick. He also rode near old wartime bunkers on the island of Inchgarvie, which is under the Forth Bridge. Another spot was the Cruachan Dam in the Scottish Highlands.
Industrial Revolutions
In August 2011, a video called Industrial Revolutions came out. It was directed by Stu Thomson. In this video, Danny did tricks in an old, abandoned iron works in Scotland. The video used the song "The Wolves" by Ben Howard. This video was part of a TV show called Concrete Circus on Channel 4.
Imaginate and Epecuén
In summer 2013, Danny released a video called Imaginate. This project took 18 months to film! It was also produced by Red Bull Media House. The video became super popular very quickly. In less than three weeks, it had over four million views!
In May 2014, Danny released another video called Epecuen. This one was filmed in a unique place in Epecuén, Argentina. This town had been underwater since 1985! The video starts with the only person still living there talking about the town. By April 2016, this video had over 10 million views.
The Ridge and The Slabs
In October 2014, Danny and his friend Stu Thomson released a film called The Ridge. They filmed it on his home island, the Isle of Skye. He rode along the very steep and rocky Cuillin Ridge. This video was a huge hit! In just five days, it got over 10 million views on YouTube. A BBC Scotland show called Riding the Ridge also showed how they made the film.
In January 2021, Danny released another incredible video called Danny MacAskill - The Slabs. In this video, he rode down a 500-meter section of the remote Dubh Slabs. These slabs rise out of Loch Coruisk, also on the Isle of Skye. The video was filmed when Scotland's COVID-19 rules were temporarily eased. It featured the song "No Cars Go" by Arcade Fire. This video also went viral, getting over a million views in just two days!
Danny MacAskill has also competed in the X-Games MTB Real series. His videos there also went viral because of his amazing and unique tricks.
Popular Videos
Danny MacAskill has created many memorable videos. Here are some of his most famous ones:
- April 2009: Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009 - This was his first big hit, filmed in Edinburgh.
- November 2010: Way Back Home - Showcased amazing spots all over Scotland.
- August 2011: Industrial Revolutions - Filmed in an old Scottish iron works.
- June 2013: Imaginate - Shot in an old Glasgow Transport Museum, showing his imagination.
- May 2014: Epecuen - Filmed in a town that was once underwater in Argentina.
- October 2014: The Ridge - An epic ride along the Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye.
- November 2015: Cascadia - Filmed in Gran Canaria, featuring incredible jumps.
- October 2016: Wee Day Out - Danny riding a mountain bike in Scotland, with a fun soundtrack.
- May 2019: Danny Daycare - A fun video filmed in Scotland.
- January 2020: Danny MacAskill's Gymnasium - Filmed in Glasgow, showing his training.
- January 2021: The Slabs - A daring ride down steep rock slabs on the Isle of Skye.
- November 2022: Danny MacAskill: Postcard from San Francisco - His latest adventure in San Francisco.
