Elissa Steamer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Elissa Steamer

Steamer in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1975-07-31) July 31, 1975 (age 50) Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Professional skateboarder
Years active	1989–present
Height	5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m)
Weight	121 pounds (55 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Skateboarding
Turned pro	1998
Medal record Summer X Games Representing  United States Gold 2004 Los Angeles Street Gold 2005 Los Angeles Street Gold 2006 Los Angeles Street Gold 2008 Los Angeles Street Silver 2007 Los Angeles Street Bronze 2009 Los Angeles Street

Elissa Steamer (born July 31, 1975) is a famous American professional skateboarder. She is known for her amazing skills in street skateboarding. Elissa has won many awards and is a true legend in the sport.

Early Life and Skateboarding Beginnings

Elissa Steamer was born in Fort Myers, Florida, United States. She started skateboarding in 1989. She often practiced at a small skate park in her city.

Elissa Steamer's Professional Skateboarding Journey

Joining Toy Machine (1995–1998)

Elissa first started getting skateboard decks from Lance Mountain in 1995. Her first official sponsor was Toy Machine. This company was started by professional skateboarder Ed Templeton.

Another pro skater, Chad Muska, helped Elissa join the Toy Machine team. At that time, the team included Ed Templeton, Chad Muska, Mike Maldonado, Jamie Thomas, and Brian Anderson.

Elissa filmed her part for the Welcome to Hell video in 1996. Jamie Thomas helped her film this section. She also appeared in Toy Machine's next video, Jump Off A Building.

Moving to Baker and Bootleg (1998–2003)

After some teammates left Toy Machine, Elissa decided to join the Bootleg brand. This was a part of the Baker skateboard company. Elissa had connections with skaters like Andrew Reynolds and Erik Ellington.

Bootleg was a short-lived company. It released a video called Bootleg 3000. Before this, Elissa's video parts were in the Baker Bootleg and 2G videos. Elissa once said that she earned the most money from skateboard sales when she was with Bootleg.

Success with Zero and X Games Gold (2004–2011)

After Bootleg ended, Elissa joined the Zero skateboard team in June 2006. This company was started by Jamie Thomas.

Elissa filmed a video part with Jamie Thomas while at Zero. She did not release a full-length video part during her time with Zero.

Elissa won her fourth X Games gold medal in the Women's Street event in 2008. This event took place in Los Angeles, USA. The women's street category started in 2004. The only year she didn't win gold was 2007, when she won silver.

After her 2008 win, Elissa told the New York Times that she felt very nervous during the contest. Mimi Knoop, a pro skater, said that Elissa "paved the way for those girls in street." She added that Elissa "set the bar ability-wise for all those girls that are coming up."

Elissa left Zero in July 2011. She said it was a difficult decision because she and Jamie Thomas had been friends for a long time.

Gnarhunters and Return to Baker (2012–Present)

In September 2013, Elissa started a project called "Gnarhunters." She explained that it would eventually become a brand. Professional skateboarders Brian Anderson and Frank Gerwer helped her with the art. Gnarhunters is based in San Francisco, California.

In June 2018, Bakerboys Distribution released an Elissa Steamer guest board. They also released a video featuring her recent skating. Later that month, Baker Skateboards welcomed Elissa to their pro team. She released her first signature board for Baker. As of 2021, Gnarhunters products are sold by Baker Boys Distribution.

Awards and Special Recognitions

• In 2003, Check it Out Girls magazine named Elissa "Female Skater of the Year."
• In 2015, Elissa Steamer was honored by being added to the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.

Appearing in Video Games

Elissa Steamer was a playable character in the first five Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video games. She also appeared in the 2020 remake, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. Elissa said that her biggest paychecks came from these video game appearances.

Andrew Reynolds, another pro skater, said in 2014 that all the skaters in the first game were paid very well. He mentioned that they received a large amount of money from royalties.

Personal Life

In a June 2014 interview, Elissa Steamer shared that she bought properties in Fort Myers, Florida. The money from these properties helps support her life in California. In January 2021, she shared that she lives in San Francisco, California, with her fiancée Rachel Garcia and their dogs, Randy and Lily.

Contest History Highlights

1998

• 1st place, Slam City Jam, Women's Street, Canada

1999

• 1st place, Slam City Jam, Women's Street, Canada

2003

• 1st place, World Cup of Skateboarding, Women's Street, Melbourne, Australia

2004

• 1st place, Gallaz Skate Jam, Melbourne, Australia
• 1st place, Triple Crown, Women's Street, Cleveland, Ohio, US
• Gold, X Games, Women's Street, Los Angeles, California, US
• 1st place, Gravity Games, Women's Street, Cleveland, Ohio, US
• 1st place, Triple Crown Finals, Women's Street, Huntington Beach, California, US
• 1st place, Slam City Jam, Women's Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

2005

• 1st place, World Cup of Skateboarding, Women's Street, Melbourne, Australia
• 1st place, World Championships of Skateboarding, Münster, Germany
• Gold, X Games, Women's Street, Los Angeles, California, US
• 1st place, Malaysia X Games, Women's Street, Malaysia

2006

• Gold, X Games, Women's Street, Los Angeles, California, US

2007

• Silver, X Games, Women's Street, Los Angeles, California, US

2008

• Gold, X Games, Women's Street, Los Angeles, California, United States (US)

Videography

• Toy Machine: Welcome to Hell (1996)
• Toy Machine: Jump Off a Building (1998)
• Baker: Bootleg (1998)
• Baker: 2G (2000)
• Bootleg: Bootleg 3000 (2003)
• Nike: Gizmo (2019)
• Baker: Baker4 (2019)
• Baker: Baker Has A Deathwish Part 2 (2024)

See also

In Spanish: Elissa Steamer para niños