December 21, 2020 | Skateboarding It's "the one," the first, and the most respected trophy. SOTY is also a marketing campaign that has helped keep Thrasher Magazine afloat while others struggled or closed their doors. Every end of the year, the legendary skateboard magazine highlights the performance of the sport's most prolific rider. Winning the Skater of the Year trophy could be a life-changing moment in a skater's career, resulting in more media coverage, more sponsors, and ultimately more income. The publication, founded by Eric Swenson and Fausto Vitello in January 1981, debuted SOTY in 1990. The selection process starts with the announcement of the contenders.