Diogo Canina grew up in Brazil without many skateparks and was forced to be creative in finding his own walls, lips, and jumps to ride. This ingenuity paid off for Canina, who is now known for his hard-nosed approach to riding.

Despite a late start on the competition scene – he didn’t enter his first contest until he was 17 – Canina came to the States and showed he was a threat on a bike. Beginning as an open qualifier on the Dew Tour, Canina quickly earned a permanent spot for the season and has been a fixture ever since.

Originally a park competitor, Canina added BMX dirt to his resume in 2007, when he finished eighth overall in dirt and 11th in the year-end park standings on the Dew Tour.