Aaron Fotheringham

Aaron Fotheringham is recognized as the founder of WCMX, or Wheelchair Motocross, a sport he developed by adapting skateboarding and BMX tricks for wheelchair users. An extreme wheelchair athlete, Fotheringham was born with spina bifida and pioneered a new form of adaptive sports by breaking records on the quarterpipe. Inspired by watching his brother at the skatepark, he used his wheelchair as a tool for creativity and adrenaline-fueled stunts, drawing influence from action sports events such as the X Games and Nitro Circus. Fotheringham envisioned an inclusive extreme sport that demonstrates the capabilities of people with disabilities and challenges societal perceptions.

Fotheringham's career includes a series of historic firsts in adaptive sports. After mastering a mid-air 180-degree turn, he landed the first wheelchair backflip and later completed the first double backflip at Woodward Camp. He earned a Guinness World Records certificate for the first wheelchair backflip at Doc Romeo skatepark in Las Vegas. Fotheringham also completed his first front flip in New Zealand, performed a 50-foot jump off the Mega Ramp in Brazil, and became a four-time WCMX World Champion, achieving the first Wheelchair Flair/backflip 180. His evolving skills include carving, grinding, hand-planting, and power-sliding, which have propelled him to an international career as an extreme sports stunt rider.

Fotheringham joined the Nitro Circus Live tour, performing on a 50-foot ramp-to-ramp jump with backflips, double backflip attempts, and landing the world's first wheelchair frontflip. He remains the only WCMX athlete to tackle the Nitro Circus Giganta Ramp. Fotheringham appeared as a contestant on "America's Got Talent: Extreme," showcasing his mega-ramp jump to a national television audience, and served as Artie's stunt double in an episode of "Glee."

At Woodward West summer camp in Tehachapi, California, Fotheringham set three world records: the longest wheelchair ramp jump, the tallest quarter-pipe drop-in on a wheelchair, and the highest wheelchair hand plant. He uses a customized WCMX wheelchair designed by Box Wheelchairs, featuring lightweight construction and four-wheel suspension, enabling him to perform tricks similar to those in skateboarding and BMX.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Fotheringham is a voice for the disability community. Through motivational speaking and demonstrations at events and schools, he challenges perceptions and inspires a new generation of WCMX riders, establishing a legacy that extends beyond the skatepark.