Nina Buitrago

28-year-old Nina Buitrago started riding BMX after witnessing some friends riding dirt. Soon after, she pieced a bike together and began traveling in search of new ramps to ride. Eventually, Buitrago picked up a few sponsors (DK Bicycles, Etnies, Bern Helmets), started organizing all-girl BMX jams and even published her own female-fronted BMX zine, Emerald Nation. "For anyone that has any kind of history in BMX freestyle, I would say there hasn't been another girl in BMX as influential about pushing the limits as Nina Buitrago, period," says Etnies BMX team manager John Povah. (Photos by Cody York)