Tanya Garcia-O'Brien
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Tanya Garcia-O'Brien (née Garcia, born 1973) is an American extreme athlete and stuntwoman. She competed as a skysurfer and has performed film and commercials stuntwoman.
Garcia-O'Brien is from Menifee, Southern California, United States. She was studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[1] Before becoming a professional skysurfer in 1997, O'Brien-Garcia worked as a second-grade teacher.[1]
Garcia O'Brien is married to Craig O'Brien, who operates as her camera flyer.[1][2][3] Together they are known as team Perris Valley Firestarter.[4] An image of Craig O'Brien leading a tracking dive on her skyboard by O'Brien featured on the cover of Parachutist Magazine in June 2000.[5]
Garcia-O'Brien competed in skysurfing at the 2000 X Games in Sonoma, California, where she was one of the only women in the world participating in the sport.[1] With team Perris Valley Firestarter, Garcia-O'Brien became U.S. National Champion in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007; the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Champion in 1999 and 2001; and the FAI World Cup Champion in 2000.[4]
Garcia' O'Brien featured as a skysurfer in a Mountain Dew commercial with Troy Hartman in 1998, which was filmed in the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland.[6] She also worked as an aerial stunt double for actress Lucy Liu in the film Charlie's Angels (2000).[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Wells, Janet (August 11, 2000). "Skysurfing Takes Flight At X Games". SFGate. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Cefrey, Holly (2003). Skysurfing. Children's Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-516-24380-1.
- ↑ "World champion skysurfer calls Menifee home". The San Diego Union-Tribune. September 30, 2001. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- 1 2 "A True Artist—Craig O'Brien, D-19294, Receives the 2024 USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service". United States Parachute Association. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ "June 2000". Parachutist Magazine. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Troy Hartman (March 6, 2011). 1998 Mountain Dew Commercial - Tanya O'Brien and Troy Hartman. Retrieved January 17, 2026 – via YouTube.