Skimboarding

Wave-riding skimboarders perform a variety of surface and air maneuvers, at various stages of their ride, out to, and back with, the wave.

Unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach by dropping the board onto the thin wash of previous waves.

Skimboarders use their momentum to skim out to breaking waves, which they then catch back into shore in a manner similar to surfing.

Another aspect of skimboarding is "flatland," which involves performing tricks derived from skateboarding such as ollies and shove-its on the wash of waves without catching shore breaks.

Skimboarding originated in Southern California when Laguna Beach lifeguards wanted to surf the local shore breaks that were too fast and shallow for surfboards.

Hamstring injury is also common due to the fast and extreme movement of a skimboarder's legs when they run toward the water and jump on the board.

In Dewey Beach, Delaware, every year the World Amateur Championships of Skimboarding are held on New Orleans Street.

Also the beaches on Florida's west coast can also provide some quality locations, like Sarasota, Clearwater, Anna Maria Island.

Flatland skimboarding can be done nearly anywhere: lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds, golf courses, puddles, or even wet grass.

In Europe, the Flatland skim scene is growing fast, with the biggest group of skimboarders situated in Poland.

There is a wide variety of beginner to very advanced, high performance boards in this category and it is important to choose the right one for your size, ability and style.

Wave riding skimboards can also perform more advance tricks, for they have the ability to reach deeper water.

During a jump or a wave ride, different maneuvers can be made with the board to perform a visually appealing trick.

The fiberglass behaves across the sand and water better, which is important for doing tricks and moves with the skimboard when it hit the wave.

Inland boards are generally made of wood and are easy to find at a local surf or skate shop, depending on your location.

Inland boards tend to be made of wood and have a hpl bottom[clarification needed] and, therefore, are called "woodies" by wave-riding skimboarders.

They stand up well against rocks, shells, obstacles, and general wear, and are great for beginners because they are simple to make and low-price.

The increasing international interest in skim boarding has resulted in the development of a competitive industry, catering for the ever-increasing demand for both quality and cheap skimboards.

The league consists of 4 stages mostly held in the summer months, although UK & Spanish events tend to happen just outside the holiday season.

The stages are held in Portugal, France, The UK & Spain, each hosted at one of the best skimboarding locations found anywhere in the world.

Newquay is a location famous for its surfing scene and Tolcarne Beach is known as the UK Wedge to many surfers, bodyboarders & skimboarders.

The first contest happened in 2003 and the latest in 2016 where Cody Maurer of Utah won first place in the Pro division https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F8HcymKw3I.

Maurer landed a flawless backside 270 big-spin to front board on a launch ramp to double flat bar set-up.

It typically lasts three days, and is the final leg of The Florida Cross Over Tour which includes surfing, skateboarding and skimboarding.

Some well-known skimboarders are Austin Keen, who is the current 2013 UST World Champion, Bill Bryan, Brad Domke, Adrien Raza, Morgan Just, Grady Archbold, James Lovett, Sam Stinnett, Paulo Prietto, Brandon Sears, Brandon Rothe, Jackson Tenney, Jaiden Fabrizio, and Colton Wallace.