Skimboard News | Headlines and Top Stories

Sununga: where myth meets the bizarre wedge wave

2024-06-28T11:51:51+00:00

It's often hailed as skimboarding's best wave. Welcome to Sununga, a famous Brazilian beach in Ubatuba, São Paulo.

If you read the reviews of Praia da Sununga, you'll notice that most of the comments visitors leave include remarks about its powerful waves and dangerous currents.

Most beachgoers stress that it is not a beach suited for children and those who don't know how to swim.

But as with many things in life, what might not be suitable for one will be great for another.

Sununga is a 150-yard stretch of sand facing the Atlantic Ocean at a southwest angle.

On the left side, a smooth granite formation with a gentle 60-degree angle slope plays a critical role in the birth of a "sider" in one of the world's heaviest shorebreaks.

But how can such a hidden and relatively normal Brazilian beach become such a wave-riding attraction?

First, let's learn how the myth of the dragon agitated these waters.

The Weeping Grotto

The picturesque beach provides stunning sightseeing views, including the sought-after "Gruta que Chora" ("Weeping Grotto"), a rock formation that "weeps" water during high tide, creating an eye-catching spectacle.

Sununga is a probable derivation of the word "Cyninga," which means "strong and strident noise in the Tupi-Guarani language."

Sununga is the dragon that lives inside the cave. It is so big that its breath makes the rocks weep.

The legend says that every night, the sea-living creature would transform into a man so that on full moon nights, he could meet his beloved one, an Indian woman who was the daughter of a shaman in the region, and sleep with her in the cave.

Upon discovering this romance, the shaman cast a spell on the sea so the dragon could no longer transform into a human being.

Time passed by, and his beloved one was gone.

The dragon, trapped in the sea with its heart broken and the memory of the one he could no longer have, left him possessed.

Its fury shows in the turbulent and frightening waves of these waters.

As for the girl, she cried so much that the cave melted.

Today, when she hears the roar of the sea and the voices of people walking around, she thinks it could be her love and cries more, shedding tears all over the cave.

Triangular Waves

Sununga Beach has a very unique and uncharacteristic wave that is actually hard to describe in words.

Normal ocean waves travel toward the shore and break parallel to the beach, eventually peeling from one side to the other.

Now, imagine a wave that starts peeling at a 45-degree angle and then gets intersected by back-to-back regular waves that create several triangular peaks along the way.

But Sununga's unpredictability is what makes it spectacular.

A skimboarder can take off on a two-foot wave and, seconds later, connect and get barreled inside a monstrous 10-foot barrel.

The wave's most challenging sections to master are the beginning and the end.

In both cases, the rider must negotiate massive amounts of tumbling and unstable whitewater.

Sununga is mostly a skimboarding wave with a few opportunities for bodyboarders.

It reminds us of Newport Beach's The Wedge but in reverse, as the Brazilian spot breaks from right to left.

Renato Lima, Lucas Gomes, Leandro Azevedo, and Júlia Dias are local skimming stars and names to consider when the United Skim Tour (UST) lands in Sununga.

They have been part of the crew pushing the sport's limits and taking it into the mainstream audience, thanks to the aerial and barrel-riding showdown they put out on this surf break.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian skimboarding capital will continue to pump magical walls of moving water.

It's one of the few places on the planet, if not the only one, that allows you to surf four different waves in a single ride.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

Exile Oktoberfest crowns 2022 United Skim Tour champions

2022-09-21T09:43:07+00:00

The 17th annual Exile Oktoberfest skimboarding competition took place at the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, California.

Yahir Valencia of Barra de Navidad won the professional men's division, and Casey Kiernan of Stuart, Florida, won the professional women's division.

Both the professional men's division and the professional women's division counted as part of the United Skim Tour (UST), the world's only international professional skimboarding tour.

The professional women's division featured 13 competitors, and the professional men's division featured 35 competitors from across the globe, including riders from Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Brazil, Florida, Delaware, and California.

Professional men's riders included Lucas Fink, who clinched the 2022 Men's UST Title at the previous UST contest in Spain, and Sam Stinnett, who holds four UST Titles.

Professional women riders included Amber Torrealba, who was ranked first on the UST coming into the event, as well as Chabe White, who had just won the Vic in Laguna Beach.

In addition to the professional divisions, the contest included amateur divisions for all age groups. In total, the contest included 74 amateur entries.

Day one of the event saw challenging conditions with waves one to three feet in height.

Throughout day one, light onshore winds added texture to the waves, making for unfavorable conditions.

On day two, the swell increased to about two-to-four feet, but an onshore wind again persisted throughout the competition day, though occasional heats saw clean conditions with solid head-high sets.

Yahir Valencia Realizes Dream

For the professional men, the final heat came down to Yahir Valencia and Lucas Fink for the third time this season.

The waves were inconsistent and smaller during the final, with most wave opportunities coming in at two feet or smaller.

Competitors took to their technical skills as a result, and Valencia, in particular, landed a 360 shuvit out to a wave and landed another clean 360 shuvit back in.

Fink answered back with a 360 shuvit out to a 360 turn on a small wave.

Valencia later caught the biggest wave of the heat and tucked into a barrel.

Ultimately, Valencia hung onto his lead as he combined both technical riding and managed to snag the biggest waves of the heat.

"It's a dream to win this contest," said Yahir Valencia after his win.

"I've always watched the videos from this contest, and it's been a big goal to compete here. I'm so very happy now."

"I'm so stoked to beat Lucas in the final because Lucas is a great competitor. I watch him in every heat and learn, learn, learn from how he skims."

"Next year, I want to go to all the UST events, and I want to try for the title next year."

Casey Kiernan Prevails

For the professional women, six different competitors were within reach of the UST title going into the event.

In the semifinals, Amber Torrealba defeated Chabe White, eliminating White from the title race.

In the next semifinal heat, Casey Kiernan matched up against Kaori Uno, who won the event in 2016. Since Kiernan already had one UST win before this event, she needed just 900 points to secure her lead over Torrealba.

Kiernan won the heat against Uno, and with that win, Kiernan clinched her 2022 Women's UST title.

In the very next heat, Torrealba and Kiernan matched up. Kiernan found a number of pier wraps and mixed in a few technical tricks as well.

Ultimately, Kiernan won this heat as well, securing her second win of the UST season.

"I'm kind of at a loss for words. I wanted it really bad this year," said Casey Kiernan after taking first place and securing her UST title.

"I've been battling with Sophia [Nguyen] for so long. Knowing that she wasn't here, I felt like I had a better chance."

"But then actually being here and seeing the level of women and how we've progressed, it wasn't any easier. I definitely got teary-eyed there."

In the men's division, points from the best four placings of six count toward each skimboarder's 2022 UST points total.

In the women's division, points from the best two placings of three count toward each skimboarder's 2022 UST points total.

2022 Exile Oktoberfest | Results

Pro Men

1. Yahir Valencia - Barra de Navidad, México
2. Lucas Fink - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3. Sam Stinnett - Laguna Beach, CA
3. Tim Fulton - Laguna Beach, CA

Pro Women

1. Casey Kiernan - Stuart, FL
2. Amber Torrealba - Palm Bay, FL
3. Chabe White - Mazunte, Mexico
4. Kaori Uno - Otia, Japan

Lucas Fink wins 2022 TAC Skimblast

2022-06-28T07:46:21+00:00

The eighth annual TAC Skimblast skimboarding competition took place on June 25, 2022, at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

The professional men's division of the TAC Skimblast counts as one of six events on the United Skim Tour (UST), the world's only international skimboarding tour.

Lucas Fink, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took the top spot in one of the most competitive competitions in UST history.

Professional men entrants included 25 riders from Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Florida, Southern California, and Santa Cruz.

Entrants also included 2019 UST champion Lucas Fink, 2021 UST champion; Gerardo Valencia from Barra de Navidad, Mexico; and four-time UST champion Sam Stinnett from Laguna Beach, CA.

Throughout the first two rounds in the early morning, riders like Lucas Fink, Sam Stinnett, and Gerardo Valencia used the sider to connect to the biggest waves of the morning.

During the evening rounds, other riders like Dane Cameron and Jeremiah Sheldon picked off some of the best waves of their heats and progressed to the semifinals alongside Sam Stinnett and Lucas Fink.

The Final Showdown

The final was decided between Lucas Fink and Dane Cameron.

Highlights of the final included Fink driving into the biggest backside barrel of the day.

Another highlight was Cameron landing two 360-shuvits out to a backside wrap in the final seconds of the heat.

While Cameron put up a solid battle, finding some of the cleanest barrels of the heat, ultimately, Lucas edged him out by combining both ultra-technical riding and power skimming.

"The first stop of the UST was amazing. I started off the year super well, just how I wanted to," said Lucas Fink after his win.

"During Covid, I had the opportunity to get into other stuff, doing big-wave skimboarding and a documentary with RedBull. It was amazing, of course, the time of my life."

"I grew so much as a skimboarder, and as a person, but at the same time, I was missing so much, being in my environment at the skim comps."

"The last UST contest I did was the Oktoberfest in 2019 when I won the title. I had a good pre-season in Brazil at the local comps, but now, finally, I'm back at the UST."

"I'm looking forward to taking back what was mine. I want to take back the UST title again. I'm super motivated for this season."

"We already saw the level of skimboarding keeps on progressing. I'm sure there will be more at the next stops. I can't wait."

UST is Back on Track

The 2022 event was the first time the TAC Skimblast was run since 2019. Unable to obtain permits in both 2020 and 2021 due to Covid restrictions, the contest was canceled in both years.

"We are stoked to host a UST competition again at Third Ave," said Ben Koscielniak, contest director, and competitor.

"Since I was a grom, we've had professionals from around the world visit Santa Cruz for our annual event."

"I took over as the contest director in 2013, and I'm honored to be able to play host and welcome these riders back after a long two years off."

The men's professional division of the 2022 UST circuit includes six competitions, three on the west coast of the United States, two on the east coast, and one international event held in Spain.

The 2022 United Skim Tour continues with the OBX Skim Jam in Nags Head, N.C (July 16-17), Zap Championships in Dewey Beach, Delaware (August 12-14), Vic West in Laguna Beach (August 27-28), Intrafalgar Dogflut in Cádiz, Spain (September 10-11), and Exile Oktoberfest in Newport Beach (September 17-18).

The points collected from the best four placings count toward each skimboarder's 2022 UST points total.

The United Skim Tour is the world's professional skimboarding tour and governing body for skimming events across the planet.

2022 TAC Skimblast | Pro Men's Results

1. Lucas Fink - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (UST Champion 2019)
2. Dane Cameron - Laguna Beach, CA
3. Jeremiah Sheldon - Newport Beach, CA
4. Sam Stinnett - Laguna Beach, CA (UST Champion 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011)
5. Yahir Valencia - Barra de Navidad, México
6. Gerardo Valencia - Barra de Navidad, México (UST Champion 2021)
7. Bruno Sa - Recife, Brazil
8. Christopher Alreck - Santa Cruz, CA
9. Brandon Sears - Laguna Beach, CA
10. Jacob Stinnett - Laguna Beach, CA
11. Garrett Abdulla - Laguna Beach, CA
12. Mike Chapman - Laguna Beach, CA
13. Paddy Mack - Dana Point, CA
14. Kai Schmidt - Santa Cruz, CA
15. Chad Wadsworth - Newport Beach, CA
16. Shota Fujioka - Miyazaki, Japan
17. Jack Klingman - Haiku, Hawaii
18. Max Smetts - Venice, FL
19. Tim Fulton - Laguna Beach, CA
20. David Haefele - Santa Cruz, CA
21. Zac Henderson - Laguna Beach, CA
22. Zack Lebon - Laguna Beach, CA
23. Ben Koscielniak - Santa Cruz, CA
24. Randon Moore - Pensacola Beach, FL
25. Clay Powell - Santa Cruz, CA

Lucas Fink eyes record-breaking skimboarding wave in Nazaré

2021-12-08T15:16:36+00:00

Brazilian skimboarder Lucas Fink chose Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal, to try and ride the world's biggest wave on a finless board.

The infamous beach break is home to several Guinness World Records.

The Portuguese big wave venue has already witnessed the largest wave ever ridden, the biggest wave surfed by a woman, and the largest wave sailed by a kiteboarder.

The 2021 Nazaré big wave surfing season is officially open.

From October through March, hundreds of athletes and media professionals take over the town to search for their ultimate career moments.

Skimboarders, windsurfers, and kiteboarders are rarely seen here, but the surf-and-bodyboard-only paradigm is slowly changing.

Fink is not the first skimboarder to challenge Praia do Norte.

On November 12, 2015, Brad Domke rode his finless skimboard at the famed surf spot of Nazaré.

The stunt eventually earned the Floridian a "Ride of the Year" entry in the 2016 Big Wave Awards.

Mission Skimboarding

But Lucas Fink is taking Nazaré seriously - he's a man on a mission. The Brazilian rider is focused on a clear goal.

He wants to write a historic chapter for skimboarding, an underrated sport that deserves more attention from wave-riding enthusiasts, the media, and the world governing body for surfing.

Fink has been training hard in Nazaré since mid-October, getting used to his equipment and the technicalities and mechanics of the Atlantic wave canyon.

Lucas "Chumbo" Chianca is his partner on this quest.

The Brazilian big wave surfer won the 2018 Nazaré Challenge and is one of the most experienced riders and jet ski drivers at Praia do Norte.

Chianca is towing his fellow countryman into the fast-moving mountains of water produced in the North Atlantic during Europe's winter season.

And the more Lucas Fink gets in sync with Nazaré, the bigger and better the waves he descends.

"I've been testing equipment, synchronizing with the crew, and connecting with this magical place," explained Lucas Fink.

"I've been having fun and pushing my limits. It's been amazing trying to tame these giant waves with my skimboard."

"We've had magical moments from early in the morning until late afternoon. I'm doing what I love most and learning a lot in this mystical place."

A Matter of Time and Swell

The 23-year-old Brazilian is taking the Nazaré skimboarding project seriously.

Lucas's work continues in small shore break waves and out of the water, with Pilates applied to functional training.

Fink has even tasted the power of Nazaré's main beach break, a wave that sometimes roars to life south of the iconic lighthouse and Praia do Norte.

Can the Itacoatiara local put skimboarding in the limelight and boost its popularity worldwide?

The answer is yes. It's just a matter of time and swell.

SkimsGiving: skimboarding with a purpose

2021-11-19T12:28:55+00:00

Have you ever pondered the identity of your community?

It would be fair to think if you have, you would like to believe it was growing, lead with positivity, and pack to the gunnels with hope.

With an obvious bias, I believe this describes my local beach community.

On November 13, 2021, I attended the 2021 SkimsGiving skimboarding clinic hosted by Zap Skimboards, The Compound, Sarasota County, and The Twig at the North Jetty Park in Florida.

This event had the local pro team skimmers from Zap giving one-on-one instructions to the community, with The Compound providing skimboards.

The local county, Sarasota, supported the venue by allowing beach use when community gatherings are difficult, especially during a global pandemic.

In addition to The Compound and Sharky's Beach Club, they provided lunch for all participants.

Last but (most certainly) not least, the charitable organization The Twig was present in support of the event.

The Twig supports children in the foster care program by inviting them to select seven items - apparel, toys, undergarments, games, and accessories - every month and in two boutique shops.

Additionally, they provide life-building seminar programs where the children have a guest speaker teach them about life and/or job skills.

It's a homegrown organization here in southwest Florida with a very righteous mission that can use all the support it can get.

For more information, please visit thetwigcares.com.

Sharing the Stoke

The instructors at SkimsGiving are professional skimmers and team up-and-comers.

They provide first-time skimboarders with foundational skills, like running with your board, the one-step technique, surf etiquette, and much more.

Some of the groms were barely knee-high, and they all advanced as accomplished riders thanks to the instructors' work and dedication.

For the intermediate skimmers, instructors would ask them a simple question: "what do you want to learn?"

The goal is to improve and fine-tune their skills and boost their talent and potential. As a result, some riders learned new tricks, got into wave riding, and improved their foundational skills.

After the clinic, the event coordinator, Benny Ray, called all the participants up to the Zap tent.

He congratulated the participants on their learning and community-building attitude, and then, with the help of professional skimboarder Naji Taha, they drew a raffle for The Compound gift cards.

Zap also raffled several skimboards - one of the winners was a first-time skimboarder who got himself a brand new skimboard.

The grom also earned himself a full instruction day run by a professional athlete. Along with a new skimboard, it's the kind of impact that can change a life - it was really cool to witness.

Giving Is Caring

First-time skimmers learned to skim; groms made friends with other like-minded groms, and community leaders and parents celebrated their kids' success.

On top of all that, two businesses proved that their ethics are more important than their profits while supporting a very deserving charity.

I've heard in certain circles that skimboarding is dead or dying - to say that is to say that a community is dying.

In an act of defiance, the Sarasota skimming community is thriving.

Skimboarding, surfing, and the sea are staples in our community, and they aren't going anywhere.

Zap Skimboards and The Compound provide career paths, youth programs, and a path to a lifetime love of the ocean.

There is no downside.

Dear reader, here's a challenge: our "skimmunity" is better than yours. Prove us wrong.

Words by Mikey Sanderlin | Skimboarder

Manasota Beach: a unique Floridian skimboarding spot

2021-07-28T12:15:31+00:00

As a skimboarder, I have recently visited Manasota Beach, a small beach located in Englewood, Florida.

The way I, and most visitors, arrive at this spot is via Manasota Beach Road, which ends with a small drawbridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).

The main structure of the road features well-maintained restrooms, showers, and vending machines.

When you enter the beach, you follow a sidewalk with large and small shark teeth set into the concrete that leads you to a ramped boardwalk past a lifeguard shack in the center of the beach.

The beach is long and wide with thick sand that doesn't blow in the wind as easily as the sugar sand from the beaches to the north.

The Riding Conditions

This heavy sand slides really nicely and works great as wind weight.

Aqua blue water fades out into deep tones of green and blue, lining the sand and making the backwash of crashing swell appear extra bright white.

The beach transitions nicely to the water, allowing for effortless sand or water drops to skim.

The crescent shape of the beach provides subtle conditional changes, giving a variety to the swell.

The conditions on our visit were as follows:

Water Quality: medium/low red tide present in low ppm;
Weather: Southwest Florida in its summer glory with hot 87-91 °F (30-32 °C), sunny, and wind out of the northwest;
Swell: mostly mid-to-small swell sets spaced with two-to-three green waves sized 1-2.5 feet;

The Skim, The Scene, and The Community

Low tide, high tide - it doesn't matter. There is always something to slide.

However, our favorite period was falling tide with wind out of the northwest. These conditions produce hip-to-chest-high waves and several small wedges across the beach.

Like most things in nature, this isn't consistent; it's just our experience.

We spent three days skimming in preparation for our review of the beach.

We had two days of the falling tide with a northwest wind and one day of low-to-no wind with a northeastern swell.

The northeastern swell was a lot of fun and technical - timing is critical.

If you visit this spot and can't wait for "perfect conditions," it seems almost every evening after 5-6 pm, there is something to skim.

The scene at Manasota is ideal. There is a medium/large group of locals that skim here regularly.

I do admit I am biased as I am a local. However, it is an unspoken rule that all are welcome.

The more experienced skimmers are like big brothers to the less experienced, regardless of age.

If you are visiting, it is easy to find yourself unconsciously a part of the group, running defense from beach walkers or being cheered on when you slam a ride.

Red Tide and Sandbars

Let's be realistic. Every beach, swell, or scene has its downfalls, so for the real-life skim problems, we focused on the obvious.

First, one of the worst Florida leviathans, the "Florida Beach Walker." This amphibious humanoid has a direct wormhole to your line.

The beach walkers here are abundant, grazing for shells and switching to Karen mode upon the first site of skimmers.

To be fair, the beach is for everyone, and most skimmers would agree that a bit of etiquette would go a long way.

Worse than the beach walker is the current red tide, which is appearing at low levels along the Manasota Key.

In some years, red tide is especially concerning due to the supercharger up in Tampa, known as Piney Point. Red tide is an algal bloom with a very high concentration of algae.

The species Florida's Gulf Coast is known for is called Karenia Brevis.

This algae phenomenon is very concerning because of its significant impact on land and marine life.

Unfortunately, in 2021, the bloom caused massive fish kills from Tampa Bay to South Sarasota.

Also, it has made many beaches uninhabitable with dead fish, terrible aroma, and the signature respiratory irritation.

The good news is that this, too, shall pass.

For more information on the red tide, I recommend starting with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website.

It has excellent links and palatable information.

Closing our focus on Manasota Beach, we often found the swell breaks late and close to shore due to shallow depths and sandbars.

It is a far contrast from the east coast of Florida. But we have to play our cards, right?

The waves aren't huge, but they do pose different challenges and are still a lot of fun.

Whether you are on vacation or just looking for a different shoreline, Manasota Key has something to offer you, with a variety of conditions that require little planning.

The technical skimboarding break and the incredible community are reasons enough to check it out.

Words by Mikey Sanderlin | Skimboarder

Foam vs. wood skimboards: what's the difference?

2021-06-22T15:32:35+00:00

Skimboarding is a highly versatile sport that can be practiced and enjoyed both in and out of the water.

A skimboard is a finless, solid, and smooth plank that can be ridden in shore break waves and also inland, wherever there's a thin layer of water.

The sport has two main disciplines - wave and flatland skimboarding - with different requirements when it comes to equipment.

How to wax a skimboard

2021-06-16T14:13:07+00:00

Wax is often used to help you stick to your skimboard while flatland or wave skimming.

There are specific techniques for waxing a skimboard so that it sticks to your board, and so do you.

The surface of a skimboard is slippery, which is great for the side in contact with the water but not good for under your feet.

The different types of skimboarding rails

2021-06-10T15:43:40+00:00

Rails are a very important technical feature in flatland skimboarding.

However, when discussing a skimboarding rail, there are two meanings.

One refers to the edges of the skimboard that run from nose to tail, and the other is a type of ramp or obstacle that a skimmer uses to launch off or do tricks.

This article refers to the ramps. If you want more information on actual skimboards, check out the article on their anatomy and characteristics.

If you dream of becoming a professional skimmer or gaining any recognition in flatland skimboarding, doing tricks using a skimboarding rail and various objects is a must.

There are many different styles of skimboarding rails, most of which you can easily build yourself.

The easiest are the ones that you ride and don't have to ollie to get onto.

These are some of the most common styles:

The Up-Rail

The up-rail is a long, slight slope up from the sand with a drop-off on the other end.

It's the most basic style, but it's great for doing all sorts of tricks, either while on it or at the drop-off.

The Curved Kicker

The curved kicker is similar to a skateboarding kicker. It is a short ramp with a sharp curve up that is awesome for launching off.

More advanced rails incorporate curves and ups and downs or are built higher, so they must be ollied onto.

The Box

Like the up-pail, the box is also very basic - and easy to build - but instead of sloping up, it is just a long container essentially that has to be ollied onto.

It's a great option for focusing on tricks.

The Roller Coaster

The roller coaster is a very advanced rail.

It is often built as a ride-on so that no speed is lost, as momentum is essential to make it to the end of it.

As the name implies, it is built with ups and downs and sometimes angled curves, usually with a drop-off or kicker at the end, and looks amazing when ridden well.

These are some of the most common styles of skimboarding rails for flatland skimming, but of course, you can build one any way you want - the only limit is your own imagination.

So, get out there and build some sweet rides, share them with the skim community, and let everyone know what works well and what doesn't.

You don't always need a rail, though.

DIY Obstacles

There are several obstacles that you can use to ollie, grind, slide, etc.

Propped-up PVC pipes work well, and so do logs, rocks, boats, pylons, etc. - pretty much anything will do the trick.

As with all sports, injuries from skimming are unavoidable.

Nevertheless, when using ramps and other obstacles, the potential for injury is even greater.

It is often not a case of "if" but rather "when" and to what degree.

Since obstacles add to the element of possible damage, there are a few tricks you can do to ensure that the rails you ride are as safe as they can be.

The first step is to ride a well-built, solid skimboarding rail, one that is built using screws, not nails.

It seems common sense, but since when is sense common?

They always take a beating, so the structure is important if you don't want it to come crashing under you while you're hitting it.

Make sure there are no sharp or unfinished edges anywhere.

Some ride-on ramps that dig in the sand are OK to have longer pieces of PVC piping at the start so they can be dug deep into the sand.

They can also help with stability, but the best way is to finish all open ends of the PVC piping by blocking them with another PVC piece that can go across at each end.

Words by Nicole Rigler | Skimboarder

The most common skimboarding injuries

2021-05-31T14:36:14+00:00

Wounds and injuries are just part of any sport. Let's take a look at the particular injuries affecting skimboarders.

There are the basic abrasions, bruises, sprains, and strains that often plague frequent skimmers and the more nasty deep cuts and broken bones.

Most injuries from skimboarding are recurring pains caused by intense, repetitive actions, which are - eventually - unavoidable, although treatable.

In other words, if you are willing to put in the time and effort to keep yourself strong and limber, you may minimize lesions and physical trauma.

The first and most important bit of advice one can give you is to stretch - often. Yoga, for instance, is an excellent go-to option.

Every skimboarder and water sports enthusiast wants to get out there and hit some waves, but stretching is critical.

Your body will thank you, and you will be hurt less often; hence you will be able to skim more. And isn't that the goal?

A little goes a long way, so it's definitely worth it to stretch before, during, and after a skim session.

The second piece of advice is to exercise.

Yes, we've all heard it before, but we can't stress enough how important it is to keep your body fit and strong, especially in areas such as the knees, hips, and back.

These areas go through high-stress levels due to the extreme running, landing, and twisting motions skimmers inflict upon their bodies.

So, you've heard it before, and you'll hear it again - a strong body will recover faster than a weaker one.

It's just smart sense to keep fit if you are serious about skimboarding.

Stay Fit and Anticipate Yourself

A skimboarder destroyed her knee from a nasty bail, after which she could barely walk, let alone skim.

The doctors said she would probably always have a limp. She had to have surgery and wasn't able to skim for almost two years.

But because she had always been very fit and kept up with her training, she was finally able to walk, run, and bike.

She even tried a couple of easy tricks on a skimboard with no limping.

The best injury is no injury. While that is not exactly possible, there are some techniques you can employ to lessen the risk:

Preventative maintenance;
Fall with style;
Skim etiquette;

At some point, however, getting hurt is inevitable.

There are many different types of injuries a skimmer can endure. Some will be quick to heal, while others will continue to reoccur due to repetitive strain injury.

Take a look at the most common injuries related to skimboarding.

Foot and Ankle Injury

Injuries to the foot and/or ankle are probably the most common injury among skimboarders.

They range from a minor bang by a board to a serious sports injury, often due to repetitive strain, twisting, and/or stomping on a hardboard.

Quite often, skimmers' heels become badly bruised to the point where it is too painful to land on a board.

Also, the dangers of an out-of-control board flying through the water like a ninja death star can (and will) cause a serious skim injury by laceration of the ankle or wherever it hits.

Skimboards are hard, and they can slice and dice, and it hurts - a lot - especially when they hit the sensitive areas that they usually do, such as the part of the ankle right near the bone.

There are strengthening exercises specifically driven to avoid nasty ankle injuries and techniques to treat them when they happen.

Knee Injury

Knee injuries are not fun and should be avoided at all possible costs because they can often be the end game.

Obviously, no one goes out to intentionally smash their knee up, but there are at least ways to either avoid it or at least minimize the damage.

Find ways to strengthen your knees and avoid hurting them.

Spinal Injury

Spinal injury is probably the worst as it affects your whole body.

Because skimboarders are constantly twisting in obscure positions and getting thrown around, they also frequently suffer spinal skim injuries.

Who has never had a spinal injury from skimming?

Stretching and strengthening your back, core, and shoulder muscles are key to avoiding long-lasting, permanent spinal damage.

Groin Injury

We all know how much these hurt, and because we use our legs starting from the groin area every day in every action, it takes a long, horrible time to heal.

The best way to prevent groin injury is to stretch.

Hip Injury

The average person would think skimmers are a bunch of old fogeys, the way they complain about their hips.

But the fact is that hip flexors are under great strain from all that running and twisting.

Exercises that promote strength in your hips will enable you to run faster, further, and longer.

Sand Rash, Cuts, and Abrasions

Sand tattoos are minor annoyances that are difficult to avoid unless you know how to skim without falling. But we have yet to meet such a person.

This skim injury is mostly caused by crashing into the sand, sometimes scraping along rocks and shells.

Fortunately, the better skimmer you become, the fewer tattoos you will acquire as you fall less often, and when you do, you learn to fall with style.

Fungal Infection

Do you see spots on your skin? From time to time, you may notice strange whiteish spots on your body.

There may be just a few small ones or lots of big and little ones.

Don't worry - chances are it's not skin cancer, although it never hurts to get checked out.

Fungi don't cause any harm to you, but they can be gross and contagious. If not treated, it will grow even though it's quite common.

It is probably caused by spending lots of time in wet environments, and there are not many skimboarders who can do that.

The cure is simple. Get yourself a moisturizer and lather your body.

One or two applications in as many days should be sufficient.

You could also get a prescriptive cream, but a shampoo used to treat certain scalp infections or dandruff might solve the problem.

Nevertheless, chances are you will get the fungus more than once.

After treating your body, the offending spots will still show, even if the fungus is gone.

They will only disappear once they have either tanned to match the rest of your skin or when your tan has faded to match the spots.

Surfer's Ear

Hearing loss is a common sign of surfer's ear or, technically speaking, exostosis, which is abnormal bone growth in the ear canal.

Frequent ear infections and an inability to clear water and other debris from the ear are other sure indications.

Surfer's ear is an irritation caused by the cold wind and water that makes the bone grow lumps into the surrounding ear canal.

The symptoms of exostosis are as follows:

Hearing loss, especially noticeable in one ear more than the other;
Pain, crackling, or popping inside your ear;
Water trapped inside your ear;
People tell you to turn music or TV down or that you talk too loudly;
You constantly ask others to speak up;

If you feel you've got exostosis, visit an otorhinolaryngologist.

Then, if impossible, make sure you get a second opinion - not all doctors are familiar with surfer's ear.

If you suffer from exostosis, prepare for seriously invasive ear surgery.

Treatments are always advancing, but one of the most common methods is to slice off part of your ear and drill into your ear around easily damaged, sensitive nerves, which can leave half your face paralyzed with one wrong, small slip.

In the end, the surgeon will stitch your ear back on. You won't be able to get back to the water for a while after.

The best way to prevent exostosis is simple - use earplugs every time you get to the water. Surfer's ear is easily avoidable.

There's a growing number of skimmers and surfers who absolutely will not go skimming and surfing if they forget their earplugs.

Another option is to wear a hood if it's really cold out there.

Sun Blindness

The future's so bright, so make sure to wear sunglasses.

Think about it for a moment - you're out there all day in the blazing sun, staring directly into the glorious, glaring ocean.

While you're busy spotting for that next wave, the sun is burning into your retinas. Ok, not exactly, but it is damaging your eyes.

There are several health issues associated with excessive solar exposure, including photokeratitis and solar retinopathy.

The constant glare will cause a growth to form over your eyeballs, which can only be removed via a scalpel, scraping the surface of your eye - while you are awake.

Fun right? Well, if you like lots of pain, then you're in for a double treat.

If this doesn't sound like your idea of fun and you would like to continue to use your eyes to see, wear your sunglasses.

Of course, you can't wear them while skimming, but wearing them every other second can possibly reduce the possibility of damage.

Hats can also be helpful in reducing direct sun rays aiming to burn holes into the windows of your soul.

Plus, they can also be worn whilst skimming.

Words by Nicole Rigler | Skimboarder