Flatland Skimboarding: What is it and where did it originate?
Skimboarding originated in the mid-1920s as a tool for lifeguards to quickly race along the beach. Back then, they simply used a piece of wood and slid along the shoreline to reduce the time it took to reach beachgoers in need of help. Much has changed since then; foam skimboards conquered the wave world, and wooden skimboards evolved into flatland skimboards, allowing people to take their skateboarding skills to the beach. Skimboarding in the flatland and inland areas of the US has grown significantly in recent years, and for good reason: you can skim anywhere. A tide pool, a river, a flooded road, or your own backyard are all options in the world of flatland skimboarding. Pinpointing where skimboarding began outside of beaches and the ocean is impossible, but you can follow its growth through reputable riders, contests, and manufacturers.
An influential player in the rise of inland skimboarding is Jim Gordon, owner of J-Gordon Skimboards: “I started making skimboards around 1980, and my boards were made for waves,” Gordon says. “At first, I sold my boards to Go Skate in Santa Cruz, California. I didn't know they then sent the boards to their shop in Sacramento. When I found out, I asked if the guys in Sacramento had gone to the ocean. They told me they were sliding rivers in Sac and doing skateboard-style skimming, but there were no boxes or rails at the time; they just ollieed on logs and tables. Lon Porteous didn't join my team until the early '90s, but he said he's always had one of my boards, just like Mark Robertson. They're both like the Godfathers of Skim for flatland,” Gordon says. “As far as I know, they were the first to slide boxes and rails. The funny thing is, they were both kids when they rode my boards, and now they're middle-aged adults.”
Flatland skimboarding has always been there; it just took a turn for the better thanks to a series of events and people who caught its attention. Robertson, Porteous, and their crew created Skimfest for the upcoming generation of riders, like Matt Head, John Minns, Noah Lane, Tim Pepper, Kyle Lynch, and many other skimmers in Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, in British Columbia, Skullskates, Kayotics, and Zed Skimboards were some of the companies that pushed the sport forward and helped it grow. Later, Richard Doctor, Isaac Thomas, Tony Saddler, Timothy Mackey, Bryce Hermansen, and the rest of the Dash Point team created DB Skimboards in Washington state.
Flatland skimboarding has grown exponentially in the Pacific Northwest and Sacramento. Other areas where skimboarding existed and gained more attention were Utah thanks to Mike, Rich, and John Gardner, and Australia with Nemo skimboards. Other companies like Victoria and Surftech even began building flatland boards. “There was basically a huge push in the late '90s and early 2000s. It was during this time that most of the tricks were borrowed from skateboards or snowboards and implemented,” says skimboard legend Kyle Lynch. Kayotics, DB, and Blister Productions all released skimboard videos showing the world what you could do with a flatland skimboard in your backyard or wherever there was some water. Other flatland contests joined the Sacramento Skimfest, such as the Virgin River Classic in Utah, the DB Pro/Am in Washington, and the Zed Island Skim Sessions in British Columbia.
Skimboarding today
As riders and competitions emerged, sites like the former InlandSkim.com, Tydle Magazine, and InlandSkimMovement.com began promoting skimboarding. The more recent Skimboardculture.com (now SkimMagazine.com and Flatland Magazine) continues to spread news and videos to a wider audience than ever before. Riders now skim on the Great Lakes, in Texas, Louisiana, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Poland, England, and in mudflats, flooded golf courses, and fountains around the world. Flatland is no longer so unknown, and the scene has also moved to Europe, with top-level riders competing, and the birthplace of the European Skimboarding Cup, which has been in full swing since 2014. The flatland skimboarding scene continues to evolve and grow with each passing summer and has a promising future, thanks to riders who continue to push it to the next level.
Find your ideal skimboard at CAVEMAN-SHOP.IT!
On our online shop you will find various skimboards: the Flex, a flexible board perfect for getting big POP and for attacking rails and boxes on the beach, the Standard, one of the most versatile boards on the market, suitable for all conditions even on small waves and the Pro models custom designed for skimboard legends Isaac Thomas and Adrien Raza.
