Words: Jason Wilson / Video: Devin Demenezes / Photos: Jeff Mathis
The Zap World Championships of Skimboarding took place in Dewey Beach, DE on August 11th - 13th, presented by Alley Oop Skim and Skim USA. As the second longest running skimboarding event in the world at 41 years, this competition is always the largest and most prestigious of the year!
Dewey Beach, DE, known as “The East Coast Skim Capital” is a deeply rooted coastal town on the Delmarva Peninsula that welcomes the best skimboarders from around the globe every August with crispy liners, hot night life, and authentic family vibes like no other! This year the competition weekend had special energy in the air that brought 2-3 foot swell, off shore winds, and overwhelming emotions that could be felt by all in attendance.
Team Zap destroyed the classic Dewey conditions, dismantling the competition, with poised wave riding and a progressive aerial assault led by our international crew. Gerardo Valencia from Mexico took top honors for our team in the men’s professional division with a very respectable 3rd place finish followed by Bruno Sá from Brazil in 5th. Casey McCullough and Sydney Pizza shined bright in the Women’s Pro division by finishing 2nd and 3rd with powerful turns and good vibes all weekend that continue to inspire all. Mens Professional UST points leader Yahir Valencia dropped insane combos throughout the competition as a major standout but suffered from an interference call leading to an unexpected quarter final exit. Our amateur squad stood strong and went harder than most all weekend, battling through heats of top riders from around the country. Gio Tomasi took the win with next level riding in the Mini’s. ET Beaugrand and Dylan Duncan flexed pro level skimboarding in the Men’s and Semi- Pro divisions. Chip Sanders skimmed faster than his competition and veteran Drew Fusco was a ripping positive force as usual!
Check out the amazing recap video above to get a feel for the weekend! Big shout out to Skim USA and Alley Oop Skim for producing a superior skimboarding competition! Thank you to all the generous sponsors and volunteers who donate money, prizes, food, services, and time to help make these events the best they can be.
About the United Skim Tour
The United Skim Tour is the world’s premier international professional skimboard tour. The UST exists as a sanctioning body for the professional division of skimboarding events on both coasts of the United States and abroad. The men’s professional division of the 2023 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 Mexico. The women’s professional division includes four competitions, two stops on the east coast, one on the west coast, and one in Mexico. For more information, visit the United Skim Tour website, Facebook and Instagram.
About Skim USA
Skim USA is a non-profit, youth-focused, skimboarding competition organization. The mission of Skim USA is to operate a program of skimboarding competitions, to increase exposure to the sport, and to recognize the athletic prowess of talented and dedicated youth athletes. Skim USA provides a comprehensive Professional and Amatuer competition environment with structure that promotes individual growth where they can develop skills they can enjoy for a lifetime. For more information, visit Skim USA!
