This Sunday (08/10), the Brazilian Lucas Fink lived a special moment. By winning the stage held in Dewey Beach, in the US state of Delaware, Lucas secured his PentacaCaCaCação World Skimboardmodality that combines elements of surfing with skate. He triumphed in all four stages of the current United Skim Tour season, the main professional circuit of the sport in the world.
The victory in the stage of Dewey Beach, which also secured the title of the circuit season, came after overcoming American Dane Cameron. Lucas added 26.53 points, including a 9.33 grade, against 23.70 of the rival. Before this year, he had already been world champion in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
– I am very happy for this achievement that specially marks the first ten years of my career as a professional. I chose this way to my life and I feel confident that the coming years and challenges will be the same success. I dedicate this title to all who somehow helped me: my team, my girlfriend, my family and, especially, my father – said the athlete, who is also a reference in the surfing of big waves.
Skimboard: What is
Skimboard is a sport that combines elements of surfing and skateboarding, usually practiced on the beaches. Its differential is in the use of a small board, with which the athlete runs from the sand to the water, sliding over shallow waves and performing maneuvers that require balance, technique and creativity.
Origin and History
Skimboard emerged in the 1920s in California, United States, as a recreational activity among young people looking for a way to enjoy the shallowest waves near the beach. Initially, the boards were handcrafted and used to slide on the thin water blade by the sea.
Over the decades, the sport has evolved, incorporating skate and surfing techniques, and expanded to other coastal regions of the world, such as Australia, Brazil and Europe. In the 1990s, the professional skimboard gained body, with the creation of international championships and circuits.
Sport Characteristics
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Board: Skimboard is practiced with a small board, usually about 80 to 110 cm long, made of light materials such as fiberglass, carbon or high density foam. The shape is thinner and more flat than the traditional surfing board.
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Technique: The athlete starts running in the sand to gain speed, throws the board forward in shallow water and quickly jumps over it, sliding toward the waves that break near the coast. From then on, it can perform various maneuvers, ranging from simple turns to jumps and skate -inspired complex movements.
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Environment: Skimboard is practiced on the beach where the water is shallow, taking advantage of small waves and breaks near the sand, which makes the sport accessible on beaches without large waves.
Modalities
There are basically two types of skimboard:
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Flatland Skimboarding (shallow water skimboard)
In this mode, the athlete slides the shallow water of the beach, doing maneuvers and tricks. It is quite similar to skateboard, but on the water. -
Wave skimboarding (wave skimboard)
Here, the goal is to reach the waves that break near the beach and surf in them, using the small board for fast and dynamic maneuvers, approaching traditional surfing.
Lucas Fink, for example, specializes in the second modality.
Professional scenario and competitions
The United Skim Tour is currently the main professional skimboard circuit in the world, bringing together the best athletes and promoting steps in different countries. The competition evaluates technique, creativity, maneuvering and score based on difficulty and style.
The sport has grown in popularity and Brazil is one of the powers of the international skimboard.
EQUIPMENT AND CARE
In addition to the board, athletes wear neoprene clothes to protect themselves from the cold and any impacts. Maintenance of boards requires attention to avoid cracking and ensure maneuvering performance.
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