Skimboarding/skimming

A board sport that uses a board similar to a finless surfboard is skimboarding/skimming. Like surfing, participants ride breaking waves back to shore. The sport became popular in Laguna Beach, California, where lifeguards used pieces of wood to skim over the sand. However, the sport is also done across North and South America, Asia, Australia and several European countries. It can also be done inland (flatland skimboarding) or near lakes, rivers, ponds, puddles, creeks, golf courses and wet grass. Inland states in the US are largely responsible for the development of flatland skimming although it’s also developed along the The Great Lakes, Ontario and British Columbia. This is the same situation in Australia (Melbourne and Parramatta) and New Zealand (Wellington). Flatland skimming is rapidly gaining popularity in Europe with Poland having the largest population of skimboarders. The sport is also popular on beaches like Brazil’s BiagenRecife where surfing is not permitted or impossible. Where streams and rivers flow into the ocean, the beaches at these mouths are ideal for downhill skimming.