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By Rhea Catada
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Lean
forward to keep your
balance |
For something often considered as a petty beach
activity done on the shallowest of waters, skimboarding poses a lot
of risks—skin lacerations, bruises, broken bones, twisted
ankles—just like skateboarding or biking. But the sport’s
continuing rise in popularity attests to its lasting appeal. This
may not be as glamorous as surfing, windsurfing or water skiing, but
skimboarding has been making waves among water sports enthusiasts
lately.
Skimboarding combines the discipline, as well as
tricks required in skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing. Mostly,
this sport is done by the beach where waves break to the shoreline.
At a glance, skimming may look a lot like
surfing, but the moves that can be made here are far more complex,
plus you don’t need a huge swell to skim.
“It may seem like skimming is easier than its
counterpart [surfing], but it’s actually harder than it appears.
For starters, skimboards have no fins unlike in surfboards, so
it’s less stable and tougher to control,” said Vanessa Maturana
during one of her group’s skimming sessions. Maturana is a
skimboarder and adventure racer from the Nomads Outdoor Adventure
Club Inc. Nomads, a group of college students and professionals,
regularly organizes various outdoor activities like
mountain-climbing events, adventure races, and, since most members
are into skimming, it has been part of the group’s goals to
organize a skim fest one day to promote the sport.
“Skimming is actually more physically taxing
than surfing,” Maturana went on. “While surfers sit on their
boards as they wait for incoming waves, skimmers had to run on the
shore to meet the waves.”
Like other sports activities, skimboarding needs
tedious hours of practice. It can be pretty tough to master,
especially for those who don’t have a keen sense of balance.
“Skimboarding involves a lot of tough
maneuvers,” explained Vincent Palisoc, also from Nomads. “But I
still believe that anyone can skim as long as you try to learn the
basics first.”
With “basics,” Palisoc meant not only the
how-to’s of skimboarding, but the other essentials in the sport as
well: the board and the location.
“Before getting a board, you have to try
skimming first,” Palisoc went on. “Some beach destinations [like
Boracay] have people or establishments who rent out boards. You can
also borrow from skimming friends, if you have one. This way
you’ll know if this really is the sport for you. You’ll also
know what size of board fits you best.”
Skimboard sizes range from 30 to 48 inches.
Smaller and flatter wooden boards are easier on the pocket since you
can always have it custom-made from plywood. Those who can shell out
as much as P7,000 can go for the more modern fiberglass boards sold
in surf shops like Stoked, Inc., Aloha Board Sports, Inc. and Five
Forty Surf Shop.
“Smaller boards are designed for sand
skimming, while the bigger, pricier boards are best for reaching
waves,” explained Alvin Castro, also from Nomads.
Castro added that the size of the board depends
on the weight of the rider. Heavier skimmers need bigger boards for
easier maneuvering.
Finding the right spot for skimming is pretty
easy because basically any seashore will do. But if you prefer a
gentle glide, go for flat beaches. For short and speedy skimming, go
for beaches with steep shorelines.
Locations with the most ideal swells include
Purara Beach in Catanduanes, Caasinan Beach in Agusan del Norte,
Masao in Butuan City, Lanuza in Surigao del Sur, and, of course,
Siargao, also in Surigao del Sur.
Maturana explains how to maneuver a skimboard:
“Standard skimboarding is usually summed up in three words: Run.
Drop Slide.”
Holding the board on the tail and on the side,
run towards the thin film of water as the wave starts to approach
the shore. When the wave finally breaks the shoreline, drop the
board and leap on it in such a way that your body faces sideways.
Lean a bit forward to maintain your balance.
“When you leap on the board, try to do it as
smoothly as possible,” explained Palisoc. “If you jump on the
board with so much weight and effort, chances are you’ll bury the
board on the sand, throwing you off the board.”
Aside from the run-drop-slide basic, learning
how to keep one’s balance is still the toughest part for skimming
noobs. A lot of skimboarders would agree that you have to go through
days of muscle pains, bruises, and wounds before finally mastering
the art of skimming.
“Yes, it can be pretty tough at first. Some
even had broken bones trying to master skimboarding,” mused
Vanessa Maturana. “Once you finally learn how to slide easily,
skimming will then become pretty addictive.”
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