Skimboarding (or
skimming) is a
boardsport in which a
skimboard (much like a
surfboard but smaller and without fins) is used to glide across the water's surface to meet an incoming
breaking wave, and ride it back to shore. Wave-riding skimboarders perform a variety of surface and air maneuvers, at various stages of their ride, out to, and back with, the wave. Some of these are known as "wraps," "big spins," "360 shove-its" and "180s." Unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach by dropping the board onto the thin wash of previous waves. Skimboarders use their momentum to skim out to breaking waves, which they then catch back into shore in a manner similar to surfing. Another aspect of skimboarding is "flatland," which involves performing tricks derived from skateboarding such as
ollies and
shove-its on the wash of waves without catching
shore breaks. Skimboarding originated in Southern California when Laguna Beach lifeguards wanted to surf the local shorebreak that was too fast and shallow for surfboards. Skimboarding has developed since then to ride waves much like surfing, performing aerial maneuvers and pulling into the barrel of the wave.
