Who Are The Most Successful Skimboarding Champions
The most successful skimboarding champions are the ones who not only become competitive champions but they are the people who also push the sport further. In this article, you will find out who some of the key people in skimboarding are, their bio’s, and how they help the sport.
These skimboarders have won many championships and some years ago when skimboarding was dying out, they helped re-popularise the sport through social media engagement, teaching, and film.
Austin Keen is likely the most famous skimboarder for his skimboarding stunts and Adrien Raza has done the most to push urban skimboarding and flatland skimboards to popularity. Skimboarding is now more popular than ever and is likely to see continued growth in the future.
Most Successful Skimboarding Champions
Blair Conklin
- BORN: 1995. Laguna Beach, California.
- RESULTS: 3 Consecutive World Champion Titles 2016, 2017, 2018.
- SPONSORS: Exile Skimboards, Reef
- INSTAGRAM: blairconklin
Blair Conklin was born in California at Laguna Beach, which is considered the home of skimboarding. Blair started skimboarding at the age of 4. By age 15 he was competing at a high level and even started teaching skimboarding at his hero Paulo Piretto’s skimboarding school in Laguna Beach.
From a young age, Blair loved the ocean and later went on to study environmental science at UC Berkeley. He combines these passions into helping the community via the Water for Waves project, which brings water filtration to third-world countries.
He continues to compete professionally. He has won 3 skimboarding world championships and was selected to compete at the first-ever wave pool surfing contest in Texas USA 2018.
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Austin Keen
- BORN: Savannah, Georgia USA.
- RESULTS: 2013 World Champion, Won 2016 VIC Laguna Beach Contest, 2 x GoPro Million Dollar Challenge Winner.
- SPONSORS: Exile Skimboards, LiquidForce, Mastercraft, Ford, and many many more.
- INSTAGRAM: AustinKeen
Austin Keen grew up in Tybee Island, the ocean side of Georgia, USA. In 2007 he drove a 1975 BMW (which he has recently restored!) from Tybee Island to Laguna Beach California to pursue his dream. Only a few years later he competed in professional skimboarding events.
He was crowned world champion after competing in the United Skim Tour circuit in 2013. Austin moved into a new sport, wake surfing, in 2015. He went viral online from a video where he skimboards a seemingly massive distance out from land onto a boat wake, which he then surfs.
Austin won the GoPro million dollar challenge twice and since then he continues to travel the world making outrageously athletic skimboard videos. His website quotes that he is the most shared skimboarder on social media. Bringing the sport to many more people.
He is an avid believer in inspiring others to work hard on their passions.
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Adrien Raza
- BORN: 1995, France.
- RESULTS: 4X European Skimboarding Cup Champion; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019.
- SPONSORS: DB Skimboards
- INSTAGRAM: AdrienRaza
Adrien Raza was born in France and now lives in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He started skimboarding at age 13 when a cousin took him skimboarding in France.
Since 2014 he has been competing professionally. Adrien has won the European Championships 4 times and competes internationally in the USA and further.
Recently, Adrien has been leading the way in Urban/Flatland skimboarding. Constantly innovating tricks and growing a huge social media following with urban skimboarding videos. He is widely regarded as the best flatland & urban skimboarder.
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Amber Torrealba
- BORN: 1990, Florida USA
- RESULTS: 3X Vic Women’s World Championship of Skimboarding, 2016, 2018, 2019.
- SPONSORS: Victoria Skimboards, Body Glove, Etnies & more.
- INSTAGRAM: AmberTorrealba
Amber was born in Melbourne, Florida USA in 1990 and started skimboarding at age 17. In school, she was an avid skateboarder and basketballer. However, decided to focus on skimboarding and filmmaking.
She has been competing since 2014 and has since moved to Laguna Beach, California. Amber continues to have a stellar career by claiming the women’s world champion title from the Vic World Championships event held in Laguna beach. She won the title 3 times overall. Firstly in 2016, 2018 & 2019.
Amber is a highly successful filmmaker and content producer. Working with companies such as RedBull, Motorola, and Adobe. She has a film coming out in 2022 about her journey from a hustling media professional in Florida to a professional skimboarder.
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Casey Kiernan
- BORN: 1994, Plam Beach, Florida USA.
- RESULTS: 2X Women’s World Champion
- SPONSORS: Zap Skimboards, Revolution Balance Boards & more.
- INSTAGRAM: Casey_lynn_kiernan
Casey got serious about skimboarding at age 15. Being frustrated at a lack of waves to surf one summer, she looked to people doing tricks on skimboards and was hooked.
She met Brian Hammer, who owned a skimboarding company called ‘The Skim Source’. The company sponsored her and inspired her to push hard and start competing.
Casey went on to win the title of women’s world champion, twice. The second time, in 2016, she endured an ankle injury that threatened to ruin her entire season. She overcame the surgery and rehabilitation to take the title. Casey considers this to be her proudest win, and rightfully so.
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Sophia Nguyen
- BORN: 2003, Pensacola, Florida USA.
- RESULTS: United Skim Tour Champion 2017, 2018, 2018, 2019, 2021.
- SPONSOR: Exile skimboards
- INSTAGRAM: Sophia_win26
Sophie wanted to surf, but her mum did not allow it. So she went skimboarding instead. Her first victory was at 14 years old and she hasn’t stopped competing since.
Winning the United Skim Tour (UST) 4 times, she has proven herself to be a master of the craft. Sophia took out Amber Torrealba to take the 2021 UST win.
I think it is pretty safe to say that Sophie has a promising skimboarding career ahead of her if she wants it and it is great to see such a young talent pushing the limits.
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Gerardo Valencia
- BORN: 1996, Barra De Navidad, Mexico.
- RESULTS: United Skim Tour Champion 2021, 2017 National Mexico Champion.
- SPONSOR: ZAP Skimboards, Goviloop.com, Spice Skate, Equilibrium Project & more.
- INSTAGRAM: GeraValencia88
Gerardo Was born in Barra De Navidad, Mexico, where he still resides today. He started skimming at 15 years old after watching local guys “do jumps” on waves at his local beach. Gerardo was quickly skimming 5-6 days a week and became professional.
He notes his relationship with ZAP skimboards as best friends and also bosses. Gerardo is known for his larger-than-life positivity, passion for the sport of skimboarding, and many efforts inspiring others to work hard on their dreams.
Who Is Considered To Be The Best Skimboarder In The World?
It is quite debatable who is considered to be the best skimboarder in the world. The skimboarders mentioned above are all eligible for this.
Considering the United Skimboard Tour contests for 2021, the best skimboarders in the world are Sophia Nguyen and Gerardo Valencia.
While Austin Keen and Adrien Raza are the most noted skimboarders on social media for creating innovative content to bring skimboarding back into modern view.
Bringing skimboarding to more people on social media is important because skimboarding nearly died out some years back, however, is now growing faster than ever.
The skimboarding champions listed in this article are just a handful of the people out there moving the sport forward. Get in touch if you think anyone else deserves a spot on here.
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