Zap world skimboarding championships return to Dewey Aug. 8-10

The world’s best skimmers will join local athletes for the 43rd Annual Zap Pro/Am World Championships of Skimboarding from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Sunday, Aug. 8 to 10, on McKinley Avenue in Dewey Beach.

The event will draw an international field of competitors with a $10,000 pro prize purse.

Contestants will include four-time men’s UST champion Lucas Fink from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 2021 UST champion Gerardo Valencia from Barra de Navidad, Mexico; and Dane Cameron and Timmy Gamboa from Laguna Beach, Calif.

On the women's side, two-time UST champion Chabe White will be in attendance (injured); and competitors will include Julia Dias from Ubatuba, Brazil; and local favorites Sydney Pizza and Alex Yokely, both from Dewey Beach.

As part of the Skim USA Tour, the contest also features amateur divisions for men, women, boys and girls. A semiprofessional division also enables all amateur riders to compete against one another without age restrictions.

The professionals will run during the best window for quality waves, which may change depending on conditions throughout the weekend.

The combined prize purse for the pro men and pro women divisions will start at $10,000 and will likely grow as more athletes register. The prize purse for the pro men and pro women divisions will be equitably distributed based on the number of competitors in each respective division.

"Dewey Beach has always been a special place for skimboarding,” said Jason Wilson, contest director, Alley Oop Skim Camp owner and retired professional skimboarder. “With over 200 entries, this is the biggest skimboarding contest in the world. The community's support and enthusiasm for the sport are unparalleled. We're thrilled to bring the Zap World Championships here and showcase the incredible talent and spirit of skimboarding."

To learn more, go to alleyoopskim.com.