SkimChicks OC register write up

[paddymack]

http://www.ocregister.com/news/skim-...on-chicks.html
They think they are gonna be able to LIVE off skimboarding... its worth a look

[wardovision]

Too be honest these articles have left me a little confused about the "skim Chicks". Are they working to promote skimboarding in general or just themselves? Seems like somebody has some pretty good contacts that could of previously been used to help the sport get some needed exposure. I mean I'm torn. On one hand I'm stoked for them but on the hand it seems a little self serving. Is there going to be a separate tour or are they going to "do their own thing" while utilizing the UST's resources


edit: Pamela, are you on here? You seem like an extremely talented and motivated individual and if you have been involved in skimboarding for over a decade I'm wondering why I haven't previously heard your name mentioned as someone working to help the sport. You do realize that if the sport was bigger and had more exposure there would be a bigger piece of the pie for the women. I know when I arrived on the scene in 2003 it seemed like there was already a decent woman's movement (in fact i could of sworn the women got money at the 2003 Victoria but not after) but it died for a few years for some reason. Maybe if you had previously been involved over the years it wouldn't be that way and you also wouldn't feel like an outsider.

[Richard]

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocre...gr4ntvej.1.jpg

is this a chick? i can't really tell

[paddymack]

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocre...gr4ntvej.1.jpg

is this a chick? i can't really tell

Hes from France, but in no way does that make him a chick whatsoever.

[I and I]

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocre...gr4ntvej.1.jpg

is this a chick? i can't really tell

That is Muchu riding. The article is a little misleading, Help Bluewater was putting on an event and had skimchicks, Beaker and Muchu to put on a demo. Some how the article ended up just being about skimchicks and not about the cause.

[wardovision]

that's kind of weak. got a link for Blue Water or more info on their cause?

edit: Is this them? http://www.facebook.com/pages/BLUE-W...E/256995434334

[I and I]

http://helpbluewater.com/

[wardovision]

thanks

[Richard]

Hes from France, but in no way does that make him a chick whatsoever.

haha i had a feeling that it was a guy but it was kind of weird since the entire article was pretty much about chicks...

sick picture though!

[McShwappin]

maybe spend less time doing interviews, and more time upping your skill set. You ever notice how even the most famous surfers aren't the people everyone wants to hang out with? This isn't prom...it's not a popularity contest. Swallow your pretty pink pride and combine forces with the men who run/dominate this sport, and you might carve yourselves a nice little niche on the UST.

Seriously...this is what? Two articles in a month? I never would have thought that skimboardings "big break" would come in the form of girls who are in no way, shape, or form, even CLOSE to posessing the skills of their male counterparts...in fact...it seems like SkimChicks is banking on the fact that they're not as good as the men, but just as tough, to win hearts and minds of future spectators.

its like...what has Beaker been doing the last decade? Oh yeah...BLOWING MINDS...



yeah I'm a chauvenist pig blah blah blah

[Jaleez]

I think its great skimboarding is getting exposure, but even I am a little confused with the hyping of girl skimboarding. I have mixed feelings too because its guys like Paulo en Domke who are really pushing the sport to new levels. Not so much us girls right now. I mean 99% of girls are awful and then there is 1% pretty decent, but compared to guys we pretty much still suck.

If skimboarding grows in general, girl skimboarding will grow as well, but I still feel like we should be pushing our pro's first. The guys who actually make something happen on a board.
I seriously get the feeling that girl skimboarding is sometimes mostly about posting pics of yourself in bikini while holding a skimboard and showing some booty at the beach, and not about actually getting better. In a men's world, to me girlskimboarding sometimes feels like an attempt to become the ''cool skimgirl'' which would be equal to the hot surfchick.
No joke and it bugs me, if all the girls wanna get pro girl skimboarding, they should start pushing themselves a lot more before getting all this attention.. Only 2 girls can kinda live up to the expectation created. That is NOT enough. So us girls should prove ourselves first, before we complain about female rights...

Another problem is that there are not enough girls out there dedicated enough to actually become professional. To skim in the winter, break their pretty faces, go home bruised, etc.. Skimboarding is tough! Too tough for some, which will be a big problem when we are looking to start professional girl skim tours... For example at Oktoberfest last year, girls dropped out because of the ''weather'' and because the waves were not decent enough. How is that mentality gonna do skimboarding any good?

So chicks, go out there, get better, be dedicated and get attention because youre good, not because the internet makes you look good in bikini or because the spot for international ultimate skimqueen is still open.

p.s. Pamela, obviously this is not against you. Also we're still supposed to go skim together next time im in CA . Im talking about the level of girlskimboarding in general. I definitely dont wanna come off negative about you trying to give our sport some exposure!!

[Blkskimmergrl]

^ I agree 100% as a female skimboarder myself I feel like most girls are there for the aesthetic aspect as in looking cute showing off their bodies and all that jazz. I personally am not that type I do the sport because I have a passion for it and I push myself harder everyday I'm out there. The pros such as the ones you mentioned are def getting the word out that skimboarding is here. Skimboarding is not for those girls who can't take the bumps or bruises

[paddymack]

I wanna see the skim chicks catch a sider before they start reaping the benefits some one else deserves.

[SLMPhotos]

haha i had a feeling that it was a guy but it was kind of weird since the entire article was pretty much about chicks...

sick picture though!

Thanks, I shot it

[koekiemonster]

^ I agree 100% as a female skimboarder myself I feel like most girls are there for the aesthetic aspect as in looking cute showing off their bodies and all that jazz. I personally am not that type I do the sport because I have a passion for it and I push myself harder everyday I'm out there. The pros such as the ones you mentioned are def getting the word out that skimboarding is here. Skimboarding is not for those girls who can't take the bumps or bruises

Do you really think that MOST of the girls who do skimboarding, do it to look good and show off their bodies? I find that hard to believe, there are more effective ways to look pretty. And if there are some girls skimboarding for that reason, I don't care.

I'm curious about this year's Vic contest with the girls pro division, how many girls there'll be competing and what the level'll be. Maybe the girls'll surprise everyone when they're skimming in good conditions, maybe not. Let's not argue too much about it and see what happens.

[Blkskimmergrl]

^yes I do. It's not all though, I could careless about looking pretty when I skim as well as friend who skims. She's dedicated she skims all year she's gotten her bumps and bruises all in an effort to get better. Plenty of girl skimboarders are not all about show. I feel like your ethier one extreme or the other

[Luff]

i dont think the concerns brought up here have to do with girls who skim and their dedication or reasons for skimming.

[239 $kim]

i don't even think its fair to compare mens skimboarding to the girls like comparing the NBA to the WNBA.... if that's even still around

but the NBA gets proportionally more media and exposure than the girls and this is the problem with skimboarding

[PAN]

I wanna see the skim chicks catch a sider before they start reaping the benefits some one else deserves.

yes!

[koekiemonster]

yes!

Hahaha, I'll let you guys know when I've cought my first sider. (There aren't any siders in Holland though...)

[Harry]

you're going to the wedge. NO EXCUSES!!

[Jaleez]

I hope Nienke is lucky enough to catch Wedge big, but from what I understand the autumn isnt the best season for a visit to wedge, more like springtime.
Even when I was there for 6 months Ive only seen it decent 2 times

[koekiemonster]

I hope Nienke is lucky enough to catch Wedge big, but from what I understand the autumn isnt the best season for a visit to wedge, more like springtime.
Even when I was there for 6 months Ive only seen it decent 2 times

I don't think I mind skimming a Wedge that's a bit smaller Jaleesa But we'll see, maybe I'll try, maybe it scares the shit out of me

[wardovision]

nah she's saying it's just not the right time of year for the Wedge not that that it won't be good. The Wedge doesn't always break and there been periods with only a handful of skimmable days in an entire year.

[(S3)]

I think this whole bit of hyping up the womens side of skimboarding plays perfectly into the hands of the UST Mens Pros. Let the chicks form their own tour, freeing up more time and space for the Mens Pros. I have said it before, and I will say it again, catering to side shows that do nothing to showcase the current talent level of professional mens skimboarding does nothing for the overall growth of the sport. It actually does more of a disservice by hiding the direction the sport needs to go.

[Aaron Peluso]

While I agree that showcasing the best the sport has to offer is the path we need to take, I disagree with the idea that a Women's professional movement has to be a disservice to the sport as a whole.

What I don't like about the way this is currently playing out is that it feels very antagonistic. Maybe thats just the impression that I get but I feel like the current skim industry is being accused of somehow holding women's skimboarding back... Maybe thats the wrong feeling...?

My experience at our Oktoberfest contest is that we have routinely not been able to get the women to even show up to compete. This even includes Shonna, who has only competed in it once out of 5 years (I think), despite personal phone calls encouraging her to come down and compete. I mean, from where I was standing 5 months ago I didnt even think she skimmed anymore (I dont live in her area though).

If the Women want a pro division I dont really have any problem with that. Who knows, maybe something good will come of it.

But I would MUCH rather see lots of women who genuinely are excited about the sport, skimming 5 days a week, year round, expressing genuine stoke. Maybe they exist in other areas, but what I see at the best spots in Laguna is 100% guys 99.9% of the time (although I did see some of the seal beach girls did show up at the wedge a couple weeks back, which was cool).

I think it takes more to be respected as a pro athlete than a pro division and an entry fee. If it were me, I would want to focus on the skill set and the dedication before going for the division. But maybe thats just me...

In the end, hey, more power to em. If they want to give this a shot there is no downside I can see. Maybe it will increase interest from Female skimboarders and I just don't understand how women think. Wouldn't be the first time...

[Blkskimmergrl]

Hopefully Ill be able to enter a contest by age 21

[Jaleez]

you already can, just do it

(although im probably the worst person to advice you on this, because skimming at contests scares the hell out of me :P, but yea so... go for it, go win that cup! haha)

I think this whole bit of hyping up the womens side of skimboarding plays perfectly into the hands of the UST Mens Pros. Let the chicks form their own tour, freeing up more time and space for the Mens Pros. I have said it before, and I will say it again, catering to side shows that do nothing to showcase the current talent level of professional mens skimboarding does nothing for the overall growth of the sport. It actually does more of a disservice by hiding the direction the sport needs to go.

I'm not sure if I agree with your statement.
There is only a certain amount of money available each year for sponsoring, contests, marketing, etc. The budget will stay the same. A womans division would take away from the total financial reserves within our sport. That is money that will not be invested in the male professionals who (in my opinion) have worked harder for it and deserve it more when looking at their skillset and dedication.

F/e, if within skimboarding the total amount of financial reserves for Male Pro's and Pro+Am Contests is $ 50.000,-.
And the girls have a Pro division that costs lets say $ 5.000,- total. There will only be will only have $ 45.000 left for the male pro's and other contests.
Basically money will be taken from those who have worked hard to get where they are, to invest it in a group of people who have not even really started to get the amateur competition going.

Once again, if there are chicks out there who are dedicated enough to reach the top, then they will reach it, with or without a womans pro division.
But the girls have had enough chances to show off their skillset at contests, yet it hardly ever happens.

Maybe we women should start attending contests first and actually get the competition going, before we start asking for a Womans Pro Division with a pricetag. Because maybe its just me... but I dont think talented girls really need a pro division to show what they can pull on a board.

However, amazingly talented chica's.. if youre out there, then please come out of your shell, show yourself to the world and please prove me wrong.

[ThatGuy]

What I don't like about the way this is currently playing out is that it feels very antagonistic. Maybe thats just the impression that I get but I feel like the current skim industry is being accused of somehow holding women's skimboarding back... Maybe thats the wrong feeling...?

agreed 100%

My experience at our Oktoberfest contest is that we have routinely not been able to get the women to even show up to compete.

Same here on the east coast, contest after contest I would go to would have 2-3 women and maybe 5-8 in the girls.

I think it takes more to be respected as a pro athlete than a pro division and an entry fee. If it were me, I would want to focus on the skill set and the dedication before going for the division. But maybe thats just me...

Every women's sport is like this though. Some major event like the world cup or the olympics comes around and the U.S. women do very well, then a Pro league pops up. The talent pool in all women's sports is so small due to the fact that few are dedicated enough to sacrifice everything to be the best, as many male athletes do.

The disparity between high level female athletes and the not-so high level is tremendous. Look at women's college basketball, UConn has destroyed everyone, before that was Tennesee and every now and then someone else will poke their nose in and win, while one of these programs is re-building.

[brittany]

agreed 100%

Same here on the east coast, contest after contest I would go to would have 2-3 women and maybe 5-8 in the girls.

.

Yes ive competed in alot of the east coast contests in the past year and some of them are just a joke.you go to a contest where you know your gonna place.

as for the skim industry holding women back, i dont think they are. the only people holding women back is themselves. most places i go other skimmers try to help me out and teach me how to do new things, although there are also the guys who think girls shouldnt skim, but that seems to be less of the skim population.

yes we might not get the best times in contests (but sometimes we do get decent times) but when there are very few people in the division it isnt taken very seriously, and they want to give the better times to the divisions where everyone isnt going to place

[paddymack]

If they are really looking, and think they deserve the best waves of the day... i think they should have to do coin tosses with the amateur mens division (the up and coming pros). I competed in Mens(18-21) division for as long as i was allowed. I can remember NEVER getting the good waves, ALWAYS going at the end of the day AFTER the girls. The 18-21 division rarely got lucky, but most of the time i was skimming in the WORST conditions.

So i think the Mens Pro division still deserves/should get the best conditions of the contest to showcase it for what it really is. And after that the Women can coin toss with the Am's.

[I and I]

While I agree that showcasing the best the sport has to offer is the path we need to take, I disagree with the idea that a Women's professional movement has to be a disservice to the sport as a whole.

What I don't like about the way this is currently playing out is that it feels very antagonistic. Maybe thats just the impression that I get but I feel like the current skim industry is being accused of somehow holding women's skimboarding back... Maybe thats the wrong feeling...?

My experience at our Oktoberfest contest is that we have routinely not been able to get the women to even show up to compete. This even includes Shonna, who has only competed in it once out of 5 years (I think), despite personal phone calls encouraging her to come down and compete. I mean, from where I was standing 5 months ago I didnt even think she skimmed anymore (I dont live in her area though).

If the Women want a pro division I dont really have any problem with that. Who knows, maybe something good will come of it.

But I would MUCH rather see lots of women who genuinely are excited about the sport, skimming 5 days a week, year round, expressing genuine stoke. Maybe they exist in other areas, but what I see at the best spots in Laguna is 100% guys 99.9% of the time (although I did see some of the seal beach girls did show up at the wedge a couple weeks back, which was cool).

I think it takes more to be respected as a pro athlete than a pro division and an entry fee. If it were me, I would want to focus on the skill set and the dedication before going for the division. But maybe thats just me...

In the end, hey, more power to em. If they want to give this a shot there is no downside I can see. Maybe it will increase interest from Female skimboarders and I just don't understand how women think. Wouldn't be the first time...

Very well stated.

[Jaleez]

I can remember NEVER getting the good waves, ALWAYS going at the end of the day AFTER the girls.

Poor you, you sound traumatized, do you feel the need to talk about this ? Ill buy you one of those weird 7eleven slashthings you like. haha

[paddymack]

Poor you, you sound traumatized, do you feel the need to talk about this ? Ill buy you one of those weird 7eleven slashthings you like. haha

that would make it a weeee bit better

[Blkskimmergrl]

[QUOTE=Jaleez;964606]you already can, just do it

(although im probably the worst person to advice you on this, because skimming at contests scares the hell out of me :P, but yea so... go for it, go win that cup! haha)

Thanks but its cool trust me competing in general scares me, I used to be so scared to run in track meets and such. because in the end its just you out there but you have to give it your all and thats all you can do, you have to go in there 100%.