question about the United Skim Tour (UST)

[jrizz171]

ok so I've always done contests and stuff, but i think I'm pretty good now and would like to start getting involved in the UST.

i know that the UST is for pros in order to be ranked and what i wanted to ask is: do you have to be a pro rider for like a team or sponsored by a company to enter in the pro division of the UST? or could anybody enter in the pro division?

im skiing this because in the info for the ss shootout it says that qualified pros will be able to compete and i really don't know what they mean by "qualified".

so if someone who knows about this can help me out that would be great. also, if u did need to be a pro to enter...how do u even become considered a "pro" in the first place? thanks!

[Aaron Peluso]

SkimUSA has some sort of requirement where you have to place in the finals in at least one am contest I think??? Or something like that... Perhaps the skimUSA site has the precise details.

[jrizz171]

ohhhh ok so u have to be well ranked in skimUSA in order to compete in the UST. gotcha, thanks for the help

[Hank Snapp]

I don't necessarily think you have to be well ranked by SkimUSA, but like Aaron said you do have to place in at least one final (I personally thought it was 3 different finals, but that may have changed as it's been a while since I competed in a SkimUSA event).

I may be wrong on this, but I think SkimUSA helps run the SS Shootout event which is why there are qualifications to enter pro in that "particular" event (maybe others too on the east coast). Other UST contest are different however. For instance, the Exile/Main St. Surf Shop Oktoberfest doesn't have any pre-qualifications for a rider to enter in the professional division. I think Cabo is the same way??

I would offer that if a rider isn't placing in the finals in multiple amateur events they probably aren't ready to be skimming in the pro division. I've placed in the finals in 5 pretty competitive West coast events (2 Vic world championships 2nd and 4th, 2 Santa Cruz Skim Bash 1st and 3rd, and 1st at Oktoberfest), and I still don't think I would enter pro. I have thought about it, and while I think I could probably hang through a couple heats..maybe, realistically am I going to be able to take down Sam, Paulo, Blair, Brad, Austin, Bill, and the other x amount of guys that are hands down better than me to get to the money rounds...probably not.

Obviously there's nothing wrong with wanting to step it up, and if you feel ready then I say go for it! I'm definitely not trying to discourage you in any way, but just giving another perspective. Hey at least you know you'll skim in probably the best conditions of the contest!

[Aaron Peluso]

Its a SkimUSA requirement for Southside (which is a SkimUSA event) on whether or not you can go pro. SkimUSA has the requirement. It doesnt have anything to do with the UST.

Otherwise like Hank said... Come to Oktoberfest and give Sam your money

[jrizz171]

oh ok cool thanks for all that. i know 100 percent that i would not be able to beat those guys, maybe someday but definitely not now. i wouldn't compete expecting to be the next UST champ lol i just think it would be a cool fun thing to compete in and see how i stack up against other pros even top 30 would be cool for me at this point haha gotta start somewhere. ill see how i do in skim usa this year and maybe step up to the UST in 2013/14 (freshman year in college). but i know what u guys are saying, seems nearly impossible to compete with guys of that skill level.

[Aaron Peluso]

Honestly, even if you have matching skills you arent going to beat the top riders unless you know how to skim a heat like a boss. There is a ton of strategy and mind games that come into it and really the only way to get competitive is to practice and see how you do in am events. If you are ready for pro you wont have to ask about it on here

[jrizz171]

yea man i know what u mean skimming in a heat is soooooo much different from just skimming with friends obviously. so much always comes into my head right before i skim a contest. just keep an eye out for me AP hahaha

[xleoyangx]

Haha give your moneys to Sam x)

[jrizz171]

hahaha sadly it is true though. blair sam mo keen or domke.

[SANDSURFER007]

100 bucks makes u pro bro
50 bucks makes u semi-pro
Good luck

[jrizz171]

oh and if u guys know, for the skim usa contests my division is junior men is that considered amateur or is semi pro considered amateur? thanks

[Hank Snapp]

Junior men is considered amateur. SkimUSA contests also have a "semi-pro" division that is a little more expensive to enter than the amateur portion $50 as stated above I believe (when I did it like 4 years ago, I think you were still able to compete in your age division as well, but things may have changed). Basically it's geared towards up and coming pros and you could be competing against a wide age range where as junior men is generally a smaller age range with riders of a lot of different skill levels. I believe if you place first there is some type of cash that's put aside for you through SkimUSA for when you "go pro"...

[jrizz171]

oh ok thanks, yea the jr men is like $35 . but thanks for clearing that up i didn't know what was considered amateur vs semi pro or pro haha definitely have to get out for as many skim usa events as i can this year