A storm had brushed our shores, the tide was up and the moon would be a full one, creating ideal conditions with big waves during the 16th annual Mulligan’s Skim Jam hosted by shore lb. and sponsored by Mulligan’s Beach House.

More than 100 amateur and professional skimmers gathered at the Sexton Beach Plaza and did their best to ride the waves during the annual skimboard competition, billed as the largest one-day skim board competition in the world, and the final stop on the Skim USA Triple Crown tour.

Divisions were based on skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert and professional division, and were judged on wave selection, incoming and outgoing tricks, and the variety and difficulty of the maneuvers being executed.

Event organizer Chris Ellison, founder/CEO of shore lb., discovered skimboarding while visiting his grandparents in Vero Beach, and moved here after graduating from high school so he could continue the sport.

“Skimboarding is a combination of skating and surfing,” Ellison explained, noting that, as a result, it draws a variety of athletes. “It bridges the gap between those two extreme sports.”

Proceeds from the Skim Jam benefit the Vero Beach Lifeguard Association – a nonprofit whose mission is to promote water safety and lifeguarding.

Ellison also announced the launch of the Little Board Riders, a nonprofit founded to empower children through water sports.

“Our goal is to teach underprivileged children how to surf, skim, paddleboard and skateboard. We want to provide those children with the equipment to do these sports once they learn how to do each one,” said Ellison.

He said he was astonished at the number of children living less than 5 miles from the beaches who had never been to the ocean.

“A lot of people in our community don’t have the money or access to our beaches and these sports. We truly believe that surfing and skimboarding, paddleboarding and skateboarding allowed us to have some amazing experiences and travel around the world. We want to provide that experience to children that don’t have access to it or cannot afford it,” he explained.

After the last wave was caught and the last trick was completed, the contestants, friends and family members headed to Walking Tree Brewery for an awards ceremony where prizes were given for the day’s competition, and the Triple Crown winner was announced.

In March 2024, the shore lb Throw Down will be held at the Sebastian Inlet. For more information, visit shorelb.com or vbla.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis