Skim hits big 3-0

The World Championships of Skimboarding reaches a milestone anniversary this year with the 30th staging of the event at Aliso Beach.

The third leg of the 2006 Big Top Skim Tour presented by Allyance Clothing, the World Championships of Skimboarding begins at 9 a.m. today, continues Saturday and culminates Sunday with championship round action.

Competition runs through 4 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. An awards ceremony on the beach will cap Sunday’s festivities.

Previous Big Top Skim Tour competitions this year have been held at West Street Beach in April, and in Cabo San Lucas the last weekend in May.

“It’s a pretty big year for us,” said Trigg Garner, marketing and sales representative at Victoria Skimboard in Laguna Beach who is helping Allyance Clothing stage the weekend event. “One thing that is different this year is that we had online registration. It was quite a change for us.”

Garner said that registration for the event ended on July 20 and heading into the weekend, 130 competitors were expected to contend for various division titles.

In addition to several Laguna residents and those of the U.S., Garner said athletes from Japan, Australia and “hopefully” Chile and Portugal, will enter the competitions.

Divisions include Women, Men’s 8-and-under, Men 9-11, Men 12-14, Men 15-17, Men 18-21, Men 22-24, Men 25-29, Men 30-39, Men 40-and-up, and Pro.

Bill Bryan of Laguna Beach continued his dominance by winning the Pro Division last year. The 33-year-old, who will compete again this weekend, captured his 12th world title last year.

Third to Bryan last year in the Pro Division was Morgan Just of San Juan Capistrano. Just finished third despite competing with a No. 3 sprain on the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee.

The 20-year-old, who is competing in his 10 world championships, said he isn’t at full-strength for this weekend’s event, either: he will compete with a No. 2 sprain in the MCL of his right knee.

“But I’ll still be out there, fighting,” said Just, who has won the amateur title a couple of times in the past, and whose top finish I the Pro Division was second-place in 2004. “This is a fun competition because it’s the biggest one and it’s close to home. My family and friends will be down here, cheering me on.

“It’s the world championships, so let’s hope we get some good surf.”

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of both the World Championships of Skimboarding and Victoria Skimboards, Garner said a surprise party was held for Victoria Skimboards’ owner Tex Haines Wednesday at Ocean Avenue Brewery in Laguna Beach.

Last year’s division winners:

Pro division: Bill Bryan (Laguna Beach)

Girls’ 15-and-up: Shonna Cobb (Laguna Beach)

Boys’ 8-and-under: Jake Smith (Laguna Beach)

Boys’ 9 --11: Blair Conklin (Laguna Beach)

Boys’ 12-14: Sam Stinnett (South Laguna Beach)

Men’s 15-17: Ryah Arthur (Laguna Beach)

Men’s 18-21: Steve Taylor (Lake Forest)

Men’s 22-24: Erik Paulson (San Juan Capistrano)

Men’s 25-29: Paz Derham (Kihei, Maui)

Men’s 30-39: Anton Flewelling (Jacksonville “Jax” Beach, Florida)

Men’s 40-and-up: Ron Pringle (Laguna Beach)