If you follow skimboarding you most likely have heard the name Lexi Hutchings before and you most likely know she rips. Lexi is a 26-year old skimboarder originally from St. George, Utah who moved to San Diego two years ago. Lexi has been skimboarding since 2000 and currently rides for DB Skimboards.
For this issue’s skimboarder profile Kelli Bean took the time to ask Lexi some questions about her skimboarding career past, present and future. Enjoy!
Q: Who were your role models growing up and who pushed you in the sport?
A: Rich Gardner. He was always the one winning and doing crazy stuff back when I started! I also looked up to many Sacramento, California riders like Tim Pepper, Noah Lane and Matt Head. Then of course, all the DB super shreds I look up too. They absolutely kill it and have such great style and consistency!
Q: Describe your style of skimboarding?
A: I would say smooth, consistent, rail riding and getting technical!
Q: Where do you normally skim?
A: Ocean Beach at low tide in San Diego, California as well as in St. George, Utah, most my life.
Q. How has moving to San Diego affected your flatland skimboaridng?
A. Moving here has been much different for flatland. You have to go at low tide, so sometimes low tide will be when I’m working. Only benefit is you can skim all year. Where in Utah winters usually too cold and water is too high. Also, it’s a lot different as far as who I skim with. Usually only me or a couple people are at the beach in San Diego skimming, where in utah quite there is always crew. Hardly any jibs/rails out here too. I still do get out quite a bit. I definitely don’t go as much as I did in utah, but still as much as I can.
Q: Whom do you normally skim with?
A: I have a good friend Sara Holt who is also from Utah. We usually go out together. If I am back in Utah, I always skim with “The Team” aka Addison Foote, Austin Griffin and Weston Wilson.
Q: Describe your competition history – highlights, good and bad?
A: I have won every flatland competition I have ever entered. The most memorable highlights were when I used to place in men’s intermediate and in Australia, I placed 5th in men’s pro. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of competitions where I get so nervous. I ride like crap and I hate that. So I try to keep the fun factor in mind these days! Ride and have a good time, but push myself as well.
Q: You and Jen Jacobs have a history of competing against each other, what was it like being friends/rivals?
A: Jen is a very cool girl, we are definitely good friends now. But yes, back then there were not a lot of talented girls so I would get nervous when we competed. Jen could do most rails and ride good flatland so it was cool!
Q: Have you ever taught skimboarding? What was your experience like?
A: Yes, I used to teach camps a lot. I started in 10th grade. I loved it! No better feeling then seeing a kid stoked when they first learn to get on the board or learn their first trick! It’s exciting.
Q: What is your favorite trick?
A: I love rail riding the most, different setups, and for flatland any tricks with a lot of pop are fun!
Q: What are your future skimboarding goals in terms of tricks?
A: I need Blake Zimmerman to teach me a kick flip! I’m close on my bigger spins; I also want to get more technical on rails!
Q: How do you handle your role model status with the girls in the scene?
A: I hope the other girls see me as a positive rider pushing the sport! That I love what I do and you can really accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Q: So many female flatland riders want to skim like you; do you feel a sense of responsibility to the community to not let them down?
A: I want to be the girl who is pushing flatland so yes, I would obviously like to get better and better. I want to show them it is possible for a girl to land these hard tricks and rails.
Q: Where would you love to travel to skim?
A: Europe, New Zealand, and Philippines. Anywhere there is good skim really!
Q: If you could snap your fingers and have everything you ever wanted in terms of a skimboarding career, what would it look like?
A: Ha! It would be awesome if the sport were large enough to make money and a career out of skim. I also always wanted to own my own board company! I understand the sport is just not there, so I do it for the passion and the cool people you meet along the way!
Q: Where do you see the sport going in the future?
A: I really don’t know. I think it’s always continuing to grow. It has come such a long ways since I started! I hope eventually more big sponsors will come on board and help support the sport.
Q: What riders are currently pushing the sport?
A: I think there are so many people out there all the time pushing the sport. To be honest, I think the DB Team has pushed the sport of flatland skim the most. With the constant filming, photography, putting out videos, making quality boards and having such a solid team to back the sport.
Q: How do you stay active as an all around athlete?
A: I do a lot! Skateboarding, skimboarding, going to the gym, running and eating healthy. It really is a lifestyle!
Q: As a 26-year-old Athlete, what direction would you like your career to take to get to the next level?
A: Unfortunately I don’t know if I have an option for a career in the sport. Unless you own a board company, it would be hard to make it. I will always be active and continue to push myself through sports. It’s what I love! But for a career, I am hoping to study nutrition and peruse that.
Q: What other board sports do you enjoy?
A: I pretty much love all board sports! Skating, skimming, longboarding, wake surfing, wake boarding. I just got sponsored this year for LPD (long distance longboarding). My sponsors also hook me up with a slide board so I have been getting into that. I want to do both. I want to set records for all the female marathons!
Q: Any encouraging words to share for other girls who deal with criticism, pressure and rejection?
A: I feel like people respect what I do, but I get the occasional person who says, “Why are you not ocean skimming?” It sucks because they go off on how they think flatland is so lame. But I just ignore them because I still think flatland skimming is cooler than any other sport I have ever done!
Q: Tell us something that people may not know about you?
A: I always wanted to be a boy when I was little!
Q: What makes you happy?
A: Being active, eating healthy and surrounding myself with good people!
Q: Last words?
A: Thanks to all my sponsors and everyone who supports our sport of flatland!!
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