Thomas Bell lives in Langley, British Columbia and frequently skimboards in White Rock, BC. He came up with a great idea to get people stoked on skimboarding and wanted to share it with the skimboarding world and hopefully we can help him out.
Rider: Josh Meadows | Photo: Thomas Bell
Last year was my first year of skimboarding also being the first time I’ve ever ridden a DB board. Since last year I’ve been hooked and have been devoting a lot of time building rails and jumps along with other features. I have been trying to get my close friends to get out of bed in the morning to meet me at the beach for a skim session more and more! As the summer moved faster I began to realize how fun it was to skim with my friends, inviting any other skimmer in sight to come join us for a little jam and maybe a game of skim at our puddle. This is where I began to get this idea, an image of the beach, and how amazing it would be to have a whole crowd of skimboarders ride with you every time you went!
Rider: Brian Greenfield | Photo: Thomas Bell
2014 came around and I decided to put my idea into action. Every Saturday, using social media and word of mouth, I’ve tried to get skimboarders from the lower mainland to come down to White Rock East Beach to ride in a “skim jam” hosted by me and my close friends, where there would be music, free food and drinks which I supply, and an array of features we bring for skimmers of any level to try out. I’ve hosted two jams so far and would love to see more and more skimmers come out every time, with my first two jams bringing in 15 skimboarders. If I were able to get the word out just a little more, I would be able to create this dream of having a literal pro/am skim jam where anyone was welcome every weekend!
My objective is to unite all the skimboarders of the western coast of British Columbia. After Kyda Skimboards went under, I’ve noticed a loss of interest in the lower mainland, and still see it in people who keep to themselves when they come to the beach to skim. I want to eliminate the intimidation factor of social interactions at the beach and make every skimboarders time at the beach more enjoyable! Thanks for reading this and keep shredding!
Great idea Thomas! More people should follow your lead.
Rider: Thomas Bell | Photo: Jordan Bell
