Top Skimboarders Take To Aliso Beach This Weekend

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Skimboarders from across the world will gather at Aliso Beach this weekend for a contest that will show off some of the best wave-riding talent the sport has ever seen, the Orange County Register reported.

The Laguna Beach event is popularly known as "the Vic" and will take place from Saturday to Sunday. The contest is stop four of the United Skim Tour, with competitors aiming to win some of the $9,000 in prize money, the report said.

Professional men riders to make an appearance at the contest include 2021 men's tour champion Gerardo Valencia of Mexico, as well as locals including Laguna Beach's Brandon Sears, who nabbed the contest win in 2009, and Dane Cameron, who is currently ranked second on the tour.

The contest will also see a slew of talented women riders, including Chabe White, of Mexico, Flordia's Casey Kiernan, a rider ranked first on the tour, and the Vic West 2019, 2018 and 2016 winner, Florida resident Amber Torrealba.

Tex Haines, contest director and owner/founder of Victoria Skimboards, spearheaded an idea to crowd-fund the pro prize purse from local donors and sponsors. He told the OC Register that the contest has had "tremendous" sponsorship.

"The professional prize purse is a really special way for the best skimboarders in the world to be rewarded at this contest," Haines said in an event announcement. "We've had a tremendous sponsorship run this year with great support from the skimboarding community and local community members and businesses in the Laguna area."

Residents can watch both days of the contest via livestream by visiting the contest's website on the day of the event.