Skimboarder, 8, Wins Amateur World Championship

While many kids spend weekends competing on soccer fields, or baseball diamonds, 8-year-old Alex Sheckells takes to the surf.

The Shipley’s Choice third-grader spends many weekends competing in skimboarding competitions along the East Coast and even works with pros.

“Skimboarding is when you have a board with fiberglass or something on the bottom and then you slide on the sand,” Alex said. “You can ride on a wave and do tricks.”

On Saturday, Oct. 27, Alex competed in the Sea Witch Skim and Surf Fest competition in Dewey Beach, DE, where he won first place in his age division.

In August, Alex won first place in his age division in the 31st Annual Zap World Championship of Amateur Skimboarding in Dewey Beach and earned the title of East Coast Champion for Skim USA in his age division.

“I like it because you get to have fun,” Alex said. “I like riding the waves. In the competitions I like that you get to see other people skimboard. I know three pro-skimboarders.”

Alex got his start skimboarding when he was 7, at a competition in North Carolina, and it wasn’t always easy. In his first competition he fell, hit his head and needed nine stitches—but that didn’t discourage him.

“I still wanted to do it because even though you get hurt you can get back up and [keep going],” Alex said.

Alex’s dad, Dan Sheckells, said he has really come to enjoy watching his son skimboard and sees it as something Alex could do for a long time.

"It is so neat to see him take to something like that so early, Dan Sheckells said. "He has so much fun and he enjoys it and there’s not too many things that you can really find like that. I think he can pretty much do it forever.”