Saturday, September 5, 2026
By Submitted Story on July 21, 2026
Elian Juarez of Melaque, Mexico, and Sydney Pizza of Dewey Beach, Del., claimed professional wins at the 2026 OBX Skim Jam after three days of competition at Jennette’s Pier, highlighted by some of the event’s best wave conditions in recent years.
The July 17-19 competition featured clean 1–3-foot shorebreak waves throughout most of the weekend, providing great contest conditions for over 110 amateur and professional competitors who traveled to the Outer Banks for the sixth stop of the 2026 Skim USA season. The event awarded a $16,000 professional prize purse and drew 24 competitors in the professional men’s and women’s divisions. The competition included riders from Brazil, Hawaii, Mexico, California, Florida, Alabama, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Juarez won the professional men’s division after defeating Eoin Lally of Lewes, Del., in the final. Gerardo Valencia of Barra de Navidad, Mexico, finished third, followed by Dane Cameron of Laguna Beach, Calif. in fourth
“This win means so much to me,” said Juarez. “This year I have worked hard and trained a lot, pushing myself. I believe if you work hard, believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
In the professional women’s division, Pizza defeated Nicole Phillips of Apollo Beach, Fla., to capture her second consecutive win at OBX Skim Jam. The victory also marked Pizza’s second straight professional win after winning at Jackalope Virginia Beach earlier this month, tightening the race for the 2026 Skim USA championship title.
“I’ve put in a lot of work on my skimming, progressing my mentality in and out of the water,” said Pizza. “It feels really good to make progress at such a critical turning point in the season. We’re beyond the halfway point, and the points race for the Skim USA title is really tight this year.”
The semi-professional division was won by Brady Crall of Stuart, Fla., with Killian Davis of Lewes, Del., finishing second, followed by Landon Rapp of Vero Beach, Fla., and Evan Rubin of Sarasota, Fla. Brady Crall also earned the Best Trick award for the weekend, adding to his already impressive event performance.
Beyond the professional divisions, the event featured amateur competition across 12 divisions with competitors ranging in age from 5 to 65 years old. In the Amateur Women’s division for ages 15 and up, Maisy Rockley won, continuing her dominant 2026 season. Rockley remains undefeated at Skim USA events this year. The Grandmasters for ages 30-39 division welcomed retired professional skimboarders ET Baker and Watkins Holt back into competition, with Baker taking the win followed by Holt in second.
OBX Skim Jam is sanctioned by Skim USA and has become one of the premier stops on the East Coast skimboarding calendar, attracting top professionals and amateur competitors from across the United States and internationally.
Heat scores can be found on LiveHeats and video coverage of the event is available on the Skim USA YouTube channel.
Skim USA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth and development of the sport of skimboarding. Focused on youth participation, competitive excellence, and environmental stewardship, Skim USA provides a platform for athletes to compete at high levels while fostering a global community of wave riders. For more information, visit the Skim USA website or follow Skim USA on Instagram.
