Interview with EOS Rider Lexi Hutchings

You seem to be the skim scene in Utah. How did that happen?
Well I’m not the only one who skims here! There is actually a pretty big skim scene here for all ages. Most people are between 14 and 25 years old, but you will see little kids and even older guys quite often! It’s true that unfortunately not many girls are into the skim scene, but hopefully that will change!


I love skimming in St. George. As you know, it gets really hot here in the summer so our river turns more into a stream, which makes it great for skimming. The most popular spot to skim on the river is called the waterfall — a 15 foot dam that creates a waterfall. This is where all the rails and people are, and it’s also where all the skim competitions are held.


How did you get started?
My neighbor used to make boards for a local shop. He took me skimming and I honestly fell in love the first time! I borrowed his boards and walked about a mile to the river every day.


The first competition I entered I had actually just had gone down to watch because it was my first year skimming. I realized there was not much competition so I entered and won the girls’ division. At this point, I didn’t even have a board so I borrowed a homemade board from a friend. I was pretty stoked about how I did and I loved the sport so I saved up and bought my first Victoria board. I always liked the Vic boards because they were light. Pretty much everyone had homemade boards or boards that local kids had made, but they always seemed so thick. I liked the thinner boards. After I got my board, I walked to the river after school and during the summer almost daily. I got so stoked when I tried and landed new tricks. I was always at the river with the boys doing everything that they where doing.


My dream was always to get a sponsorship through Victoria. A local filmer and skimmer, Mike Gardner, contacted Victoria about this girl who ripped who loved the sport and was as good as the boys. Vic acted interested so I sent them some articles and some pictures. I got a sponsorship when I was 16 or 17 years old. I was stoked. The summers of my sophomore and junior years of high school I decided to put together skim camps for a summer job. I loved it and loved teaching the kids how to skim. It was a three-day camp for two hours a day and I charged twenty-five dollars!


How stoked are you to ride for EOS?
I am so stoked! I think Extreme Outdoor Supply is a really cool site for every board you could ever want. The owner of EOS, Paul, has definitely been good to me. He hooks me up with all the goods I need! He is on top of everything and always follows through. He also helps me figure out how to work my computer!


Riding with the boys...who inspires you?
I love riding with boys! I have always loved sports and doing “boy things”. I have never been into girly stuff so I’m definitely a tomboy. Because I am so competitive, the boys definitely push me to ride the best. I like being on the their level and I think I have done a good job. I never want to be known as a great girl skimboarder; I want people to recognize me as a great skimboarder.


A lot of people inspire me. One of my heroes is Rich Gardner. He and his brothers brought the skim scene to St. George years ago. He is kind of a local legend in the sport so I have always looked up to him. He rips and always goes big no matter what. Also, Matt Head inspires me because he is a lot like me—very dedicated to the sport. He wants to see it grow and to see people progress. I remember one summer he quit his job just to skim all summer. I really have lot of respect for him and he is an amazing rider—always going big!


What was your biggest injury?
I have definitely been lucky that I have not broken anything...knock on wood…but i have had a lot of ouchies! I remember one time I slipped backwards and landed on a metal rail. It knocked the air out of me and I couldn’t breathe. I laid there forever then was carried to a car and taken home by a friend. Once I had a skimboard literally go up my ass when I was trying to ollie a high wooden rail. I don’t know how it happened, but ouch. And this last summer I was grinding a sewer pipe that was not very slick. My board stuck and my body slid up the pipe at full speed and my face skidded across the sand. It was like bad rug burn on my face.


What's your favorite trick?
There are a lot of tricks I like to do. I love to do 360 pop shovits. I think ollies on rails are my favorite with different variations of tricks off the rails. I like to do different grabs off of launch ramps. And I love to do a sequence of shovits. I love to ride different kinds of rails!

Where have you competed?
I have competed in Sacramento, Canada, and Utah. I have skimmed in Laguna, Hawaii, and many different places in California.


What's your contest history like?
I have placed first in every girl competition that I have entered. I placed 2nd and 3rd in boys’ divisions both years I went to Sacramento.

What makes your style different?
The most distinct thing about my skimming is the way I throw my board. I drop it right before the rail. It’s like an acid drop. I feel I get a lot more speed and a guaranteed straight ride because I’m not chasing after my board.

Where have you been recognized?
I have been recognized a lot in The Spectrum, which is our local newspaper. I have been in ads, Skimboarder Magazine, Forever Skim, local videos, and on websites. Once a girl even did a documentary on me for her class.


What are your thoughts on skimboarding?
Over the years I have watched skimming grow. I have loved it since the day that I started. I am an extremely competitive person and I always strive to get better and better. I really just love the sport, love the sun, love hitting rails, and landing tricks. It really is the best feeling ever!

What's in your future?
Next year I have more traveling in mind, more filming, more pics, and more tricks… I want to make it to all the flatland competitions that are held! I want to pick up ocean skimming and compete in an ocean competition. I want to get people stoked on the sport and I want to see it progress!!

FYI - Since this interview, Lexi has switched skimboard sponsors from Victoria to Roush Creations. Click here to check out our selection on EOS.