Laguna Beach’s Blair Conklin wins the Vic skimboarding contest

The weekend after the Aliso Beach parking lots were closed due to the potential for flooding from a tropical storm, the beach came alive as crowds arrived to see a world-class group of waveriders at the 46th annual Vic skimboarding championships.

Laguna Beach resident Blair Conklin topped them all, winning the men’s professional division with a final heat score of 22.94 points.

Lucas Fink completes a “360-shove-it” as he competes in the pro division final of “The Vic” skimboarding championships at Aliso Beach on Sunday. Fink earned second place behind winner Blair Conklin in the pro division.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Conklin bested Lucas Fink, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who totaled 21.83 points in the finals. Fink clinched the United Skim Tour title for the 2023 season with his runner-up performance, tour president David Haefele said.

The six-event tour has one stop remaining at the Exile Oktoberfest in Newport Beach, Sept. 16-17.

There were six local contestants in the top eight of the men’s professional division. The local contingent also included Laguna Beach’s Timmy Gamboa (fourth), Dane Cameron (fifth), Bill Bryan (sixth) and Billy Howie (seventh). Newport Beach’s Chad Wadsworth placed eighth.

Pro rider Timmy Gamboa completes a “floater” on the shore break as he competes in the semifinal of the professional division of “The Vic” skimboarding championships at Aliso Beach on Sunday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Yahir Valencia, of Barra de Navidad, Mexico, rounded out the top three in the men’s professional competition.

Gerardo Valencia, Yahir’s brother, was recognized for catching the best wave. A video shared of the run showed Valencia putting his hands in the air after traversing dead water and reversing course to catch the wave as it came in. He completed a 360-degree flip, landing back on the board before the end of the clip.

Amber Torrealba from Florida completes a backside carve as she competes in the women’s pro division final of “The Vic” skimboarding championships at Aliso Beach on Sunday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Amber Torrealba, of Palm Bay, Fla., won the women’s professional division for the fourth time. She previously reigned supreme at the Vic in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Laguna Beach’s Jordan Sitea and Kate Cavanaugh were fifth and sixth, respectively in the women’s competition, which was not part of the United Skim Tour.