This is but one aspect of the Ultimate Boarder Championship. Photo: Farsai
As someone who not only loves to the shred the waves but also the pavement and fresh powder on the mountains, the Ultimate Boarder Championship sounds like a fantasy competition. However, does this fantasy have the momentum to continue or will it simply phase out like a wave washing up on shore?
Tim Hoover held the first Ultimate Boarder Championship in 2008. Hailing itself as “the only board sport triathlon in the world,” this competition crowned champions in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Growing out of the continually increasing popularity of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding, this championship seeks the best athletes to compete in all three events. Competitors must participate in the surf, skate and snow events in order to claim the title of “Ultimate Boarder” and win the grand prize money. The fifth annual championship was set to begin in March 2012, but was sadly postponed until 2013. With 2013 coming to a close in just under two months, I have to wonder, has the Ultimate Boarder Championship been wiped out?
I spoke to Hoover about the future of the Ultimate Boarder Championship and, though it has missed the last two years, I got the clear impression he’s not giving up. Currently on the road gathering sponsors for the competition, Hoover is set on rolling out the fifth Ultimate Boarder Championship in 2014. When the recession hit, Hoover’s competition couldn’t escape the financial strains many of us fell victim to ourselves. The recession has been tough on the entire industry of board sport competitions. “Our live, independent event, without the tent of a corporate sponsor overhead, got hit the hardest,” Hoover said. Without money and marketing securely in his back pocket, Hoover relies on word of mouth and grass root campaigns to spread the word and gain interest in his competition.
It was his passion and love for board sports that inspired Hoover to create the Ultimate Boarder Championship. He wanted an event that would feature the competitors rather than the sponsor whose name happened to be above the finish line. “I wanted a radical event,” he said, “both for, and focused on, the athletes.” Looking back at the previous competitions, I can see he did just that. Hoover is looking for more sponsors to take part in the event so he can open the door for riders to make some money and earn the respect they deserve for doing what they love. “I want to create a platform for the hundreds of athletes that compete to be the Ultimate Boarder,” Hoover explained. However, with a big competition comes big pressure. As an independent with no corporate sponsors contributing, Hoover has been able to give away $300,000 to athletes placing either first, second or third in the Ultimate Boarder Championship. Despite this incredible amount, Hoover says, “I am constantly feeling the underlining pressure of coming up with a big prize purse.”
Young people today seem to be pursuing a paycheck rather than their passion when they ride. “The growing feeling among kids today is that they need to surf, skate or snowboard to be rich,” Hoover points out. Despite this upsetting notion, his heart is pure. “Any money I raise should go to the athletes.” That fact is why he is constantly striving to get sponsors for the event. Hoover needs media attention to raise awareness for this inspiring competition and that’s precisely what he’s currently trying to get. He’s clearly on the right track to holding a successful, fifth Ultimate Boarder Championship.
The Ultimate Boarder Championship came from Hoover’s love of board sports and that love is what he hopes to inspire in others. “I got to watch my dream become a reality,” Hoover said. “Getting emails and letters from kids telling me they want to be the next ‘Ultimate Boarder’ is one of the greatest feelings.” The athletes that participate in the Ultimate Boarder Championship do so for the right reasons. They’re often not mainstream, household names. They compete simply because they love it. Hoover wants to urge surfers to do the same. “Don’t lose sight of what surfing means to you,” Hoover warns. “Keep riding for the love of it.”
I’m writing this article in hopes that more people will become aware of and involved in the Ultimate Boarder Championship. Help bring back this worthwhile competition. Tim Hoover pushed the boundaries and made his dream a reality. He hopes to recreate the joy we felt while riding as kids and continue helping us feel it long after our childhood days are over. Can we help him continue his dream long into the future? Or will the Ultimate Boarder wash away onto shore like the shore break? Contact Hoover at tim@ultimateboarder.com to send your support for this event then ask yourself one question: do you have what it takes to be the “Ultimate Boarder?”
