Dogflut skimboards history began when 2012 summer was coming to an end and with the Faroskim contest in Cádiz on focus, the fisrt Dogflut board saw the light.
Rafael Castillo, the most spanish skimboarded awarded and internacionaly most experiencied decided to create his own boards brand a bit later disassociating from other skimboard projects that made him grow up as skimboarder and as a shaper.
With a solid manufacturing knowledge and a strong family unit of partners and friends, Dogflut name started to sound loud. Specially after Rafa and María Conde ‘Xoxe’ became Spanish champions in Cádiz contest riding the firsts Dogflut manufactured skimboards.
Step by step 2013 spring arrived and the project turned pretty important towards new goals. Sergio Gil ‘Shein‘, friend and partner in other projects with Rafa Castillo, joins Dogflut Skimboards to co-led the evolution of the brand. With him also joined the team Martí Avilès and Juanlu González, fulfilling an epic national team with the best three skimboarders in Spain.
It is a hard work season at the Dogflut house, with lots of new construction specifications and board materials, hard investigation in tha manufacturing process, in the reforced rails and the evolution of new shapes to set up an effective foundations. The orders increased exponentially y for that reason Rafa and Shein started shaping together. Meanwhile, team riders gets more and better results, winning championships both in Spain and in Portugal, giving like this a reputation that extends through the beaches of bouth countries.
With all that on the table 2014 arrived and this year would mark a before and after at Dogflut skimboards company. New beginnings, dreams came true, big goals reached and new others to achieve, as Martí Avilès victory at the Hossegor Internacional (France).
European and world legend, Hugo Santos, joins the team and family, providing the experience of twenty years skimming, being Portuguese champion for nine times and lots of victories in international contests.
.In addition, other really experienced riders as Eduardo Joaquim and Vivian Grieco ‘Vuca’ became part of the team to confirm best european team ever.
2014 suposed the confirmation of an idea and values to us, which helps to get respect and satisfaction from lots of proud skimbaorders that are enjoying and evolving his riding with a dogflut board under their feet.
After a big reform in our factory to improve confort and production, new models and shapes was confirmed as a reality into our catalog, tested and developed during the whole year by our competition riders, to offer the best of best as our target is allways to create the best board to every skimboarder, acording his requeriments, preferences and desires.
Using this inertia, 2015 suppose our project enshrining. Among lots and great results where our riders was in many finals of most important European championships, is fair to say that Hugo Santos was back, after many years without to participate in this copetition, to be Portuguese champion for the 10th times in his career. Martí Avilès, was Spanish champion, after winning In I Rocheland and 7th Gorgo Contest. Ricardo Días won the Portugal International and Juanlu was 2nd in France International and Rafa Castillo in 3rd. In addition Vivian Grieco ‘Vuca’ won the International Kalemba skim in Angola and Hugo, MArtí and Rafa reached the semifinals. Xoxe won the Gorgo Skim contest one more time and adding to this gloom, for of our team riders achieved the four first palces of first Spanish league with MArtí, Juanlu, Lluis MAteos and Rafa on the top.
But more important than awesome results, we opened a window to the world, bringing our boards to shorebreaks of four different continents. Japan, Angola, Cabo Verde, México, Brasil, United States, France, England, Portugal and obviously, Spain are already enjoying our boards.
During 2016 Dogflut kept growing up. Great results remain, like Rafa Castillo’s victory, one more time, in 1st International of Trafalgar (Spain) or first Simao Pinto’s tittle of Portugal during his year debut as a Dogflut team rider. Even Maruyama Tadaaki of Skimone team, won an important competition in Japan riding a Dogflut Tower.
Our App to design boards is created as the official Instagram profile does it too, and in less than a year became the forth skimboards brand with more followers arround the world (first of the world not made in USA). Furthermore, after Ricardo Dias trip to Brasil, Lluis Mateos and Martí to México and Rafa, Xoxe and Shein to California, we could confirm that skimboarders arround the world knows and respect our skimboards.
The future is today and we are ready. Jesús González, our last recruitment is the living proof.
In 2017 the revolution comes, big changes, removals, site, workshop and lots of important developments. With Shein as main shaper, the square nose is born, Dogflut boards signature, which provides an extra resistance to this point. We leave polyester resin and all our models become made of high quality epoxy resin, in addition to evolving new shapes and developing new models.
Competition results line is equal or even ascending. In Trafalgar International, five of top six on Open división are Dogflut guys, including top 3: Hugo Santos, Juanlu González and Ricardo Dias. As well as master category top 3 with Adrián Clavijo, Janovi Ródenas and Sergio Gil ‘Shein’. In add Xoxe ’Conde wins in girls division, confirming his great year after win the International Ocean Spirit of Portugal, where Juanlu also achieves a meritorious fourth position in Open division a few month after take the win in Alicante ahead Jesule.
In addition, we support the very young Alejandro Montañes, who will surely give a lot to talk in the coming years, after his surprising performance during the Cádiz contest.
2018 is also a year of success. Ricardo Dias takes the throne of Simao Pinto, becoming the third consecutive Portuguese national champion who is member of our team.
During the International of Portugal, Juanlu González and Simao Pinto finish second and third while Ale Montanes begins to learn how to control his nerves to win the U-14 champion trophy.
In September comes the beginning of the Juanlu era, which achieves its desired and deserved great first win in the most international edition of the Trafalgar championship. Where the four finalists being Dogflut riders – Juanlu, Ricardo, Simao Pinto and Martí Avilès-. Xoxe and Ale Montañes finishes as runner-ups in girls and U-16 divisions, both planting battle to American skimboarders of the Skim USA team.
In addition, if that were not enough with what we already had, another champion is entering to our team. One of the best skimboarders in the world, the Brazilian Leandro Azevedo. Respected throughout the world and possessor of the best layback of all skim world, it ais a Sunung classic.
The rhythm does not stop, so 2019 comes with a new top range model, a new logo and the recivement to our family to Miguel Braz, champion of the International Ocean Spirit 2018, who in his first year as a Dogflut rider maintains hegemony and becomes the fourth consecutive (and different) champion of Portugal to take home the tittle inherited from Ricardo, who this time finishes third in the final ranking.
Meanwhile, Leandro Azevedo is crowned King of Sununga in the Brazilian championship and that summer also, Juanlu González receives the deserved reward for years of work and proclaims -in less than 3 months- champion of Ocean Spirit, Cádiz International and Spanish champion.
We return to Angola, where we continue supporting the Kalemba Skim project for another year. In the championship there, Leandro Azevedo finishes as runner-up and Ricardo Dias third in Pro and Xoxe runner-up in females division.
In Lisbon, the legend of the Bubble boy is born. Ale Montañes, with 13 years, in addition to winning the U-16, finishes seventh in the Open category, being the youngest ever to reach the semifinals.
In the Spanish championship we are champions in all categories (open, female, under-16) with Juanlu, Xoxe and Ale. And in the International Trafalgar almost the same: champions in Open, Under-18 and Master, with Juanlu, Ale and Adrián Clavijo, respectively and Xoxe runner-up in girls category. Also in Open comes another full top3 with Ricardo and Jesule accompanying Juanlu on the podium. AWESOME!
In add, to close the contests season, Juanlu take the European Open at La Tranche-sur Mer tittle, in France. And with it, he already has his triplet, with victories in the internationals in Spain, Portugal and France. That’s epic.
2020 was a difficult year for everyone. No matter who, or when. But after every storm, good things always come to life. And so it was. After the ordeal of the pandemic, we had ample time to work calmly and focus on our workshop and our boards while the world reorganized itself. We improved our processes, evolved our designs, enhanced our grips, and created our own board bags and socks.
Life doesn’t stop, and in the blink of an eye, 2021 arrived with significant new developments. Another dream fulfilled and another step forward in our evolution: welcoming the best skimboarder in history to our family. At 40-something, Bill “Beaker” Bryan, a 14-time Alderwood World Champion, joined our team. He did so because he fell in love with the project and the quality of our boards. A living legend. So much so that he continues to prove it, and at The Vic Championship (in California), he finished in a spectacular 5th place, only beaten by Blair Conklin by a few tenths of a point.
Meanwhile, competition is back in Europe, and at the fifth edition of the Trafalgar International, Juanlu González and Xoxe’ Conde won again! Incredible. Simao Pinto finished fourth, Ricardo Dias fifth, and Miguel Braz seventh (there wasn’t room for everyone in the final). And what’s more, Shein finished as runner-up in the Masters division.
2022 also started great, as we managed to join the UST circuit. In its sixth edition, the championship held in Cádiz was renamed INTRAFALGAR DOGFLUT and became the first international stage of the United Skim Tour in recent years, demonstrating that skimboarding could have a world championship.
Before that, we enjoyed the return of the International Ocean Spirit, canceled for two consecutive years, and our riders shone as usual. Miguel Braz finished as runner-up, just a few tenths of a second away from being champion, and Juanlu González was third. Fantastic, as always. Meanwhile, Beaker managed to take the seventh place at The Vic, eliminating the reigning champion, Brazilian Lucas Fink, along the way.
In September, we made history. El Faro provided epic conditions, and several of the world’s best enjoyed an event that garnered global attention. Brazilian Lucas Fink secured his second UST title in Spain, and our riders performed exceptionally well once again. With Ale Montañes in sixth place and Juanlu in seventh, proving they can compete with the best. Xoxe, once again, wins in the women’s category, and what’s more, doing what she loves most. Demonstrating that women can also go after the biggest waves. We’ve lost count of how many there are now…
Furthermore, to close out the year of competitions, Juanlu takes the victory at the European Open in La Tranche-sur-Mer, France, completing his hat trick with wins in the international competitions in Spain, Portugal, and France. Awesome.
In 2023, a small but significant revolution arrived in European skimboarding: the birth of a new circuit called the EURO SKIM TOUR, which combines the three most important competitions in Portugal, Spain, and France. In addition, that same year saw the creation of the Spanish National Skimboard Team project, a joint effort between AESKIM and FES. Of the five athletes who make up the national team to conquer the Euro Skim Tour, four are from our family: Juanlu González, Xoxe Conde, Ale Montañés, and Nico Morales.
We started strong at the International in Portugal, with Ale becoming runner-up in the OPEN category behind the current UST champion, Lucas Fink, and champion in the U18 category, ahead of Nico Morales. Also in the OPEN final, Juanlu finished third and Ricardo Dias fourth. Xoxe, for his part, finished 5th after a challenging semifinal.
Later, in September, it was time for the InTrafalgar and the Spanish Championship. A resounding success for our team. At the Intrafalgar, Juanlu finished second, securing his position for the European Championship in the Open category, and Miguel Braz finished in a fantastic fourth place. Ale, meanwhile, won again in the U18 category, mathematically clinching the Junior European Championship title.
At the Spanish Championship, also held at the cathedral of Spanish skimboarding, our team members were champions in every category: Jesule González won in the Open category, with four Dogflut riders finishing in the top five. Xoxe, for her part, redeemed herself after a disappointing day at the International and was crowned Spanish Champion once again in a final she dominated from start to finish. And Ale took the victory among the young riders.
The competition year ended in France, where Juanlu came within a whisker of an epic victory over Lucas Fink in a final to remember, earning the title of Best European 2023. Nico and Ale, meanwhile, finished as champion and runner-up, respectively, for the third consecutive time. A year to remember.
The 2024 season is somewhat different on a personal level. Shein and Xoxe are away from competitions and the organization due to the birth of their baby, and Juanlu is also absent due to a personal mental health issue. Therefore, neither the InTrafalgar nor the Spanish Championships are held, and the Euro Skim Tour only has two stages: Portugal and France.
Ale Montañés, no longer a junior, takes the victory in Portugal in a final that also includes Ricardo, securing his first title in the legendary Santa Cruz Championship and positioning himself very well for the European title. Nico Morales wins convincingly in the U18 category.
Unfortunately, the French Championship is disastrous for our athletes. Ale is eliminated in a very high-level semifinal against Ricardo Dias and Javi Sola, thus losing his chances of becoming champion, and Ricardo fails to secure a victory that would have crowned him Euro Skim Tour champion. Nevertheless, Ricardo is runner-up and Ale third. Nico, also absent, cannot confirm his status as under-18 champion and finishes second again with the points from a single event. A very commendable achievement, indeed.
Big and very important changes are coming in 2025. After seven years in our manufacturing workshop, we’ve moved to our new and improved location and renovated our shaping and laminating rooms. A lot of hard work and effort went into this step.
Our online store is performing better and better, and our boards are now on every continent, with our main focus on Europe (primarily Spain and Portugal) and Asia (Japan).
After a long time without new talent on our competition team, this year we’re adding Portuguese surfer Vicente Mata and officially welcoming Nico Morales, now that he’s no longer a child. Vicente is improving every day and has achieved good results in his first season in the open category. Nikki was crowned Spanish U18 Champion and finished as runner-up on the European circuit. He couldn’t attend the event in Portugal, which affected his performance.
The competition days are also special. Xoxe and Juanlu are back, and what happened next is the stuff of movies: after two years away from the water and hardly competing, she didn’t go to the International Ocean Spirit in Portugal, but she did go to the Cádiz championship, which had a new organizing team. After becoming a mother, Xoxe made a last-minute decision to return and won both championships: the Spanish leg of the Euro Skim Tour and the Spanish Championship. Her performance was legendary. And that’s not all… After the event in Spain, she decided to go to the French leg in La Tranche-sur-Mer and took a magnificent second place… This means that if she had gone to Portugal, even finishing last, she would have been officially the European Champion, because the two best results for each rider count, but it’s a requirement to attend all three events. For many, she is, even if unofficially!
Juanlu also made a triumphant return, finishing as the second-best European and third in the Euro Skim Tour, behind Yahir Valencia and Javi Sola. Furthermore, he also managed to become Spanish champion in a year that was personally challenging for him.
Finally, Ricardo Dias finished fourth in the European Championships and Vicente fifth. Ale and Miguel Braz would have been in the top 3 and top 5 respectively, but they were unable to attend all the events due to work commitments.
Beyond championships and competition results, our priority is always our boards, and our goal, of course, remains (and will continue to be) to create the best board for each skimboarder, custom-making them to suit their individual conditions, preferences, and needs.
The perfect board doesn’t exist; what exists is the ideal board for each skimboarder.
PODER ES CREER.