Gabe Martin takes 2011 Pond Skim World title

“I was able to lube them up with my secret sauce”

Gabe Martin, owner of the Colorado FreeSkier and a self-proclaimed “never has been,” found his glory, pond skimming.
Pond skimming is simple. Ski down a hill and across a body of water finishing, hopefully, on the other side of the water back on the snow.
The history of pond skimming is elusive yet steeped in modern ski lore as an annual event at ski areas across America. From Seven Springs Resort in Pennsylvania to Bear Valley in California, pond skimming is a classic springtime right of passage for many.
But Martin has taken it one step further.
Martin first tested the waters of pond skimming seven years ago right here at the famed Slush Huck held at the end of the ski season at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
Last year, Martin made the jump to the big time when he entered the World Pond Skimming Championships at Vail.
He finished in third place determined to return and for another shot at the title one year later.
Martin came into this year’s world championships on fire having won his first Crested Butte pond skim title a month earlier.
 “It was great,” says Martin. “This is where I’ve always competed so I was really happy to win the Crested Butte event.”
Pond skimmers at the Worlds are judged in three categories- distance, costume and crowd reaction.
Distance relies primarily on technique.
“You can definitely lean back too far,” says Martin. “You want your weight balanced on your heels, land out as far as you can into the pond and keep your momentum.”
Costume and crowd reaction rely, obviously, on creativity. For Martin, he goes with a theme that is sure to fire the spring ski crowds up.
“My whole costume is beer,” says Martin.
Martin is the only competitor to start and finish his runs with a beer in his hand, drinking it while skimming.
Eighty competitors showed up for this year’s worlds and prior to his runs, Martin was hit with two potential game-ending scenarios.
First, there were cops at the event, including near the start, putting the kibosh on open containers. Prior to his first run, Martin was forced to dump out his beer but managed to sneak one through at the last second for his run.
Second, there is a ski width limit at the World Championships of 115 mm underfoot.
As a result, Martin had to ditch his trusty pond skim planks and borrow a pair from someone.
“I had to find a pair of skis last minute,” explains Martin. “It was kind of scary on a loaner pair. I was still able to lube them up with my secret sauce.”
The field of 80 competitors was cut down to five after just one run and Martin’s first run, complete with a 180 out of the pond to finish switch, was enough to advance to the finals.
Martin sealed the deal on his final run. With a fully stocked beer helmet on his head, a beer in one hand and a GoPro video camera in the other, Martin sent the pond smoothly and finished with a “Crested Butte Spread Eagle Beer Spike.”
The move earned Martin the 2011 Pond Skim World Title and a 2011-2012 ski pass, aka the Epic Pass, good at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge and A Basin.
In addition, it’s spawned an idea for Martin.
“I want to start the CPST, Colorado Pond Skimming Tour,” says Martin. “It could be a full on tour. It lets people like me, the never has beens, do something cool.”