Intro: Sydney Pizza
2026 was one for the books! I earned my 4th consecutive Skim USA Professional Women's Tour Title which was pretty surreal; I got to travel with the Dewey Zap crew, plus Zeke and Elian up and down the northeast do teach groms how to skim and help revive the skim communities up there; I won back-to-back contests; including one most unforgettable moment that I got to share the first place podium with my boyfriend, who is my favorite person in the world; one of my favorite skim campers got her first win in the Girls division this year; and somehow in between all of that I got my best UST result (4th in the world); and not to mention had another successful year in my dream job, running Alley Oop! So all in all I'd say this year was pretty unforgettable. However, all of the accolades did not come without the trials and tribulations of life. I also leaned more into my faith this year, and leaned more on my family and partner for support, which I am eternally grateful for and would not be where I am without them.
There is a little backstory to it all though. 2024 was another great year doing the job, Skim USA went well but the UST didn't. I didn't get the results I had hoped for, and was really discouraged, especially after getting 5th on the UST for the third year in a row. I had started to put too much pressure on myself and unreasonable expectations for UST contests, and that almost made it un-fun. Because of that I decided to take the indefinite future off the UST. I didn't want to run the risk of not loving competing.
2025 was great until it wasn't. I had a fresher mindset, better training and preparation, until Dewey. I got hurt pretty bad right before my first round heat, at the Zap Pro/Am and tried my best to skim through it but couldn't do it. I was heartbroken, I had been working really hard all summer on getting to where I was and really wanted to win. I felt good, until I didn't. Long story short from skimming so much, certain muscles weren't firing right and others were working too hard. I was also told that I was lucky to not have suffered a hip flexor tear right off the bone, and not to skim until we got to Europe (over a month) so I had no prep for any of that trip lol. Fast forward to the off-season, I had completely changed my mindset and was prepping myself to walk into every contest with confidence, a calm mind, and just pure fun for the love of sport. I started to really lean into a lot of the female pro's that compete on the CT in the WSL, and listen to their podcast interviews, and their pre-heat routines, and just simply observe and take notes on what they do, and see what could work for me. Put it all together with some unwavering confidence and support from the best sponsors and family, and here we are!
Entering 2026, I was ready for it all. I had a new mindset and game plan with my coach (aka Elian lol), had been working on some new technique in the off season, and had a fresh sled to hit the world with! Now, nine months later the season is over and I got my best result, not anywhere near perfect in my eyes, but certainly one step closer! This off-season the routine looks similar, but the goal for next year is gold, so it's going to be more committed than ever!
ZAP: Yo Syd! 2026 looked epic for you. How do you feel about it?
Sydney: Hey hey! I feel pretty good, but am still processing lol. 2026 was a year of putting practice into play. Obviously yes with skill and technique but more so with the mental side of it all. To be really honest, not getting the results you want and know you can achieve is a really big trial for a professional athlete, so it's been a bumpy season and not by any standards my best, but certainly moving in the right direction, and one that I can say I am proud of.
ZAP: What was your favorite moment from a contest in 2026? If you can’t pick one, give us a few!
Sydney: Well, obviously the first one that comes to mind is winning the OBX Skim Jam with Elian. That was an unforgettable moment and a memory we will both carry forever. Just knowing how hard we both work, and all the literal blood, sweat and tears that we both have put in, it was a bucket list item for sure. It's actually really funny because after it was all over we were chatting on the drive home, and both admitted that it was a thought that crossed both of our minds, but neither one of us wanted to jinx it so we didn't say anything lol.
ZAP: Any idea how many skymiles you racked up this year? Hopefully you got some sort of status from it! What was the coolest spot you skimmed this year?
Sydney: Haha, so truth be told, I am a Google Flights hound and always book with a different airline (whichever is cheapest lol), so I don't actually have a ton of miles racked up, with one specific airline. I am ALWAYS looking to work with an airline though haha! The coolest spot that I skimmed this year would probably have to be Boca del Muerto in Jalisco, MX. I had never caught the sider there in full effect before, and this year in April I was able to score some, while both siders were working. It was wild. I would go for a backside sider one wave then move ten yards down the beach and go for a frontside one.
ZAP: Outside of events, what was your favorite moment in general from the season?
Sydney: My favorite moment from this season was coaching all my skim campers at the Zap Pro/Am, OBX and Sea Bright. Being privileged enough to coach these girls (and some boys too) from the beginning and seeing where they are now is the coolest feeling in the world. These kids do so much more for me than I could ever explain, so being able to be there, right next to them through the whole process is incredible. Not to mention the cheering section during the Zap Pro/Am, it gives me chills every time!
ZAP: You were on top of your social media game all season long as well, so that was rad to see. Is Elian the best IG boyfriend ever, or what?!
Sydney: Haha he ABSOLUTELY is!! I do my best, but I am really big on living in the moment so trying to do that and capture the moment as well was not easy, i.e. where Elian comes in.
ZAP: Looking back, is there anything you wish you could have changed or anything you wish you had approached differently?
Sydney: One of my best friends has a really great saying about life: "I don't regret anything or wish to change anything because at that moment in time, that is exactly what I wanted." I think about that a lot, because there are certainly moments where I didn't skim my best or didn't have the right outlook on certain situations, but at that moment in time, that is where I was at, and what happened happened. I also live by the "everything happens for a reason and God's divine timing" thought process, so I take my lumps as they come, and more so use the not great moments as learning lessons and look onward and upward.
ZAP: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about 2026? What can we look forward to from you in 2027?
Sydney: 2026 was a really special year, and I expect for 2027 to look the same. There is some very exciting news coming soon about a Pizza logo that people may have seen here and there this season, so keep an eye out for that! I am also planning on some more traveling in 2027 for a tour title chase, so lots of training this off-season. I am always super grateful to all of my sponsors, but most importantly Zap and the Smetts Family, for always believing in the little girl they saw potential in and helping her dreams come true.