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Wakeboarding
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Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water behind a boat or Cable System . It was developed through a combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques.
The rider is towed behind a boat or a cable park; typically at speeds of 18-24 miles per hour (29-38 km/h), depending on water conditions, rider's weight, board size and most importantly, the rider's personal preference.
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Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water behind a boat or Cable System . It was developed through a combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques.
The rider is towed behind a boat or a cable park; typically at speeds of 18-24 miles per hour (29-38 km/h), depending on water conditions, rider's weight, board size and most importantly, the rider's personal preference. Wakeboarding can also be performed on a variety of media including closed-course cables, winches, PWCs and ATVs.
Riding
Using edging techniques, the rider can move outside of the wake or cut rapidly in toward the wake. Jumps are performed by hitting the wake and launching into the air. This can also be done by hitting a kicker (a jump). There is also the slider (a rail bar) in which a rider approaches and rides along keeping his balance. Once a rider improves in the sport, he or she can progress to tricks high in the air. As the rope tightens the rider gains speed toward the wake. When the rider goes airborne, the tightened rope launches him and while in the air, the rider may attempt to do tricks.
Development of the sport
Wakeboarding arose in the late 1980s after the advent of Skiboarding. The actual sport of ski boarding is credited to Porter Daughtry (who invented the Skurfer in San Diego, CA), Tony Finn( Carlsbad, CA), Jimmy Redmon (Austin, TX) later drilled holes in skurfers to affix bindings. The term "wakeboard" was coined by Porter Daughtry (Brooks, GA), as well as the concept and design, along with his brother Murray and a Pro snowboarder they sponsored. Paul approached Herb O'Brien with the idea and the introduction of the "hyperlite" wakeboard, named by Eric "The Flyin Hawaiian" Perez, laid the groundwork for evolution of the wakeboard throughout the 1990s. Liquid Force was started by Finn and Redmond.
The World Skiboard Association was founded in 1989 and the First World Skiboard Championships was held on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii, on the Wailua River. The next year Eric Perez defended his title against Darin Shapiro. This is when the Hyperlite wakeboard was introduced and blew everyone away. The first US Nationals were held later that same year in Colorado Springs, CO on Prospect lake, hosted by Tommy Phillips. Competitions began popping up and around the United States throughout the early 1990s. Wakeboarding was added as a competitive sport in the X Games II. The World Skiboard Association "changed its focus" and was re-named the World Wakeboard Association.
Wakeboarding maneuvers
As with many freestyle sports such as snowboarding and surfing, there is almost a separate language of terms to describe various tricks. The more height, the more "pop". So therefore the rider's edge is very important to the height of the jump. Heading towards the wake chest facing the boat is known as a heelside edge; approaching from the other direction with chest facing away from the boat is known as toeside edge. A typical beginner to intermediate rider will tend to have an easier time hitting the wake heelside because it tends to come more naturally to the rider, while more advance riders can hit the wake both heelside as well as toeside.
Surface Tricks
Surface tricks are tricks that are performed when the rider is not airborne. Examples are:
- Backside Butterslide- Rider turns the board backside 90 degrees and grinds the wake.
- Backside Butterslide 180- Rider turns the board backside 90 degrees and grinds the wake. Rider then grabs the handle with opposite hand and does another 90 degree turn in the same direction.
- Backside Start- Rider gets up in a backside position where the backside is facing the boat.
- Body Slide- Rider lies back onto the water.
- Butterslide- Rider turns the board frontside 90 degrees and grinds the wake.
- Butterslide 180- Same as regular butterslide but with an additional 90 degree rotation in the same direction.
- Perez- Rider carves outside of the wake and slides into a surface 360.
- Potato Peeler- Body Slide with fin release.
- Powerslide- Board is turned backside 90 degrees in the flats. Fins are broken loose. If done correctly, it creates a huge spray.
- Surf Carve- Rider cuts back and forth in the wake in a surf-carving fashion.
- Surface 180- A 180 degree turn on the surface of the water.
- Surface 360- A 360 degree turn on the surface of the water.
- Ollie- A bunny-hop out of the water.
Spins
A spin is done by rotating the board around, like snowboarding. These spins are:
Spin Terminology
- Backside- A spin where the rider rotates with the back of their body towards the boat first. Many times mistakenly referred to as blindside spins.
- Baller- This is a term used for when a rider does the handle pass of their spin by passing the handle between their legs. Invented by Parks and Shane Bonifay.
- Flatline Spin/Orbital- A spin where the rider goes over the rope instead of passing the handle.
- Frontside- A spin where the rider rotates with the front of their body towards the boat first.
- Off-Axis- When a rider does a spin but goes off the vertical axis so the board usually gets up to shoulder level or above. Invented by Marshall Harrington. Also called "Monkey" and "Corked" spins. Will Ellis was the first rider to land an Off-Axis 900.
- Ole- When a rider rotates with the handle above his head, not passing the handle.
- Osmosis- When the rider performs a spin by tossing the handle from one hand to the same hand again, bypassing the other hand. Invented by Shaun Murray.
- Rewind- A spin where the rider does a shifty one way, then back the other, then spins back in the direction of their initial shifty.
- Shifty- Board is shifted 90 degrees in one direction and then shifted back in the opposite direction. Gregg Necrason was the first rider to land a shifty 540.
- To Blind- The rider does a backside 180 and lands with the rope in their backs or they can do a handle pass
- Wrapped- When the rider has the rope wrapped around their back when riding they are going to perform a wrapped trick. It allows a rider to spin without doing a handle pass. It also allows the rider to perform unique grabs that usually cannot be done when passing the handle.
Terms
Wakeboarders have their own unique terms as mentioned above with the names for certain tricks. Other common terms are:
"Take me for a pull"
"Give me a tow"
"I want to rip 'n ride"
See also
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