Snowboarding - Basic Facts

Snowboarding is a very popular and an ever-growing winter sport. Here are some basic facts about snowboarding.


• Snowboarding was first invented by Sherman Poppen in the year 1965.


• Early boards were very simple in their design and were made by just fixing two skis together. However, highly specialized models are available today. These recent designs reflect the variety of riding styles that emerged within the sport in due course of time.


• The two common primary styles of snowboarding are: ‘freestyle/freeride’ and ‘alpine/carving’. The specialized set of equipment used in each style is different from each other.


• Today, snowboarding competitions and events are being held at an international level. These events include ‘the halfpipe’, ‘boardercross’, ‘slopestyle’ and ‘parallel giant slalom’, to name a few.


• In 2000, snowboarding became the fastest-growing sport in the US.


• After making its Olympics debut in Nagano, Japan in 1998, snowboarding returned to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.


• In the late 70’s, Burton Snowboards were created by Jake Burton Carpenter. Today, Burton has become the largest manufacturer of snowboards, gear and snowboard clothing all over the world.


• Generally, snowboarding takes place at the major ski resorts but it is a very different spot. It uses equipments that are different from the ones used in skiing.


• In fact, there are four ski resorts in the US that has banned snowboarding!
It is the increasing craze for snowboarding that brought about a revolution in the ski industry and inspired the ski manufacturers to make shorter and more maneuverable skis with deeper side cuts.


In short, if you are an adventure freak, snowboarding will be a truly thrilling experience



By Sumit Bhatnagar and Parul Aggarwal