Snowboarding - Despite the myth it is a lot like skiing
In 1929 a man named Jack Burchett cut a plank out of a piece of plywood, he tried to secure his feet to the plank with some clothesline and horse reins. Although it is hard to day if this was the first person to invent snowboarding it was the first around until 30 years later. In 1965 Sherman Poppen a chemical engineer decided to make a toy for his daughter by bonding two skis together and putting a rope at one end for the rider to hold and keep balance. Soon after all his daughters friends wanted one and Poppen had his snowboard licensed to a manufacturer. His snowboard sold over a half a million times in 1966. To get more people interested in snowboarding Poppen organized competitions a man named Dimitrije Milovich started making snowboards in 1969 after using a cafeteria plate to slide down a hill. He thought this was a great idea. He based his idea on combining a surfboard and skis. To help make snowboarding better known Milovich produced several boards and had articles published in Newsweek, Playboy and Powder magazine. Milovich left the snowboarding business in 1980 but is still recognized as a pioneer in the sport. Jake Burton also known for his boards that were made of laminated hardwood shocked everyone when he won a snowboarding competition with his board. His snowboard had the first binding which made the board easier to handle.
In 1982 the first snowboarding magazine was produced called Snowboarder. The next year another magazine called absolutely radical was produced and later changed the name to International Snowboarding Magazine. Also in 1982 the first snowboarding race was held in Woodstock, Vermont. The goal of the race appeared to be about surviving the mountain, because of the treacherous and icy hills.
In 1994 snowboarding was declared an Olympic sport, but it wasn’t until the 1998 Winter Olympic Games that it was accepted as an Olympic sport. This sport was becoming very popular.
If you want to learn how to snowboard a few tips would be helpful Begin by making sure you have the proper equipment such as goggles, snowboard boots and a board that fits you. If your board is too wide or too ling you could find yourself sliding down the hill on your butt. Another thing to keep in mind snowboarding is a little like skiing. So if you know how to ski you will have an advantage. You will have the same type of body movements and the equipment is similar. Your best bet if you have never done it before is to start with a lesson.
For more information, check out the websites available online. And be sure to watch the Olympics this February for snowboarding events, or check the news for highlights at the top of the hour.