Wakeboarding

Lore & Background

The sport that would become wakeboarding began as mono water skiing in the USA around 1950. Unlike traditional water skiing, which avoids the boat's wake, wakeboarding uses the wake as an artificial wave. Wake surfing with surfboards gained traction around 1964, and boards without straps appeared in New Zealand as 'skurfboards.' Later, boards with bindings were sold in Australia as 'McSkis,' and in 1985 Tony Finn founded Skurfer, a cross between a surfboard and a water ski. The first compression-molded neutral-buoyancy wakeboard was the Hyperlite by O'Brien in the early 1990s, followed by curvier, more compact designs.

Reader's Guide

Wakeboarding's significance lies in its rapid growth and fusion of multiple board sports. Since 2010, it has averaged over 10% annual growth, outpacing nearly all other water sports. The sport is practiced in natural watercourses as well as unconventional locations like flooded roads and car parks. Equipment has evolved from stretchy ski ropes to low-stretch ropes made of Spectra and Dyneema, and boards now feature various rocker shapes and fin configurations. Safety gear includes life vests and water-resistant helmets. Tricks range from basic edges and spins to advanced inverts like the tantrum. The sport has a strong community supported by major brands such as Byerly, O'Neill, and Hyperlite, and shares close similarities with kitesurfing, often serving as a wind-condition-independent alternative.

Did You Know?

• Wakeboarding can be done in unconventional locations like flooded roads and car parks, using a car as the towing vehicle.
• The first compression-molded neutral-buoyancy wakeboard was the Hyperlite by the O'Brien company in the early 1990s.
• Modern wakeboard ropes are constructed with Spectra and Dyneema to decrease stretch and drag.
• The heel side backflip, known as a tantrum, is often regarded as the first and easiest invert to learn.