A Brief History of Snowboarding
The first snowboard, an invention of an American surfer Sherman Poppen, was known as a 'snurfer'. It was very much like a single water ski with a rope attached to a handle at the front and a traction pad. Balancing was difficult and control was almost non-existent. There were no bindings for your feet - you simply stood on the board and hoped for the best!By the mid 1970s three men, Jake Burton Carpenter, Tom Sims and Dimitrije Milovich had, independently, developed better designed boards with bindings. Enthusiasts now had more control and the sport literally began to take off! The only drawback at this time was getting the sport accepted by alpine sport centres. Ski resorts were reluctant to open up their slopes to the new sport for all sorts of reasons but gradually this changed.
By the 1980s there was a world professional tour and today in the 1990s there are more than two million snowboarders worldwide. Most resorts now actively encourage snowboarding and have developed learning packages and facilities to accommodate the sport. (See Information)
Safe Snowboarding
Snowboarding is an exciting sport but as with most outdoor pursuits there are elements of risk. By keeping to a responsible code of conduct you and others around you will safely enjoy this wonderful sport to the full.Ski slopes are busy places so many of the safety rules are concerned with being aware of others around you. Common sense and common courtesy are essential. It sounds serious stuff - safety precautions are - but it does not stop you having lots of fun. So what are the important things to remember?
- Learn the basics with an instructor before you start - even if you can already ski
- Stay in control - make sure you can always stop if you need to avoid people or objects
- Give right of way to people in front of you but if you are joining a trail half way down make sure the way is clear and if need be let others from further up the hill pass first
- Do not stop in a place where you will become a danger to others
- Respect posted signs and warnings - they are there for your safety
If you are learning on a dry ski-slope then you will be advised where to snowboard. In ski resorts, snow slopes are marked with signs that tell you how difficult they are. As a beginner you will stay on the nursery slopes or those marked green. More difficult runs are marked in blue, even harder runs are marked in red and the hardest are marked in black. Black and yellow striped poles mark the position of rocks and other obstacles; black and yellow chequered flags indicate avalanche danger.
