During many ski vacations, you will see the slopes dotted with snowboards. Some industry insiders predict that snowboards will actually surpass snow skis in popularity within the next decade.
People have always loved sliding down snow-covered hills, so it's impossible to say who invented the first snowboard. There is evidence that ancient civilizations snowboarded with crude contraptions in areas of the world where snow was an everyday or seasonal occurrence. In Hawaii (of all places), the highest mountain tops retain snow during the winter months and the ancient Hawaiians used "papa holua" or "ti leaf sleds" as a pastime that is still practiced today. The annual Hawaiian Snowboarding Championships take place on the Island of Hawaii each winter. There's nothing quite like snowboarding at the 9,000 foot level and having an ocean vista below. Pretty incredible.
Some feel that Jack Burchette invented the precursor of the modern snowboard back in 1929 when he made a snowboard out of a plywood plank. Others credit Sherman Poppen who, in 1965, made a stand-up sled for his daughter and named it the 'Snurfer'.
Whoever was the first we'll never know, but the evolution of modern-day snowboarding has been remarkable and snowboards are an important part of many ski vacations. In the early years of snowboarding, many ski resorts banned snowboards on their slopes. Snowboards were viewed as "nuisances" similar to the reputation that skateboards have gained over the years. Both snowboarding and skateboarding have come into the mainstream and are recognized as legitimate sports with rabid followers worldwide.
Avalanche Snowboards was founded in 1982 and became the first major snowboard manufacturer and forerunner of many others to come onto the scene. Millions of runs have been taken on Avalanche snowboards since the first ones were sold and they are still the only manufacturer to offer a lifetime warranty on their boards.
In 1982 the National Snowsurfing Championships were held at Suicide Six Ski Area in Woodstock, Vermont, featuring a slalom and downhill. Racers in the downhill were reportedly clocked going at speeds of more than 60 m.p.h. This was the first time that riders from all over the country competed against each other.
Absolutely Radical arrived in March 1985 as the first magazine devoted exclusively to snowboarding. Six months later the name was changed to International Snowboard Magazine.
Vermont played an important role in the early days of snowboarding, and has been credited as being the first state to open a Snowboarding Park. By the time 1989 rolled around, most of the major ski resorts that had banned snowboards from their slopes surrendered to the public popularity of the growing sport and welcomed snowboarders. These first resorts included Squaw Valley - California, Snowbird - Utah, Mammoth Mountain - California, Sun Valley - Idaho and Vail - Colorado. These resorts remain today as some of the most popular for ski vacations.
Snowboarding gained worldwide "legitimacy" when it was credentialed as an official Olympic event at the 1998 Nagano, Japan Winter Olympics. The first competitions included men's and women's halfpipes and men's and women's giant slaloms. Since then new events have been added at each competition and snowboarding is an exciting attraction sport. In a short 40-year "modern" history, snowboarding has taken over the hearts and minds of enthusiasts around the world .
Snowboards continue to be the #1 Christmas present request by children who participate in winter sports, and you will often see families on ski vacations with snowboards in tow.
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