| The history of the sport called wakeboarding goes | | | | the sport back and only experience riders would |
| back for a couple decades It is really a combination | | | | actually attempt any of the sports. So then many |
| of several sports; water skiing, snowboarding, and | | | | people began to develop their own boards and ideas |
| surfing. For years surfing has been the sport of many | | | | that would eventually make the sport popular again. |
| beach goes, but Tony Finn developed skurfer in 1985 | | | | Herb O'Brien designed a new board for the sport and |
| in San Diego. Skurfer is what wakeboarding use to be | | | | called it a wakeboard. |
| called and is a combination of skiing and surfing. | | | | The new invention turned out to change the sport |
| To do the sport you used a little surfboard and was | | | | forever an including its name. Instead of being called |
| pulled by a boat while the rider performed many | | | | skurfer, it was now known as wakeboarding. The |
| surf-style moves. The ride style was visions of | | | | board allows the rider to submerge it for easy |
| snowboarding and skateboarding with a little bit of | | | | deepwater stars and it was accessible to everyone |
| skiing. In the beginning, the boards didn't have a foot | | | | from four and above ages. Then O'Brien continued to |
| strap and so the rider stood anywhere on the board | | | | make innovations to his wakeboard. |
| and tried to stay on the board as long as possible. | | | | A thin board would curve like a slalom ski. By adding |
| In the summer of 1985, foot straps were added to | | | | dimples, the board could break up water adhesion, |
| the boards. This was an interesting innovation at that | | | | give the rider a loose feel, and have softer landings |
| the time because it came from two different people | | | | for jumpers. As the sport continued to grow, the |
| at the same time and each person was not aware of | | | | boards grew better too. They were designed better |
| the other. The two were Jimmy Redmon from | | | | through the years to give the rider and ultimate |
| Texas and Tony Finn. Because of this innovation, | | | | water experience that would allow them to show off |
| more jumps and tricks were allowed to be | | | | their tricks more. The |
| incorporated into the sport. The sport became more | | | | Redmon founded WWA or World Wakeboard |
| dynamic and free-styled. All the riders were trying to | | | | Association in 1989 and Redmon is now considered |
| find new ways to get attention and many tricks | | | | the guru of wakeboarding. He has been responsible |
| came out of the late 1980's. | | | | for making the sport and has been responsible for |
| By the early 1990's, it has become a huge sport and | | | | the increase interest in the sport. Wakeboarding has |
| had competitions on ESPN. But the sport was still | | | | recently been added to the X games because the |
| struggling a bit. The lack of technology was holding | | | | sport is so popular. |