| Wakeboarding had its humble beginnings in the late | | | | the boarder and spectator alike. |
| 80's by a couple of water sports enthusiasts in | | | | World Sports & Marketing, a sports promotion |
| Orlando, Florida. Since then, the sport has taken off | | | | and event organization based in Florida, included |
| wildly and wakeboarding is now an official sport and | | | | Skurfing (the archaic name for wakeboarding, also |
| part of many action sport festivals and competitions. | | | | previously known as kneeboarding or skiboarding) in |
| The boarder can be seen thrashing the waters from | | | | pro wakeboard competitions in the early 90's. These |
| the Philippines to Canada to Germany to New | | | | events were covered by ESPN and ESPN2, giving |
| Zealand. With International interest, televised events, | | | | substantial coverage to the new sport. In 1993, |
| major corporate sponsorship and stars of the sport | | | | Wakeboarding Magazine was born and provided a |
| competing in these events, wakeboarding has | | | | platform for the sport to gain exposure and provided |
| become a mainstay in the action-sports genre with | | | | information to interested athletes. When ESPN |
| millions of people all over the world participating. The | | | | included wakeboarding in 1996's X-Games, millions of |
| sport now has competitions and events for men, | | | | viewers were indoctrinated with the sport and |
| women and young adults who participate to win | | | | wakeboarding's popularity exploded and enthusiasts |
| coveted trophies, prize money and corporate | | | | and pros continue to flourish throughout the world. |
| sponsorship. | | | | Women have a prominent position in the sport with |
| It seems that all that is needed is a body of water, a | | | | athletes like Dallas Friday (winner of every pro |
| boat, a board, a tow line, a swimsuit and the passion | | | | women's wakeboarding event since winning the |
| and desire to excel at this ever-expanding sport. | | | | National Championship in 2002), Emily Copeland (first |
| Many of the wakeboarding and water sports | | | | place winner in the 2002 Philadelphia X Games) , |
| competitions include not only the competition and the | | | | Maegan Major and Tara Hamilton making a big splash |
| premier participants showing off their skill and agility | | | | on the scene. In men's competitions, Danny Harf, |
| but incorporate multiple-day events with live music | | | | Tino Santori, Phillip Soven, Andrew Adkison and Rusty |
| concerts, parties, workshops with pros and fun for | | | | Malinoski are wakeboarding's top male champions. |