**1. Equipment for Sandboarding:**
– Sandboard base is harder than a snowboard, typically made of formica or laminex.
– Special base materials allow sliding on wet and dry sand.
– Board bottom is waxed with paraffin-based sandboard wax.
– Terrain sandboards are typically hardwood ply, while full-size ones are made of wood, fiberglass, and plastic composite.
– Snowboarding base can work on steeper dunes.
**2. Worldwide Sandboarding Locations:**
– Sandboarding is practiced on every continent except Antarctica.
– Over 65 territories have sandboarding destinations.
– Sand-boarding.com offers a global map of sandboarding locations.
**3. Sandboarding Locations by Region:**
– **Israel:** Drorbamidbar offers sandboarding in the Negev Desert near Ashalim in Ramat HaNegev.
– **Australia:** Locations include Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island, Lucky Bay south of Kalbarri, and Stockton dunes near Sydney.
– **Africa:** Sandboarding sites are found in Egypt, Namibia, and South Africa.
– **U.S.:** Sandboarding spots include Sand Master Park in Oregon, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah, and Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
– **South America:** Peru and Chile are notable locations for sandboarding.
– **Central America:** Sandboarding is available at Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro volcano.
– **Europe:** Locations include Monte Kaolino in Germany, Dune of Pilat in France, Amothines in Greece, Wales’ Big Dipper, and Braunton Burrows in the UK.
**4. Sandboarding Organizations and Events:**
– **InterSands:** A Swiss organization supporting sandboarding schools globally, focusing on teaching children sandboarding and promoting a healthy lifestyle. It also hosts the Sandboard World Cup.
– **Events:** Sandboarding World Championship events include slalom, freestyle, and sandboard cross. Monte Kaolino in Germany is a notable site for sandboarding events.
**5. References and External Links:**
– Various references and external links related to sandboarding destinations, equipment, events, and resources are available for further exploration and information.
Sandboarding is a boardsport and extreme sport similar to snowboarding that involves riding across or down a sand dune while standing on a board, either with both feet strapped in or while standing loose, without bindings. Sandboarding can also be practised sitting down or lying on the belly or the back. It typically involves a sandboard, although it is also possible to use sleds, surfboards, a skateboard deck, or snowboards.
Sandboarding has adherents throughout the world, but is most prevalent in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes. It is less popular than snowboarding, partly because it is very difficult to build a mechanised ski lift on a sand dune, meaning participants must walk or ride a dune buggy or all-terrain vehicle back to the top of the dune. On the other hand, dunes are normally available year-round as opposed to ski resorts, which are seasonal.