**History and Development of Snowboarding:**
– Sherman Poppen invented the first snowboard in 1965.
– Tom Sims and Jake Burton Carpenter pioneered modern snowboarding in the 1960s.
– Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards in 1977.
– Snowboarding competitions began in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
– The first World Cup for snowboarding was held in Austria in 1985.
– Snowboarding became an official Olympic event in 1998.
– The International Snowboard Federation (ISF) was founded in 1990.
– High-profile events like the Winter X Games and US Open are broadcast worldwide.
**Equipment Evolution and Styles in Snowboarding:**
– Early snowboards were made of wood with water ski foot traps.
– Burton Snowboards popularized bindings for securing feet to the board.
– Snowboarding equipment evolved with specialized bindings and boots.
– Common styles include freeride, freestyle, and freecarve/race.
– Each style has its own specialized equipment and techniques.
– Freeride involves off-trail riding, freestyle focuses on tricks, and freecarve/race emphasizes carving turns.
– Alpine snowboarding is a discipline focused on groomed pistes and has been an Olympic event since 1998.
**Snowboarding Statistics and Participation:**
– In 2004, snowboarding had 6.6 million active participants.
– Women constituted 25% of snowboarding participants.
– In the 2009–2010 season, there were 8.2 million snowboarders in the US and Canada.
– Snowboarding accounted for more than 30% of all snow sports participants.
– Adaptive snowboarding debuted as a medal event in the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.
**Snowboarding Subculture and Safety Precautions:**
– Snowboarding culture emerged as a rebellion against skiing culture.
– Snowboarders incorporated punk and hip-hop styles into their culture.
– Common injuries include wrist injuries, knee injuries, fractures, and head/spinal injuries.
– Wrist guards are recommended to prevent injuries.
– Snowboarders have a higher risk of fractures compared to skiers.
– Beginners and less experienced riders are more prone to injuries.
**Competitions, Events, and Media in Snowboarding:**
– Olympic snowboarding events include big air, halfpipe, and more.
– Snowboarder Magazine’s Superpark event showcases top pros.
– USASA offers grassroots-level competitions for aspiring athletes.
– Snowboarding magazines promote the sport and cover various events.
– Snowboarding video games offer interactive entertainment and contribute to the sport’s popularity.
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games.
 A snowboarder making a turn in fresh snow | |
| First played | 1979, Muskegon, Michigan, US |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Type | Outdoor |
| Equipment | Snowboard, bindings, boots |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | 1998 |
| Paralympic | 2014 |
Snowboarding was developed in the United States, inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing, and skiing. It became popular around the world and was introduced as a Winter Olympic Sport at Nagano in 1998 and featured in the Winter Paralympics at Sochi in 2014. As of 2015[update], its popularity (as measured by equipment sales) in the United States peaked in 2007 and has been in a decline since.