November 18th, 2009 10:36 pm
People who perform extreme sports are not your normal sports participants. They are masters of innovation and if something can be done differently, chances are someone will attempt it. In extreme sports terms, snowboarding and surfing are two sports that are very well established, but perhaps a little old hat for some people now. Is it any wonder then that some bright spark decided to see what would happen if they took the fin off their shortboard and tried carving down a snowy mountain on it?
The sport of snow surfing is thought to have first been conceived in New Zealand when a visiting Australian surfer decided to see if he could ride his board on the white stuff.The sport was born, and others were quick to give it a go and allow this mad activity to keep on growing. Coordination and confidence are the two vital ingredients to succeeding in the sport say participants. Unlike snowboards, riders do not have any bindings to attach themselves to the board, but instead rely on aggressive carving and the use of the hands to ensure that the board stays under their feet.The issue of slowing the board down and stopping had caused some problems as well, but flat run-off areas where people can glide to a stop can be found in many resorts now.
As with all emerging extreme sports, sponsors and industry brands have been paying close attention to see if it is worth their while getting involved. Apparently both Rip Curl and Burton have shown interest in the sport and have been following the most promising individuals. Due to the sport’s relative infancy though, it may be some time before we see it publicised in the mainstream media or any specialised equipment appear on the shelves of your local sports store. On the other hand, because the new sport has been embraced so well by both surf and snowboarding communities it could make it big faster than a lot of fledgling sports.
Tags: extreme sports, snowboarding, snowboards, surfboards, surfing