The History of Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding as a water sport is done both competitively and as a recreational activity. The sport evolved late in the 20th century from a combination of surfing, snowboarding and water skiing techniques. There is no singular origin of wakeboarding. A wide variety of figures, organizations and events contributed to the sport's creation and growth in the 1980s and 1990s.

  1. Origins

    • In 1985, when surfing had long established its popularity as a water sport in California, a variation emerged in which surfers rode their boards while towed by a boat holding a ski rope. San Diego-area surfer Tony Finn developed a hybrid surfing and water skiing board, dubbed the "skurfer," which due to its smaller size allowed for more maneuverability on waves while being towed. Jimmy Redmon of Austin, Texas developed the first foot straps for surfboards and skurfers, enabling riders to perform air tricks previously impossible in surfing.

    The First Wakeboard

    • Despite increased popularity of skurfing in the early 1990s, the technological development of the sport stagnated. The buoyancy of skurfers at the time prevented less-experienced riders from performing deep water starts. That all changed when Herb O'Brien, then owner of H.O. Water Sports, Inc., developed the first compression-molded, neutral-buoyancy board, which allowed deep water starts for riders of all age groups and experience levels. Historians generally regard O'Brien's "hyperlite" board as the first true wakeboard and the major breakthrough for the sport.

    Technological Advancements

    • The compression-molding manufacturing process of wakeboards allowed for further refinements in the early 1990s. O'Brien modified his original wakeboard design, giving the board a more narrow shape to allow for slalom-like carving across water and further distinguish its appearance from that of a surfboard. Redmon developed the "twin tip" wakeboard, which significantly redesigned the board's appearance with its smaller, more symmetrical shape and fins at each end, allowing for more flexibility in performance. The twin tip board eventually established itself as the standard design for wakeboards.

    Growth in Popularity

    • Redmon founded the World Wakeboarding Association in 1990 to create a governing body for the sport. In 1992, Florida-based sports promotion agency World Sports & Marketing created the first nationwide wakeboarding competition, known as the Pro Wakeboard Tour. The competitions gained massive exposure with their coverage on ESPN and ESPN2. To account for the sport's subsequent nationwide explosion in popularity, World Publications launched Wake Boarding Magazine in 1993. The sport grew even more as a professional competition in the late 1990s, with ESPN's X-Games introducing wakeboarding for the first time in 1996 and the Wakeboard World Cup Series becoming the first international event in 1998.

    Significance

    • Finn, co-owner of Liquid Force Wakeboards, remains an ambassador and influential leader of the sport after contributing to its origins in the 1980s. Professional wakeboarders continue to compete in the X-Games, Pro Wakeboard Tour and Wakeboard World Cup, and consider winning the events the crown jewel of the sport. Wakeboarding in the 21st century remains popular as a recreational sport for people of all age groups and skill levels.