History of Snowboarding

An infographic by: Jack Burchett RE: 1929 RDE A guy called Jack Burchett makes this 'snowboard'. He ties himself to it with horse's reins and a clothes line and slides down the hill with it. It doesn't catch on and it earns him some strange looks from friends (probably) The History of Snowboarding Sherman Poppen Sherman Poppen invents the snurfer (snow+surfer = snurfer. See?). He stuck two skis together and tied a rope to the front. The feet were held in place by steel pins. He sold half a million in 1966, but people only saw them as a kid's toy 1965 Jake Burton Tom Sims Ahh finally, someone you've heard of! After taking part in competitions organised by Poppen, Burton moves to Londonderry, Vermont and makes a new version of the Snurfer. He then puts the world's first bindings on it and everyone's like 'Whoa, dude. That's sick'. After seeing Burton's effort, Poppen decides to stop making the Snurfer. Someone you may have heard of if you've been riding a while. He made his first board at high school by glueing carpet and aluminium sheeting to a piece of wood. Sims came from a skating background (i.e. he was obssessed with skateboarding). He teamed up with skateboard maker Chuck Barfoot and they began making 1977 BURTON SIMS G SNOVWBOARDS snowboards from skateboard decks. Sims snowboards survived until 2006 when it was bought out. P-Tex Bases & Steel Edges Burton introduced P-Tex bases (i.e. the bases we have today) to snowboards. The skis available at the time all had this type of base. Steel edges were also added and this was the first time a board could be turned easily on groomed pistes. (But hardly anyone let snowboarders anywhere near a groomed piste) 1980 1985 Nobody likes us In the USA, just 39 out of 600 ski resorts allowed snowboarders to use their facilities. Most said 'our insurance doesn't cover it'. 1990 First Park Vail, Colarado introduces the first snowboard park. Skiers were baffled at the concept. 1994 Splitboard invented A need to get off piste is reborn and Voile USA invents the splitboard. This is a snowboard that can split into to skis to enable hiking. 1998 Snowboarding becomes an Olympic Sport Making its debut at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games, The first gold went to Rebagliati, a Canadian from Whislter. His medal got taken away when he tested positive for weed, though later returned when he said it 'must have been inhaled second-hand while at a party'. Yeah. Right. The medal got returned to him later, but it reinforced snowboarding's 'stoner' image in the public's eye Skiers secretly think "Hey! That looks like fun!" After seeing how much fun boarders were having in the park, Salomon invent the first successful twin tip ski, starting the sport of park skiing. The park is no longer just called the 'snowboard park' 2006 Rocker re-invented Libtech and K2 invent the concept of Rocker. Except they don't - 'cos it's already been invented. Whatever. They brought them back. Never Summer go one better and introduce Dual Camber to the world. e RORide 2011 www.reride.co.uk Use: Ask permission If you want to use this image. If we give you permission, It is only under the condition that you state, and link to, the source. Thank you.