Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding is a fun and challenging sport. A couple of years ago I
was boating with some friends when one of them pulled out something I had
never seen before, a wakeboard. In the past I had tried water-skiing and
kneeboarding, but until then I had never heard of wakeboarding, I
haven't picked up a water-ski or kneeboard since that day.
A wakeboard is shaped a lot like a snowboard. It is 150 cm long and
about 60 cm wide. Riding a wakeboard has been compared to surfing,
skateboarding, waterskiing, and snowboarding.
At first I was nervous about learning a new watersport at age 18, because
I remembered how hard it was to get up one ski. My friends convinced me to
give it a try and I loved it. At first it was hard to get up, but after four try's I
could get up almost every time on the first pull.
English: Kneeboarding in Palguera, Puerto Rico.
Wakeboarder, hinter Boot
English: Wakeboarding Marco Díaz photography Espa...One of the reasons this sport is
so great is that once you get up you can learn and excel very quickly. By the end
of that same day I was almost able to jump over the wake. I have friends who
are able to do backflips, so this gives me a goal. But for now I have to be content
with jumping the wake. I like this, because while there is always another level
that I'm aiming for I still feel and look competent on a wakeboard.
While jumping is the first skill that I learned, the second skill I began
working on was riding fakie. Riding fakie consists of riding with the opposite
foot on the back of the wakeboard. Normally I ride with my right foot on the
back of the board, this riding stance is referred to as regular. While riding...