History of Snowboarding

Essay by bigbadboarder540High School, 10th gradeA+, May 2004

download word file, 4 pages 4.2 1 reviews

Downloaded 53 times

Skiing and sledding used to be the only to ways of recreationally traveling down a snow-covered mountain until Snowboarding. Although no one person takes credit for inviting the snowboard it has revolutionized out door winter sports.

"Snowboarding is so successful because it barrows from skate boarding, surfing, and skiing." ("Larry Dane Brimmer") One of the first creators was M.J "Jack" Burchett. In "1929 out of a plank of plywood he cut a snowboard like sled, he secured it to his feet with clothesline and horse reins" ("Beginning of snowboarding"). He never patented it and the idea was not taken any further "until about 30 years later in 1965 when a man named Sherman Poppen (a chemical gases engineer in Muskegon), invented the Snurfer. (His wife came up with the name by mixing snow with surf). Sherman invented the Snurfer as a toy for his daughter. He made it by bonding two skis together and putting a rope at the nose so that the rider could hold it" ("Sherman Poppen interview").

Soon after "many of his daughter's friends wanted Snurfers, Poppen licensed his new idea to a manufacture. The Snurfer sold 500,000 times in 1966 but it was seen only as a kid's toy. Poppen did organize competitions." ("Beginning of snowboarding"). Jake Burton would compete in Poppen's competitions and "became very interested in Snurfing." ("Beginning of snowboarding"). While Jake was in his teens enjoying Snurfing "a man named Dimitrije Milovich began making snowboards he got the idea from sliding down hills on his cafeteria plate." ("Beginning of snowboarding"). "Milovich creates a company called Winterstick in 1972" ("Beginning of snowboarding"). That is still around today "he produced several boards and was in articles in magazines such as "Newsweek", "Playboy" and Powder" these articles made snowboarding a better known sport. Milovich...