If one were to mix surfing, water skiing, and snowboarding into one sport, wakeboarding would be the result. Wakeboarding requires the use of a boat, like water skiing. It also uses a board much like a snowboard to surf the wakes the boat creates. Lastly, the tow rope that is held onto in wakeboarding is also present in water skiing.

Wakeboarding centers around one key factor- the wake of the boat that is pulling the individual who is wakeboarding. Any types of stunts or tricks are achieved by ramping up these wakes, and doing a combination of spins, grabs, and turns. The momentum to achieve a successful ramp, or Ollie, is gained by steering with the fins of the wakeboard at a wide angle. To improve speed, most wakeboards are designed to be very aerodynamic, and are fairly small in size.

Wakeboarding competitions are popular around seaside towns and cities. Most competitions will judge based on style, stunts, use of time, and of course deductions are taken from wipeouts. Wipeouts are generally nothing serious, but getting tangled in the tow line can be very dangerous. The force of wiping out can also strain muscles, or even cause concussions. The common wipeout will be more embarrassing than painful- so usually there isnŐt anything to worry about.

Wakeboarding takes a few lessons to start pulling off tricks, but most people can begin wakeboarding immediately. The majority of the cost comes from renting or owning the boat used to tow the individual who is wakeboarding. The rest of the equipment comes at a fair price, so entry into the sport isnŐt just for the upper class. A wetsuit will most likely be a good buy, since the constant interaction with water can cause hypothermia- not to mention that some wipeouts can easily tear a swimming suit off of the person wakeboarding.

For those who are looking for something a little different, some have left the wakeboard behind, and instead continued barefoot. This is a lot more dangerous, since higher speeds are necessary to tow the barefoot individual. The higher the speed is, the harder the crash is. Thankfully, the majority of injuries even at this speed are minimal. Some of the more serious falls can cause back problems, but most of these problems are not long term. ItŐs fun to mix things up a bit sometimes, so leaving the wakeboard on the boat can prove to be a very interesting experience.

The interesting sport of wakeboarding has become very popular among travelers especially, since it is easy to grab the basics and enjoy a day out on the waters. Only one wakeboard should be out on the waters at a time, but having friends or family come along and watch and take turns in wakeboarding makes the sport much more social. For the less social, competitions can not only give a great source of entertainment, but also a lot of fame and recognition. For a little face paced water sport action, be sure to look into wakeboarding.