You can't really find another name for this sport. Although many people refer to the sport as "Airboarding" because it's done on an inflatable "board," the manufacturers of the boards prefer to call it snow body-boarding because "it is more descriptive of the body motion and riding style." But since the only other naming options, snowboarding and tubing, was usurped by "more conservative" winter sports enthusiasts, the name airboarding is widely used.
First, when I came across this sport, I wondered how different it was from snow tubing ?
Besides obvious : body construction of the board and ability to control the directions , the most fun part - riders have been known to reach speeds of more than 80 mph ! Some say riding an Airboard is like ultimate sledding. Except that airboarding is not just about sliding down the hill. It's about creating a unique experience on snow.
You know how much I want our state to be "the ultimate outdoor playground all-year-round " with every outdoor activity and adventure in it ?
Well, we don't have airboarding ...yet.
Originally started in Europe, the sport of airboarding has taken off at several U.S ski resorts during the last 3 years.
If you are too stoke to wait for the sport to arrive in our state, make a trip to our neighbours : Hoodoo, Oregon or Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho.
Or better buy your own airboard. Airboards come in two sizes: "adult" for riders over 85lbs, and "kids" for kids 6-11 (or lighter weight teens). They retail for $269 & $149 and can be found at various sports shops as well as online.
I wonder which of our Washington ski resorts will be first to monetize on this latest craze ?
No comments:
Post a Comment