For those of us who love a good adrenaline rush, there is nothing like partaking in some extreme sports. Surfing, Water-skiing, Mountain Biking and Snowboarding have all increased in popularity over the recent years. Wakeboarding is a take on snowboarding, surfing and water-skiing by riding a board across the surface of the water whilst being towed by a powerboat.
Wakeboards themselves look a bit like a snowboard, although wider to allow for the skimming of the surface and with fins and bearings to enable it to cut through wakes. Size, weight, fins and binding can all be adjusted to suit the rider. They may also differ for the style of wakeboarding, whether you are performing jumps etc.
The way to ride a board is also much like a snowboard. The technique is to use your edges to cut into the water, using either your heel side or toe side. You move across the water either going around wakes the motorboat creates or cutting into them. Hitting wakes head on will allow you to perform jumps.
Most wakeboarding takes place on inland lakes due to their ideal conditions. Coastline wakeboarding is possible in some places but less common. Of course it is most popular in hot and sunny locations, however the UK does have lakes and centres where you can try your hand at it. Cornwall, Devon, Manchester and Tamworth plus many more all have wakeboarding clubs and facilities.
However of course, like any water sports, the best conditions for these sports to take place are places where the weather boasts glorious hot sunshine, and unfortunately the UK just doesn't cut it in comparison to the likes of Australia, America and Canada. There are also clubs in Europe such as Neorion Bay in Greece. Bow Lake, north of Seattle, Colorado River, Colorado and Stoney Park in Australia are all recommended as some of the worlds best for wakeboarding.
So to try something different and get your adrenaline pumping, give wakeboarding a go. You don't have to fly across the world to try it and it's a great way to exercise and socialise.
Wakeboards themselves look a bit like a snowboard, although wider to allow for the skimming of the surface and with fins and bearings to enable it to cut through wakes. Size, weight, fins and binding can all be adjusted to suit the rider. They may also differ for the style of wakeboarding, whether you are performing jumps etc.
The way to ride a board is also much like a snowboard. The technique is to use your edges to cut into the water, using either your heel side or toe side. You move across the water either going around wakes the motorboat creates or cutting into them. Hitting wakes head on will allow you to perform jumps.
Most wakeboarding takes place on inland lakes due to their ideal conditions. Coastline wakeboarding is possible in some places but less common. Of course it is most popular in hot and sunny locations, however the UK does have lakes and centres where you can try your hand at it. Cornwall, Devon, Manchester and Tamworth plus many more all have wakeboarding clubs and facilities.
However of course, like any water sports, the best conditions for these sports to take place are places where the weather boasts glorious hot sunshine, and unfortunately the UK just doesn't cut it in comparison to the likes of Australia, America and Canada. There are also clubs in Europe such as Neorion Bay in Greece. Bow Lake, north of Seattle, Colorado River, Colorado and Stoney Park in Australia are all recommended as some of the worlds best for wakeboarding.
So to try something different and get your adrenaline pumping, give wakeboarding a go. You don't have to fly across the world to try it and it's a great way to exercise and socialise.