Over the years, wakeboarding has grown from being just a competitive sport to a summer pastime enjoyed by many. But like most board sports, it didn’t just appear overnight. If you’ve ever wondered when and where wakeboarding was invented and who built it from the foundations, you’re in the right place.
Let’s take a look at where wakeboarding began, how it grew, and where it’s headed next.
When Was Wakeboarding Invented, and Where Did It Begin?
Wakeboarding, as we know it today, was invented at the end of the 1980s and experienced its true development in the 1990s. However, its foundations were rooted in a mix of surfing and waterskiing, dating back well before that. People started experimenting with riding surfboards behind boats, often referred to as "skurfing" back in the day, though they weren't ideal for what we see from wakeboarders today.
As for where wakeboarding was invented? It all kicked off in the United States, mainly around California and Florida, where the water is warm and people were already pushing boundaries in board sports, which could then be transferred and translated to behind the boat.
When Were Wakeboards Invented?
The first official wakeboards were truly invented in the late 1980s (shifting away from their foundation period of 1985 to 1989) when companies began to move away from surfboards and skurfers to create boards designed explicitly for use behind a boat. Early models, such as the HO Hyperlite, while looking primitive by today's standards, utilised technology that was at the forefront for its time, while tech continued to develop and things like rockers, molded fins, and better construction began to propel the sport further into the spotlight.
Who Invented Wakeboarding and When Did Wakeboarding Start?
The invention of wakeboarding can’t be pinned to just one person, but Tony Finn and Jimmy Redmon are often credited as the key figures. In 1985, they created and mass-produced the “Skurfer,” a hybrid board with foot straps made for being towed behind a boat. Around the same time, Herb O’Brien, founder of HO Skis and Hyperlite wakeboards, began developing compression-molded boards with improved float and control, which helped propel the sport into the next phase.
While it’s tough to say exactly who invented wakeboarding, individuals like Finn and O’Brien were among the first to steer the sport in the right direction throughout the late 1980s and into the first generation of wakeboards in 1990.
When Did Wakeboarding Become Popular?
Wakeboarding gained proper traction in the 1990s and, by the late 1990s, started to truly find its footing, particularly after the release of the first true wake-specific boards and bindings. It began appearing in extreme sports competitions, and by the early 2000s, it had garnered worldwide attention. Cable parks emerged, pro riders made a name for themselves, and brands like Ronix, Hyperlite, and Liquid Force helped push the sport into the mainstream.
Wakeboard Competitions and Wider Recognition
While the wakeboard industry run their series of tournaments like any other spoert to give rankings and round winners, the sport of wakeboarding has always dabbled further into the broader sports competitions, finding a home for years at the X-Games alongside the likes of Skate, BMX and Surfing, while also becoming a mainstay in the World Games format every four years.
As for the ultimate recognition, and answering why is wakeboarding not in the Olympics, it comes down to a number of varying factors. The hosting city gets to add a sport to they're turn of the Olympics, which has a number of sports throw it's hat in the ring, while wakeboarding has consistently put its hand up to be included a number of logistical issues are present.
Firstly, is whether to have both boat and cable disciplines or just one. The limited global infrastructure and the difficulty of standardising a boat-driven sport across different countries also play a significant role.
There have been discussions about adding cable wakeboarding to the Olympics, as it makes a lot more sense from an infrastructure standpoint. It has an easier bridge to cross with Olympic committees. However, these discussions are currently only talk. While it may not be in the Olympics, that's certainly not due to a lack of talent in wakeboarding.
Top 10 Wakeboarders in the World
While the top 10 constantly shift throughout the competition year, these are some of the riders that are consistently in the Top 10 in the world:
Nic Rapa (Australia)
Cory Teunissen (Australia)
Tyler Higham (USA)
Sam Brown (Australia)
Massi Piffaretti (Italy)
Guenther Oka (USA)
Meagan Ethell (USA – women’s division)
Mary Morgan Howell (USA – women’s division)
Zahra Kell (Australia – women’s division)
Jake Pelot (USA)
Noah Flegel (USA)
These riders are at the top of the sport and are constantly pushing it further and bigger than we could have ever imagined back in the 1990s.