Longboarding
Longboarding is a skateboarding sport in which athletes use a longboard to compete in races, usually downhill. The longboard which originated in Hawaii was inspired by surfboards. There are different variations of the longboard, based on the size of the wheels and how they turn.
Downhill Speed Skateboarding The most popular form of race conducted using longboards is the downhill racing. The boards used are specially designed, and are longer, usually 35 to 44 inches long. Downhill races are of high speeds, where skaters are known to reach speeds in excess of 80mph.
In downhill races, a maximum of four athletes are allowed to compete in a round. Races start uphill, and athletes ride down on a road course as fast as possible, keeping the board in control. If riders lose control and fall down, they are allowed to get back into the race again. Most riders, ride the board standing up, while there are some that are in a seated position with a flat back, similar to a luge.
IGSA the world sanctioning body for skateboard sports, conducts various downhill longboarding competitions. The Bo Peep Crash & Burn is the most popular event conducted annually in the UK. Almabtrieb downhill racing event, held in Germany, is another major competition conducted for the sport.
Similar Sports
- Skateboarding — competitions involving tricks or races while standing on a flat board with rollers attached at the bottom.
- Streetluge — participants race downhill feet first on a sort of modified skateboard.
- Mountainboarding — an action board sport like a snowboard with wheels or a cross-country skateboard.
- Kite Landboarding — using a kite and wind power to manoeuver a huge skateboard-type board over land.
- Vert Skateboarding — in which athletes ride a skateboard up and down a large ramp and perform various tricks while being airborne.
- SpikeBoarding — a simplified form of Nordic XC roller skiing only on one board instead of two. (New Sport)
Related Pages
- More about Roller Sports
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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