Written By John Bradley
Skateboarding is the sixth most popular sport in the world. Skateboarding has earned this ranking based on the number of people who are skaters. Over half of all American skaterboarders live in California in the USA, making it one of the most popular areas in the world to be a skater. The sport began in California, the land of the surfer.
The first skateboard was called the “Roller Derby Skateboard” and went onto the market in 1959. It was totally unlike today’s skateboards, with wheels made of clay! With 50 years of development, the modern board is now built with several layers of wood compressed together for strength, and the wheels are made from polyurethane.
The first public outdoor skate park appeared in Florida in 1976 and was built from concrete.
Skateboarding was initially called “sidewalk surfing”. This was because skaters would replicate the techniques of surfers, but on a paved surface. One of their primary imitations was to crouch down and touch the pavement like surfers do with the sea.
From 1978 to 1989, Norway banned skateboarding because of the high numbers of skateboarding accidents. Importing skateboards, selling skateboards and even owning one was punishable by a fine. The movie “Thrashin” was even rated an 18 certificate in Norway because it was about skateboarding. To get around this, the most avid fans of the sport set up illicit ramps in hidden locations so they could practice it in secret.
Each year, more than 100,000 skaters are injured from skateboarding incidents. This is mostly due to skaters wearing improper protective gear. The most common broken bone from a skating injury is the wrist, but many other bones can be broken in accidents.
In 2011, there were a total of 30 fatalities in the USA from skateboarding.
Perhaps the most famous trick in all of skateboarding is the kickflip. Chances are, if you’re riding your skateboard past a couple of strangers, one of them usually can’t help but yell out, “Do a kickflip!” As annoying as this is, it’s a testament to how universally known the famous trick has become.
Skateboard wheels evolved from clay and metal to synthetic materials. The development of polyurethane for the wheels allowed better maneuverability and speed.
