Among a variety of sports, wakeboarding has recently become the most popular. What is it, few imagine, although it cannot be said that this hobby belongs to the category of new ones. It was just that water-skiing athletes used to go behind the boat , and now they are on the board. Although most fans of extreme water sports believe that the progenitor of wakeboarding is surfing - just like he is the "father" of windsurfing, which uses a board with a sail, kiting, in which the board follows a kite, and skimboarding - skating in shallow water , or even just on the wet sand.
Advantages
The word “wakeboarding” hints at the main advantage of this sport. What is it translated into Russian? “Wake” from English is a wake wave, “board” is a board. That is, the person involved in it does not depend on the vagaries of the weather. He does not need to catch a wave, rake, becoming in the right place or wait until the wind appears. There is always a wave behind the boat, and you only need to be able to use it. Sometimes, instead of this, watercraft use a jet ski, but most often only in training for beginners - it has much lower power (although the jet ski wins in maneuverability), and the wave is not strong enough.
Equipment
It should be noted that both the board and the wakeboarding boat have their own design features. The most important thing is the right mover for the athlete. Thus, the boat should have a hull wide at the sides, a deep V-shaped bottom, a mast of a special design for attaching the towing rope and a low landing. To ensure this, the boat takes on board an additional ballast, usually in the form of additional tanks filled with water. Thanks to such tricks, the wake wave is high and wide, which gives the athlete the opportunity to perform high jumps and acrobatic somersaults without the expense of extra forces.
The length of the wakeboard is much wider and shorter than the surf. It is chosen by weight and by the athlete’s experience (heavy is more suitable for training, light for honing tricks), in length - the heavier the person, the longer the wake, in bending - how complex acrobatic studies are planned to be performed.
Essentials for Beginners
So, you are interested in wakeboarding. What is it and how does everything look from the outside? The boat is motionless, the athlete from the aft launch pad descends into the reservoir, lays on his back, focusing his legs on the boat and holding on to a short halyard (not towing, but launching). When the boat begins to move, the halyard is pulled at the minimum speed, the board actually sticks to the legs, and upon acceleration, the athlete sets foot on the wave. He will have to find a balance and you can either just go or work out the tricks.
At first, they are not advised to get too carried away at first, persistently trying to defeat the wave the first time. It is usually recommended to take several quarter-hour approaches with breaks for rest - wakeboarding requires good physical preparation and strength from the athlete. If you are going to engage in it seriously, in your free time from mastering the board, do not forget about the trampoline. After practicing jumps and other elements on it, water exercises will be much easier, and there will be much less falls and subsequent formation on the wave.
Where to do
Across Europe, there are more than a hundred wake parks. There are only five of them in Russia. The “Water Area of ​​Summer Zavidovo” is best equipped. There is not only the necessary equipment and qualified instructors, but also additional slides and devices that help perform fairly complex tricks even for beginners. Those wishing to just try wakeboarding will not find the price prohibitive: a 15-minute training session with equipment rental and an instructor will cost you only 250 rubles (though on weekdays and not in the evening, all 400 will have to be paid in prime time). If you light up and decide to buy a personal board, in prices you can focus on boards for snowboarding - the cost will be approximately the same.
We can say that the most colorful, vibrant and affordable entertainment in our latitudes is wakeboarding. What it is, you already know. Try acrobatics in the water. Perhaps she will become your hobby for life.