Skateboarding Essay

1001 Words3 Pages

What pastime was uniquely a California invention that began as a simulation of surfing? The skateboard is not only an all-American invention, but has also grown into one of the most popular sports and pastimes around the world.
A skateboard is a small piece of wood in the shape of a surfboard with four wheels attached to it. A single person rides the skateboard, guiding the movement with his feet. (madehow.com) The act of riding a skateboard is not only a sport but is also considered a form of art. Not one skateboarder has the exact same style.
Skateboarding began in the late 1940’s. Its origin began with surfers in Southern California striving to recreate the sensational feeling of carving a wave. (hydroflexskateboards.com) In the early …show more content…

The majority of ollie and flip tricks he invented throughout the 1980 's including the flatground ollie, the Kickflip, the Heelflip, and the 360 flip are regularly done in modern vertical and street skateboarding. In 1992 Mullen created World Industries. (rodneymullen.net) In the late 90s World Industries was the biggest skateboard company in the world. The creation of several cartoon characters, Flame Boy, Wet Willy, and The Devil Man catapulted sales and at the company’s peak in 1998 it was sold for $29 million dollars. Not only were they the first skateboarding company ever listed on the stock market, but to this day it remains one of the biggest sales in skateboarding history. …show more content…

In the 1980’s downhill skate competitions were held. Everything about downhill skating has changed. Today, there are many technology advances that continue to change the sport. Wheels, trucks and the skateboard decks are all being crafted with more specific uses in mind. There are downhill competitions held regularly today throughout the world.
The most popular type of skateboarding today by far is street skating. The reason why street skating is popular is because it doesn’t require anything but a skateboard and a hard surface to skate. People who skate street tend to be fascinated with flipping the board, while people who skate vert tend to focus on flipping or spinning their whole body while in mid-air. Vert skating requires some kind of ramp or bowl that in some places are not accessible. Downhill skating requires hills, which can be difficult to find if you live in a place such as the

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