Snowboard

(Continue on second part from previous eNews)

The Pioneers
In these events of snowboarding pioneers was a certain Jake Burton Carpenter. He improved the Snurfer with his own constructions, constantly. In order to find more hold on the Board, he attached adjustable rubber belts with foot loops and used late Boards that were produced from laminated wood shifts.

Finally, in 1977 he decided to create his own firm in Vermont and to produce his constructions in series. But Burton was not the single one who was busy with the advancement of the Snurfers. Dimitrij Milovich and Tom Sims affected the snowboard development crucially with their constructions as well.

A New York engineer, Dimitrij Milovich was the inventor of the Swallow -Tail whose V-shaped incision in the tail to create a greater impetus. His "winter sticks" were, however, very expensive with a retail sale of $255. It was too expensive those days that the company had to file for bankruptcy in 1984.

Even better, Tom Sims who was the 1977 skateboard world champion and an enthusiastic Snurfer wanted to use his popularity as a snowboard producer. In spring of 1981, with the first snowboard contest was held in Colorado, Tom Sims won the race with a Snowboard, whose edges were reinforced steel that contributed to the fine construction of a snowboard.

To be continued in the next eNews edition.

Marco GALMARINI
ICSD Technical Director - Snowboard