Skiing and Snowboarding

1225 Words3 Pages

Skiing and snowboarding are two very different sports, that have evolved and morphed together to define an entire global industry and are now tantamount as salt and pepper. Skiing was popularized decades before the conception of snowboarding however, snowboarding was conceptualized in part, by skiing. Skiing became a mainstay when it was introduced to the Olympics, it quickly grew to dominate winter sports all over the world. The world was shocked when snowboarding made its way onto the Olympics roster and was perplexed by the influence it carried. The two sports were at war from the beginning, clashing in every possible way. As skiing and snowboarding grew and evolved, so did the winter sports industry. These sports spawned a new generation of athletes, with new trends and ideas, which have completely resuscitated the snow sports industry. Skiing, as a sport has existed since the early 1800’s, although depictions of skis have been discovered throughout Europe dating back thousands of years. Skiing as a recreational activity became popularized in the mid 1800’s however it did not arrive in the United States until around 1841. Once the concept of skiing reached the states, it took off. The United States continued to power advances in skiing for decades, with the introduction of rope tows, then actual ski lifts. By the 1950’s several ski areas had begun snowmaking and trail grooming, two American born inovatio9ns which ensured better skiing conditions and launched the US far ahead of Europe in ski technology (Fry 38). Skiing continued to evolve throughout the 1900’s, constantly changing and adapting to improve athlete performance and recreational experiences. Skis and equipment changed quickly and frequently, ski bindings, which... ... middle of paper ... ...er. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. Hollingsworth, Bob. "New England Skiing Belies Its Old Image." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 15 Nov. 1987. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. "Inside Alpine Skiing." Inside Alpine Skiing | History | NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. Kachur, Adelaide. Personal Interview. 10, Oct, 2013. MacArthur, Paul J. "Smithsonian.com." Smithsonian Magazine. N.p., 10 Feb. 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. "Skiing." Sporting Goods Market Research Handbook. 87-88. n.p.: Richard K. Miller & "Soul Of The East." Ski 77.4 (2012): 70. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 28 Oct. 2013 "Snow Jobbed: Snowboarding Versus The Olympics: It's A Pairing As Natural As Marilyn Manson And Margaret Thatcher." Sports Illustrated 96.7 (2002): A16. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. Tolme, Paul. "Still A Slippery Slope." Newsweek 141.11 (2003): 13. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

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