Snowboarding traces its modern origins to the 1965 invention of the Snurfer, created by engineer Sherman Poppen as a way to combine surfing and snow play. This early stand-up sled, which sold over a million units, was later adapted by Jake Burton Carpenter, who added bindings and applied engineering principles to the design, transforming it from a toy into the high-performance board known today. However, the idea of riding sideways on snow is not entirely new; for over 400 years, villagers in Patron, Turkey, have used large wooden planks called lazboards to navigate snow-covered roads. Snowboards are also responsible for a major innovation in skiing: the sidecut, or hourglass shape, which allows for easier, arced turns, was popularized by snowboard designers before being adopted by the ski industry. In terms of technique, the Goofy stance, where the rider leads with the right foot, is an officially recognized technical term that originated from a 1937 Disney cartoon featuring the character Goofy surfing.

Snowboarding is an extreme sport defined by both gravity and precision engineering. The world speed record for a snowboarder stands at a breathtaking 126 mph ($203$ km/h), a velocity that requires specialized aerodynamic suits and helmets to manage air resistance. The massive, perfectly sculpted half-pipes used in modern competitions are made possible by the Pipe Dragon, a specialized grooming machine that cuts consistent, smooth curves into the snow, allowing athletes to achieve the momentum necessary for high-flying tricks. Learning to ride typically involves keeping the board perpendicular to the slope and sliding on the uphill heel edge to control speed, using the friction of the edge as a brake. For those seeking the ultimate extreme experience, the sport of volcano boarding exists, where riders slide down the ash and small rocks of active volcanoes, proving that a smooth ride can be found even without snow.

Want to learn more? Head over to my website www.funfactsdailypod.com and be sure to listen to my other podcasts Who ARTed: Weekly Art History for All Ages or Art Smart. For family fun, check out my son's podcast Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

Fun Facts Daily is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices