Vert skateboarding

Vert skateboarding is the act of riding a skateboard on a skate ramp or other incline and involves the skateboarder transitioning from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane in order to perform skateboarding tricks.

History

Vert skateboarding has its genesis in "pool riding" - the riding of skateboards in emptied backyard swimming pools - during the 1970s. As riders moved from general street skateboarding and occasional "pool riding" into purpose-built skate parks, vert skateboarding became more popular. Skateboarders began to develop, and then practice, tricks and techniques specifically for vert skateboarding.

Vert skateboarding became a common style of skateboarding and was introduced into many competitions and events including the X Games and the Maloof Money Cup.

In 2008 ESPN and X Games organisers announced that vert skateboarding would be removed from X Games competitions in favour of free-movement skate-park-style courses where participants would still be able to perform vert skateboarding tricks but would need to do so in combination with other street skateboarding elements. After public condemnation from professional skateboarders Bob Burnquist, Tony Hawk and others, organisers re-instated vert skateboarding.

Skateboarding

Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard. Skateboarding can also be considered a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2009 report found that the skateboarding market is worth an estimated $4.8 billion in annual revenue with 11.08 million active skateboarders in the world.

Since the 1970s, skateparks have been constructed specifically for use by skateboarders, Freestyle BMXers, aggressive skaters, and very recently, scooters.

History

1940s–1960s

The first skateboards started with wooden boxes, or boards, with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom. Crate scooters preceded skateboards, having a wooden crate attached to the nose (front of the board), which formed rudimentary handlebars. The boxes turned into planks, similar to the skateboard decks of today. An American WAC, Betty Magnuson, reported seeing French children in the Montmartre section of Paris riding on boards with roller skate wheels attached to them in late 1944.