sandboard

A sandboarder does a jump on Fortaleza dunes.

Sandboarder going of jump

Sandboarding is a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered mountains. It was developed in the Brazilian city of Florianópolis. For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings. The latter method is considered much more dangerous than the former.

This boardsport has adherents throughout the world, but for obvious reasons tends to be most prevalent in desert areas, or coastal areas with beach dunes.

It is less popular than snowboarding, partly because it is very difficult to build a mechanized ski lift on a sand dune, and so participants must walk back to the top of the dune after every run or ride a dune buggy or 4 wheel drive back to the top. On the other hand, dunes are normally available all year round with numerous locations compared to winter-only snow sports.

Josh Tenge, professional sandboarding champion, holds the Guinness Book of World Records entry for the longest-distance back flip at 44' 10". Tenge is also a four-time world sandboarding champion and holds three world records.

Equipment

Boards in Brazil

The sandboard base is much harder than a snowboard, built mostly out of formica or laminex with special base materials now being made for this sport. To glide in the sand, the board bottom is often waxed, usually with a paraffin-based sandboard wax, before a run. After use, the bottom of the board may have a lightly sanded look to it, while 'Race Base' tends to polish smoother and glossier with use. Most terrain sandboards are composed of hardwood ply, while 'full-size' sandboards are a wood, fiber glass, plastic composite. However, a snowboarding base will sometimes work on steeper dunes. Erik Johnson, a professional snowboarder and sandboarder, holds the Guinness World Record for Speed on a Sandboard at 51 mph (82 km/h). Unofficial speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h) have reportedly been clocked.

Around the World

Sandboarding in South Africa

Sandboarding in Dubai

Though there were some earlier pioneers like Derek Bredenkamp that boarded Swakopmund in and around 1974 we had to wait till 2000 when the Sandboarding South Africa league was established. Sandboarding competitions started in 2001 when SA camps were held in 2002 up and until 2004. Unfortunately the sport took a bit of a dip in 2005 with no further development in the sport and the league collapsed. The sport was revived again in 2007 with weekly sandboarding sessions in and around Cape Town and Gauteng.

Sandboarding in the U.S.

Imperial Sand Dunes in Glamis

Ladybird boarding in Atlantis Dunes in South Africa.

Modern sandboarding was popularized in the U.S. by the efforts of Jack Smith and Gary Fluitt in California in the early 1980s. The pair were featured in numerous surf films such as Adventures in Paradise, and in magazines such as Action Now.

Sand Master Park, located in Florence, Oregon USA is the world's first sandboard park with 40 acres (160,000 m²) of private sculpted sand dunes and a full-time pro shop. Sand Master Park was opened in the year 2000 by sandboard pioneer, Lon Beale, and introduces sandboarding to about 25,000 people each year. Dune Riders International is the governing body for competitive sandboarding world wide and sanctions three events each season at Sand Master Park.

Locations

Alaska

• Kobuk Sand Dunes - Kobuk Valley National Park - Ambler Artic County

Arizona

• Ehrenberg Sandbowl - Ehrenberg
• Hot Well Dunes - Safford
• Parker Sand Dunes - Parker
• Yuma Sand Dunes - Yuma

California

• Buttercup - Glamis - ( South of Glamis, past Gordon's Well (freeway hill), across Hwy.8, smaller dunes and less people.)
• Carmel Beach - Carmel - ( Small dune but beautiful location. the sand is so good that the boards run on gentle slopes.)
• Death Valley National Park - Stovepipe Wells - ( Small Dunes. No offroad. )
• Dillon Beach - Bodega Bay - ( Good run located in an RV park" )
• Dumont Dunes - Baker - ( 455ft. Home of the "World Back Flip Record" )
• Eureka Sand Dunes - Death Valley National Monument - (680+ ft.)
• Gordon's Well - Glamis
• Guadalupe Dunes - Guadalupe
• Ibex Dunes - Saratoga Springs
• Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area - Glamis
• Indian Rocks - Lake Los Angeles - ( private dune bank for films )
• Kelso Sand Dunes - Baker - ( 600ft. - no offroad - pink feldspar )
• Marina State Beach Marina - ( very limited area but extreme runs! )
• Montana de Oro State Park - Los Osos - ( now closed to sandboarding )
• Fort Ord - Seaside - ( small dunes, 40-50 ft.)
• White Water - Palm Springs
• Manilla Dunes - Grassland Community - Arcata/Eureka ( Very small - no offroad )
• Panamint Dunes - Panamint Valley
• Pismo Beach Dunes - Pismo Beach / San Luis Obispo
• Point Mugu Sand Bank - Pacific Coast Hwy. - Pt. Mugu
• Pudding Creek - Fort Bragg ( small dune at the creek's mouth & the Pacific Ocean + parking )
• Rice Valley Dunes - Death Valley
• Saline Valley Dunes - Death Valley
• Salmon Creek - Bodega Bay ( small coastal dune on Sonoma State Beach )
• Ten Mile Beach Dunes - Cleone ( small to medium size with nice sand )
• The Pit - Sand City ( Easy access - huge bowl right on the beach. )
• Superstition OHV Park - El Centro - (The Sand Dam / 409. Steep runs and jumps.)
• Tomales Bay

Sandboarding in South America

Peru is known for having large sand dunes in Ica, some reaching up to 2 km while Argentina has possibly the tallest in the world.

Sandboarding in Europe

A rather small sand mountain is the Monte Kaolino in Hirschau, Germany. Being equipped with a lift to the 120m top it is also the host of the annual Sandboarding World Championships.

Events

As this boardsport has made it's way to the world stage, numerous events and competitions have flowered to further increase it's enjoyment.

• Sandboarding World Championship - The SWC is held annually in Hirschau,Germany at Monte Kaolino, currently also the site of Europe’s largest sand hill. This world class facility has enticed riders with the opportunity to board down dunes over 300 feet tall riding into a unique water landing site at the base of the hill. Boarders also enjoy the convience of a sand lift, the only one of its kind in the world. Events include slalom and freestyle. Monte Kaolino is also host to a large water park for relaxation and fun during the festival
• Sand Master Jam - A major annual sandboarding event that takes place in Florence, Oregon at Sand Master Park. It was the first sand park of its kind because it commercialized the sport and gave sandboarders of all experience levels a chance to compete on a series of dunes with heights reaching up to 300 feet. This event occurs in late spring or early summer and has an entry fee of $15, spectators, however are granted free admission. The Sand Master Jam has been held since 1996.
• Pan-American Sandboarding Challenge - This event takes place in July in Aquiraz, Ceara, Brazil at Prainha’s Beach. This event is the South American counterpart to the Sand Master Jam and features amateurs and professionals who wish to compete in freestyle and jump events. While it does not take place in a sand park, the event is just as legitimate as other international sandboarding events and it is known for its sandboarding prominence of throughout South America.

• Sand Sports Super Show - This event is an annual outdoor event for fans of all sand sports, including sandboarding. While this event is not exclusive to the sandboarding community, it often showcases new sandboarding equipment and technology in the sport and features famous sandboarders like Josh Tenge who often show up to perform tricks. This three-day long event takes place in September in Costa Mesa, California at the Orange County Fair & Expo Center and admission is only $10.

See Also

• Snowboarding
• Surfing
• Mountainboarding

External links

• Sandboard Magazine
• 2009 Sandboarding World Championships, Monte Kaolino, Germany
• Planet Sandboard
• Sandboarding in South Africa
• Sandboard Club of France
• Sandboarding In Japan - Bilingual Page