Wake up to Wakeboarding - Wakeboarding is said to be the fastest growing water sport in the world, practiced on lakes or the sea, it's like a combination of snowboarding, waterskiing and skateboarding or a cross between mono skiing and surfing. Although it may contain an essence of all these activities, wakeboarding is most definitely a water sport in its own right. If you can waterski, then it's likely that you'll pick up wakeboarding without too much trouble and Andalucia has the perfect all-year-round climate and surroundings to learn or improve your wakeboarding skills.

The wakeboard is like a small surfboard (average size 4.5 feet long by approximately 16 inches wide at the central point) and has foot straps fitted to the upper side. Although the foot straps look like built in ski boots, they are called 'bindings' and keep the feet fixed in one position, while the body has a sideways stance.

In the States in the mid-1980s, a Surfer and then later a Water Ski Board led the way for the now hugely popular wakeboard. The design of the board has evolved along with the sport itself, which now even has a governing body - the World Wakeboard Association. Similar to the snowboarding fraternity, to begin with this extreme sport attracted thousands of young males between the ages of 13 and 25, but is now becoming popular with both sexes of most ages.

There is a strong movement among the many thousands of enthusiasts to try and make wakeboarding an Olympic Event, in view of the fact that the sport has taken off, especially over the last five years.

Riders are pulled by a specially weighted boat, causing a large wake behind it. The wake boarder swerves and cuts the water by rocking the board. The boats tend to be slightly less expensive than those used for waterskiing, making the sport even more attractive.

Your credibility in the world of wakeboarding includes a whole new language, especially where the many moves are concerned. These include; Whirlybird, Tantrum and Slob 360 - none of which are for the fainthearted. On a large wake, a rider can jump 25 feet above the water. A top move is the 1080, which entails doing three full 360-degree flips in the air - seldom seen and only once caught on camera in America. If you can water-ski, then you should try wakeboarding to give yourself more of a challenge. Skateboarders, windsurfers and snowboarders should also catch on easily, but if you've never tried any of the above, it might be an idea to try waterskiing on two skis before you strap your feet into a wakeboard.

General Info

Here's just a little basic stuff to help you learn the sport of kneeboarding better.

Equipment

The Board

The Rope

The Boat

Speeds

Please Note - Fitness/Qualifications. You need to be a confident swimmer (20 meters) with a minimum shoe size of 4 (37). Participants must advise the instructor beforehand of any medical history (such as epilepsy, diabetes and heart conditions). Unsuitable for those who are pregnant. If in any doubt, please consult a doctor first.