A change in seasons does not mean a lull in athletic activity
BY DILLON HILTZ
LOGAN HILTZ
LOGAN HILTZ
Winter sports are here, and the two rivals vying for your attention are at it once again: skiing and snowboarding. These two sports are enjoyed by a lot of people, and it’s something we all miss when spring comes around.
First, we have skiing. Skiing has been around for at least five millennia, according to the findings of archeologists. However, the skiing we all know today was invented by Norway artisans in the 1850s, and it was done on cambered skis. Later on, in the 1930s, ski lifts were starting to rise to make it easier for people to get up a mountain to ski, mainly for downhill skiing. As you may know, there is also a different type of skiing called cross country skiing. This form of skiing is normally not focused downhill, and it requires more exercise than downhill skiing to move around in the wilderness. Ski trails are normally in wooded areas, and it requires the skier to continuously move their legs to get around.
Secondly, we have snowboarding. Snowboarding was initially invented around 1939, but wasn’t officially considered a sport until about 1965. It took another two decades for it to really gain popularity in the mid 1980’s.
The first snowboards were actually called “snurfers,” which is a combination of snow and surf. They were created strictly for entertainment and downhill use. There are also many types of snowboards used for different styles of snowboarding. For example, a freestyle board is built for the easy use of riding off jumps and other tricks such as riding a half pipe.
In 2016, both sports are relatively well known, but we wanted to know which is the most popular? According to a survey conducted school wide, 39% of 123 respondents would rather ski than snowboard, while 34.1% of surveyors would rather go snowboarding. This is not a huge margin, but judging the results, it is safe to say that skiing is the most likely to be chosen out of the two sports.
The most interesting finding may be the percentage of people who prefer neither skiing or snowboarding. This last option (Other) was chosen, by 26.8% of respondents.
Some of these respondents commented that they prefer less costly winter activities, like sledding, ice skating, and even snowball fights.
In conclusion, while skiing and snowboarding are loved by many people, they are not everyone’s cup of tea.
First, we have skiing. Skiing has been around for at least five millennia, according to the findings of archeologists. However, the skiing we all know today was invented by Norway artisans in the 1850s, and it was done on cambered skis. Later on, in the 1930s, ski lifts were starting to rise to make it easier for people to get up a mountain to ski, mainly for downhill skiing. As you may know, there is also a different type of skiing called cross country skiing. This form of skiing is normally not focused downhill, and it requires more exercise than downhill skiing to move around in the wilderness. Ski trails are normally in wooded areas, and it requires the skier to continuously move their legs to get around.
Secondly, we have snowboarding. Snowboarding was initially invented around 1939, but wasn’t officially considered a sport until about 1965. It took another two decades for it to really gain popularity in the mid 1980’s.
The first snowboards were actually called “snurfers,” which is a combination of snow and surf. They were created strictly for entertainment and downhill use. There are also many types of snowboards used for different styles of snowboarding. For example, a freestyle board is built for the easy use of riding off jumps and other tricks such as riding a half pipe.
In 2016, both sports are relatively well known, but we wanted to know which is the most popular? According to a survey conducted school wide, 39% of 123 respondents would rather ski than snowboard, while 34.1% of surveyors would rather go snowboarding. This is not a huge margin, but judging the results, it is safe to say that skiing is the most likely to be chosen out of the two sports.
The most interesting finding may be the percentage of people who prefer neither skiing or snowboarding. This last option (Other) was chosen, by 26.8% of respondents.
Some of these respondents commented that they prefer less costly winter activities, like sledding, ice skating, and even snowball fights.
In conclusion, while skiing and snowboarding are loved by many people, they are not everyone’s cup of tea.
