Ride the Wake: Wakeboarding

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Wakeboarding is like snowboarding on water. If you have experience with surfing, water skiing, snowboarding, or skateboarding, you'll have to try wakeboarding. It's one of those sports that you can really get into if you like to work on cool tricks. Why is it called "wakeboarding?" The wake is the wave that the motorboat's engine kicks up behind the boat as the boat moves forward. It's a little rockier than still lake water, and that's what makes it fun to ride.

Basically it's a lot like water skiing, where a rider gets towed behind a motorboat, but instead of facing forward, the rider is sideways. This is a little bit obvious because of its name, but another major difference is you ride on a board not a pair of skis. This makes doing flips and spins easier since both your feet are attached to the board (instead of being separated on 2 skis). People don't really do tricks on water skis unless they're using trick skis that are shorter and have no fins.

All you need is a big open lake, a motorboat, a life jacket, a tow line (the rope you hold onto), a wakeboard, a driver, and someone else in the boat to watch the rider. This person's job is very important - they let the driver know if the rider has let go of the tow line, and point out where they are floating in the water (sometimes it's tough to see the bobbing person).

You don't have to have any water skiing experience in order to wakeboard, just like you don't have to ski before you snowboard. I definitely recommend taking a lesson so you can learn some basic skills, like getting up since this can be the hardest part. Like with everything, practice is the key.

You've got to check out this video of a woman using a trampoline to practice her wakeboard tricks, so

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Shirtless Prince Harry Parties With Friends and a Hot Bikini-Clad Girl in Majorca!

Molly Goodson — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:39:41 PDT

Prince Harry is living the good life on vacation with friends, including a very sexy bikini-clad mystery woman, in Majorca this week. Harry carried a big drink and was delivered beers by his two-piece-sporting gal pal on Tuesday. Harry's rumored Summer fling Florence Brudenell-Bruce is not along for the trip, though the prince is never lacking for female company. Harry was coming straight from Zara Phillips's royal wedding last weekend, where he joined his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, to celebrate their cousin's big day. Prince Harry has had a Summer filled with work and royal duties, though he always seems to find time to let loose with his buddies as well. Still, the hot young prince was spotted responsibly sipping on water as the crew set off on a motor-boating adventure.