There are different types of skydiving; we call them disciplines. Skysurfing is one of them. Specifically, in skysurfing, a skydiver attaches a specially made sky “surfboard” to his feet to perform acrobatic tricks in the air. The board differs from a real surfboard in that it is smaller and has a lower profile. Sky surfboards look less like surfboards you see in the sea and more like a snowboard.
HOW DID SKYSURFING START?
French skydivers Dominique Jacquet and Jean-Pascal Oron are the original inventors of skysurfing. They noticed how boards were used to ride water waves and wondered if it was possible to do the same with air during freefall. It turned out that it was, and in 1986, skysurfing was born!
Slowly but surely, the discipline of skysurfing began to gain momentum. Interest in and participation in the sport peaked in the late 90s, mainly due to its presence in the media and its inclusion in the ESPN X Games in 1995-2000.
Since then, viewers’ enthusiasm for skysurfing has remained vibrant and has even been spurred on by movies such as Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”. Some high-profile stunts, such as the one that took place at the 2015 NASCAR Coke 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway, have also helped keep it in the spotlight. Nevertheless, the number of practicing skysurfers has decreased over the years and is currently relatively small.
Part of the reason for the sharp decline in the number of skysurfers is the steep learning curve and high skill level associated with the discipline. Skysurfing itself is a high-speed sport with significant risks: you fall to the ground at speeds of over 120 mph, and your feet are tightly anchored in a fixed position on a relatively large solid object.
The progression of learning to skysurf is not easy either: a jumper must acquire an advanced set of freefall skills before attempting their first skysurf. Beginner skysurfers should be able to fly in different orientations, both head up and head down (in a sitting position or with their head literally pointing to the ground). Mastering these skills takes a lot of time, training, and physical fitness.
There is also progress in the discipline of skysurfing. Beginner skysurfers will use a smaller surfboard with a smaller surface area. As they increase their skill and comfort with the sport and equipment, they “upgrade” to longer boards.