Mountainboarding

thumb|MBS Pro 100 Mountainboard with noSno soft bindings

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Mountainboarding (MTB), also known as dirtboarding, off-road boarding, and All-Terrain Boarding (ATB), is a well-established, but little-known action sport derived from snowboarding. The sport was initially pioneered by James Stanley during a visit to the Matterhorn in the 1990s, where snow was not available. A mountainboard is made up of components including a deck, bindings (to secure the rider to the deck), four wheels with pneumatic tires, and two steering mechanisms known as trucks. Mountainboarders, also known as riders, ride specifically designed boardercross tracks, slopestyle parks, grass hills, woodlands, gravel tracks, streets, skateparks, ski resorts, BMX courses, and mountain bike trails. It is this ability to ride such a variety of terrain that makes mountainboarding unique from other board sports.

History

Origins

Morton Hellig's 'Supercruiser Inc.' was the first company to manufacture and retail the 'All Terrain Dirtboard', patented in 1989.

Mountainboarding (name coined by Jason Lee) began in the UK, the United States and Australia in 1992. Unknown to each other, riders from other Boardsports started to design, build, and eventually manufacture boards that could be ridden off-road. This desire to expand the possible terrain that a boarder can ride created the sport of Mountainboarding.

United Kingdom

Dave and Pete Tatham, Joe Inglis and Jim Aveline, whilst looking for an off-season alternative to surfing and snowboarding, began designing boards that could be ridden down hills. Inglis developed initial prototypes, and in 1992 noSno was started. Extensive research and development produced the noSno truck system which enabled the boards to be steered and remain stable at high speeds. NoSno boards utilized snowboard bindings and boots, with large tires for rough ground, and the option for a hand-operated hydraulic disc brake.

United States

In 1992, after having snowboarded at Heavenly Valley Resort in Northern California, friends Jason Lee, Patrick McConnell and Joel Lee went looking for an alternative for the summer season. Not finding anything suitable they co-founded Mountain Board Sports (MBS) in 1993 to build boards that they could use to carve down hills. The original MBS boards, known as 'Frame Boards' had a small wooden deck, metal posts to hold the rider's feet, a tubular metal frame connecting trucks which used springs to enable steering, thus create the carving sensation that the MBS co-founders sought.

The first recorded mountainboarding act occurred in the summer of 1978. On a bet, skateboarder Mike Motta, residing in Medford, Massachusetts, navigated down a hill known as Seven Bumps in Malden, Massachusetts using a standard Franklin skateboard.

Australia

John Milne developed a three-wheeled version of a mountainboard in 1992 in his spare time during periods of very poor surf. It used a unique steering system to emulate surfing on land. It had three wheels and a skate-style deck with no bindings.

Mid-to-late nineties

From the early days of invention there has always been a competitive element in mountainboarding. Encompassing racing, freestyle and downhill, competitions have been organized in the USA since 1993 and in the UK since 1997. In the same year, the ATBA-UK (All Terrain Boarding Association), the national governing body for mountainboarding in the UK, was born. As a non-profit making organization it represented and promoted the sport by putting riders interests first, promoting safety, sanctioning events, providing training, and sourcing funding to put on the ATBA-UK National Series, an annual series of competitions. The competitions did much to promote the sport and in 1998 mountainboarding had an estimated participation of over 1 million athletes worldwide.

Historical Magazines

Off-Road Boarding Magazine founded in '99 with its editor Brian Bishop and other dedicated riders. It ran numerous pictorials, US riding spots, rider profiles and carried virtually no ads. It started small, and was given away at comps and shops. The last issue of the mag was printed in full color and a new name "Mountainboard Magazine". The new title was later adopted by a UK publisher.
All Terrain Boarding Magazine aka ATBMag: The longest running, 4 years, and only Mountainboard magazine to make it onto mainstream newsagent shelves. Distributed worldwide it ran to 39 copies and one photo album featuring the work of Paul Taylor. ATBMag was also responsible for the creation of the World Freestyle Championships, running it for the first 2 years. It also created the World Series, taking place in 12 countries. ATBmag sponsored a team of riders, who were later sponsored by EXIT. The team featured Tom Kirkman, Laurie Kaye, Alex Downie, Oli Morrison, Arno Van Den Vejver, Ig Wilkinson, Jack Chew and Tuai Lovejoy. 2005 saw the team take to Europe and ride in 7 countries following the World Series Tour. In 2006 the magazine made its final issue.
Scuz Mountainboarding Zine was first published in July 2004 as a paid-for magazine, however subsequent issues were published and distributed for free both as a printed hardcopy version and on the internet as a downloadable PDF. It was announced in October 2006 that issue twelve would be the final issue.
Mountainboard Magazine was produced by the same people who created scuz, and it was re-branded to suit changing trends in mountainboarding, and a cover charge was introduced to help pay for the costs involved in producing the magazine as the advertising featured was sufficient. Only one issue was ever printed.
Mountainboarding Video Magazine (MVM) The only video mag to showcase mountain boarding from around the world. This publication only made nine issues, co-produced and edited by Justin Rhodes, Van DeWitt, and Brett Dooley.
UKATB ran for 6 years between 2000 and 2006 and was the first website to feature in-depth advice and tips from board maintenance to ramp building and trick tips. At its peak the site attracted over 10 000 unique visitors a month.

Movies

Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board is the 70th Disney Channel Original Movie and is the sequel to the 1999 film Johnny Tsunami. Its popularity encouraged people to take interest in the extreme sport.

TV

Mountainboard Aux Saisies TV coverage of the 2009 noSno World Downhill Championships, from the French TV channel Savoie ACTU.
History Channel. The history of extreme sport on the History Channel. Featuring Mountainboarding and many other board sports.
They Think It's All Over. Pete and Dave Tatham from noSno taking part in "Guess the sportsman" on BBC's sports comedy program "They think it's all over"
Park City TV: What is Mountainboarding? The Utah DirtStar Army team on Park City TV in late 2005.
Good Morning Utah. The DirtStar Army live on Good Morning Utah 2005.
US Open Mountainboard Championships 2006, held in Snowmass, Colorado. JSP TV talks with the youth division winner and the director of the Dirt Dogs.
Toasted TV. Interview with Munroboards team rider Ryan Slater on the Channel 10 show toasted TV.
Domino's Pizza. "That was Puff" commercial featuring mountainboarders: Ryan Slater, Clint Farqhuar, Markus Lubitz, Adam Zemunic.
Horizon TV. Willingen D-MAX World Series Mountainboard 2007.
Rockon. TV report on WDR on the mountain board park opening in Winterberg.
At Your Leisure: The DirtStar Army. TV report on Utah's DSA mountain board team ripping up the Park City dirt jumps.
Top Gear. TV item showing a staged race between Tom Kirkman and a Mitsubishi Evo rally car and Bowler Wildcat.
Friday Download. Kids TV report on mountain boarding (2012).

Newspapers & Magazines

The Guardian. What do snowboarders do when faced with the perennially powderless slopes of the UK? They find the nearest verdant hill and hurtle down it. Tim Moore and son go gung-ho in Surrey.
The Telegraph. Jonny Beardsall loses balance and bottle as he faces a 40 mph slalom on a mountain board.
Men's Health. Fancy traveling at speeds of 60 mph on a board down a mountain? Read on…

Chad Harding features in Stroud news and journal about his win in the under 14s UK championship freestyle.

Public service/Community (online)

Atboarders. UK based mountainboarding badasses who reignite the hype. Always Fresh. Always A Ting
The Dirt. US based mountainboard blog & news site.
Surfing Dirt. International mountainboarders community forum.
Remolition. Free mountainboard webzine with regular features.
MountainboardingUK. Beginner mountainboard-riders website (free advice)

Competitions

World Freestyle Championships

From 2005 to 2008 was named Fat Face Night Air WFC

From 2009 to 2010 was named Battle of Bugs

2004 (Weston Super X Arena, Weston Super Mare, UK) - Leon Robbins, USA
2005 (SWMBC, Bideford, UK) - Tom Kirkman, UK
2006 (SWMBC, Bideford, UK) - Alex Downie, UK
2007 (SWMBC, Bideford, UK) - Arno VDV, Belgium
2008 (Bugs Boarding, Gloucester, UK) - Renny Myles, UK
2009 (Bugs Boarding, Gloucester, UK) - Tom Kirkman, UK
2012 (Luzhniki, Moscow, Russia) - Matt Brind, UK
2017 (Venette, France) - Matt Brind, UK; Natasha Chernikova, RUS
2018 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Matt Brind, UK; Simona Petrò, ITA
2019 (Moszczenica, Poland) - Nicolas Geerse, NLD; Maja Bilik, POL
2023 (Venette, France) - Matt Brind, UK
2025 (Moszczenica, Poland) - Matt Brind, UK; Margaux Rolland, FRA

World Downhill Championships

2009 (Les Saisies, France) - Pete Tatham, UK
2010 (Bardonecchia, Italy) - Pete Tatham, UK
2011 (Bardonecchia, Italy) - Pete Tatham, UK
2012 (Les Saisies, France) - Jonathan Charles, UK
2023 (Super Besse, France) - Pete Tatham, UK; Margaux Rolland, FRA

World Boardercross Championships

2013 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Kody Stewart USA; Martina Lippolis, ITA
2014 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Matt Brind, UK; Martina Lippolis, ITA
2015 (Großerlach, Germany) - Matt Brind, UK; Simona Petro, ITA
2016 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Matt Brind, UK; Sonya Nicolau, ROM
2017 (Venette, France) - Matt Brind, UK; Senka Bajić, SRB
2018 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Kody Stewart USA; Senka Bajić, SRB
2019 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Matt Brind, UK; Vanja Rakovic, SRB
2023 (Venette, France) - Matt Brind, UK; Suzy Rolland, FRA

Overall World Champions

2017 (Venette, France) - Matt Brind, UK; Ola Tomalczyk, POL
2018 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Matt Brind, UK; Simona Petrò, ITA
2019 (Moszczenica, Poland; Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Matt Brind, UK
2023 (Venette, France | Super Besse, France) - Matt Brind, UK; Margaux Rolland, FRA

European Downhill Championships

2009 (Bardonecchia, Italy) - Pete Tatham, UK
2010 (Bardonecchia, Italy) - Jonathan Charles, UK
2014 (Monte Penice, Italy) - Matt Brind, UK

European Mountainboard Tour

2010 - Arno VDV, Belgium
2014 - Matt Brind, UK

European Mountainboard Challenge

2010 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Marcin Staszczyk, POL; Senka Bajić, SRB
2011 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - Marcin Staszczyk, POL; Senka Bajić, SRB
2012 (Bukovac, Novi Sad, Serbia) - James Wanklyn, UK; Sonya Nicolau, ROM
2015 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Dawid Rzaca, POL; Senka Bajić, SRB
2016 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Matteo Andreassi, ITA; Senka Bajić, SRB
2017 (Kranj, Slovenia) - Nicolas Geerse, NED; Senka Bajić, SRB