Core Blog

Disclaimer: You may already know this information, forgive me for being uneducated on freezing cold, water sports. I grew up swimming in anything and everything that contained water in Texas; ranging from my creek in the backyard to surfing at the coast. So, when I moved to Colorado from Texas I almost died from the lack of swimming available; well comfortable, not becoming an icicle, type of swimming. Anyway, many times I’ve seen hats or hoodies with the saying, “Surf Colorado.” I’m like, what, I don’t understand…there aren’t any beaches, we’re land locked! Being the computer nerd I am, I had to do a little research. From what I’ve found, surfing in Colorado can mean a couple things. Of course I knew that kayaking existed and is a huge sport in Colorado but who knew they’d call it surfing; am I completely oblivious for that? So kayakers surf. They strap into their kayaks, geared up in wetsuits and helmets, with paddle in hand and sometimes, a noseplug fit snuggly on their schnoz. Kayakers surf by embarking into the frigid waters, do what they do until they run into a rapid, kick the rapid’s @ss, then turn around, and paddle up the rapid to “surf” the wave. Interesting.Well during my research I ran across a similar, but revolutionary and way cooler type of surfing, in my opinion. It’s called, riverboarding. Another board sport for women, yeah! Apparently this isn’t just a Colorado deal either, in New Zealand they call it sledging, Europeans hydrofoil or hydrospeed, and whitewater swimming by others. This surfing gives you more of an adrenaline rush than kayaking because you are riding face first through whitewater rapids, and on your stomach! Not only is it packed with adrenaline rushes, it’s apparently easier to learn than kayaking. I think I will be checking this out this summer, looks like so much fun! In Colorado, riverboarding takes place on the South Platte, Clear Creek, Poudre, and Arkansas Rivers, as well as others I’m sure. Check out ripboard.com for events, lessons, pictures, articles, or to buy your very own board. And for all the boardshorts and super rad bikinis - check out Core’s store. Yup. If you want to get up close and personal to really see what I’m talking about, find your way to the Teva Mountain games in Vail, Colorado June 4 – 8.