Aquaplaning (sport)

Aquaplaning is a surface water sport which involves riding a board (aquaplane) over the surface of a body of water towed behind a motorboat.

History
Developed in the early 20th century, aquaplaning became popular for several decades but was superseded by the development of similar sports such as water skiing in the 1920s and kneeboarding in the 1950s.

A picture postcard from Long Beach, California (published c1907-1914) has a crude drawing of aquaplaning. An article in Harper's Weekly indicates the sport began in 1913.

The Wisconsin Rapids newspaper the Wood County Reporter published a picture of a woman aquaplaning on September 4, 1919. The article talks about how the board was developed from the Hawaiian Islanders' surfboards and that by the time of publication thousands were participating in the sport.

From 1935 a 44-mile aquaplane race held between Santa Catalina Island and Hermosa Beach, California endorsed by the American Power Boat Association attracted competitors from around the world.

Gallery
 File:Aquaplaning - Woman towed over the waves at tremendous speed by a motorboat - 1919.jpg|Aquaplaning - Woman towed over the waves at tremendous speed by a motorboat - 1919 File:Mujeres esquiando en el mar - El Gráfico 70.jpg|Two women acquaplaning at the sea in Argentina, on the cover of the local magazine El Gráfico published on October 23, 1920. File:Front cover from The Queenslander, November 22, 1928.jpg|The Queenslander, November 22, 1928 File:Photograph of Aquaplaning on Newman Lake - NARA - 2128400.jpg|Photograph of Aquaplaning on Newman Lake 