Abu Dhabi Wakestock 2010

The sport of wakeboarding is relatively new, originating in the early 1990s in Carlsbad, Southern California. It came about as a way to surf when there weren't any waves, but before long, San Diego surfer Tony Finn and friends realised the potential of having the wake of a boat to ride, and the tricks soon started to emerge.

Wakeboarding has taken its style from other board-based sports and many of the tricks have similar names and techniques. Once you're jumping the wake you can start grabbing the board and developing your own unique style. The rate of progression can be quick, there is practically an unlimited amount of tricks to learn and it's all about adding a personal flavour to the way you ride. The best way to start is to get out there and have a go. Soon you'll be hooked: analysing videos, looking at photos and developing your very own style.

It is the fastest growing water sport in the world and it's rapidly continuing to develop. There are now a number of alternative ways to ride, with cable, winch and Jet Ski riding also playing a big part. But, the roots of the sport come from riding the wake behind a boat, and it's this original element that still provides the best way to enjoy it.

The spirit of wakeboarding is much like surfing; it's about being with friends, having fun, sharing knowledge and learning from others and riding a large, glassy, beautiful stretch of open water. It invokes an unspoken sportsmanship between all those involved and a responsibility to ensure no one is hurt or injured. When you ride the wake behind a speeding boat, everyone in that boat wants you to ride well, regardless of what standard you might be.

The cable tow system was based on the idea behind chair lifts at ski resorts, and was invented by Bruno Rixen in the early 1960s. He found he could run his machine at substantially faster speeds while retaining structural stability, as well as pulling people around on water skis beneath. When the idea of wakeboarding took off, it was only a matter of time before it transferred to the cables and so a new variant of the sport was born. There are currently over 150 cables around the world and now two companies, Rixen and Sesitec with the later offering a two-tow version called the System 2.0 that has once again revolutionized wakeboarding.

With the cost of boat tows and fuel so high, 'cable parks' are a great way to get on the water regularly and for longer. While the method behind some tricks is different when riding with a cable, the two types of wakeboarding are generally very similar. Many are now referring to them solely as 'wake parks' since waterskiing, kneeboarding and slalom skiing are barely practiced with cables these days.

One of the most popular off-shoots of wakeboarding is a phenomenon known as wakeskating. In the past, standing on a short board unattached by bindings and doing skateboard-style tricks has always been seen as something to do for fun at the end of the day when you're tired or when it's too windy to wakeboard. But the beauty of wakeskating, and one of the reasons it has taken off in such a big way, is its accessibility.

As with wakeboarding, it's now become possible to wakeskate in many different ways; cable, Jet Ski, boat or winch can also all be used.

Obviously with its wakeboarding ties, wakeskating behind a boat was the natural way to ride, but as with street skateboarding, getting "big air" was not the primary objective and the lip of the wake was originally where most wakeskaters could be found.

Just as with street skating - where the improvised use of handrails, pavements and just about any concrete resulted in a whole host or tricks and stunts, the kids who didn't have access to boats had to come up with some creative solutions and so the first winches were built. Now, with the aid of a colleague and a 6.5 hp Honda lawn mower or go- kart engine, wakeskating truly took to the streets. Or rather the water.

Unlike the cable towing - which requires a ski lift-style structure, winching is a fairly new phenomenon that blasted onto the wakeboard and wakeskate scene about four years ago. Places that boarders had dreamt of riding on for so long, all of sudden became possible, and practically any stretch of water could now be accessed. The winch became a wakeskaters best friend and with the addition of a rail in the water, an almost unlimited number of tricks are possible.