Skate and surf
Two tools to become happy and feel free.
The history of things is always a fascinating journey. And right now we are going to the 50s to see with our own eyes how the skate was born!
Skateboarding is more than just cruising around.
Skateboarding is a lifestyle.
It is best to learn skateboarding and surfing under the supervision of an experienced instructor. This is exactly what we are doing at our summer camp Italia Per Famiglie in Sardinia.

The days in the camp are fun and intense: warm-ups on the beach, the theoretical part, acquaintance with the boards, practice in a group and individual lessons. And in the evening we organize evenings for young surfers and skateboarders: overnight in a tent, an open-air cinema, dinners on the beach. A rich program awaits everyone – children and adults.
Ksenia Forte
Founder of Italia Per Famiglie
Over the past 60 years skateboarding
went through a kind of evolution.
By the early 1950s, surfing can be traced as the source of skateboarding. Some surfers had the idea to transfer the feeling of riding waves onto the streets to defy times of days with a gentle swell. These people were called "asphalt surfers".

At two spots in the world a kind of a skateboard was developed at the first time in the early 1950s: California and Hawaii. They used shorter surfboards and wheels made out of metal without some bearings.

In the late 1950s, skateboarding had a first peak. During the post-war period, the U.S. economy boomed and this also affected the toy industry. During that time, the toy industry became aware of the board with wheels. In 1959, Roller Derby released the first official skateboard with some new technical developments. Thereby, the handling characteristics have been improved. For this reason, skateboarders were able to develop new tricks and maneuvers.
Between the years 1959 and 1965, skateboarding became more and more popular in the United States. Due to the industrial development, the skateboard's status changed from toy to sports equipment.

In 1962, the surf shop "Val-Surf" in Hollywood sold the first self-produced skateboards. These boards featured a typical surfboard shape and roller skate trucks and were sold as complete boards. In the same year, the company Patterson Forbes developed the first industrially produced complete boards with more developed trucks.

In 1963, the publisher of the "Surf Guide Magazine"
Larry Stevenson released the first
advertisement for skateboards in his magazine.
Also the clothing industry specialized more
and more on skateboarding.
One of the most famous skateboarding shoe brand
named Vans was established in 1966.
There are two crash in the history of skateboarding. In 1965, skateboarding's popularity suddenly crashed. Most people assumed that skateboarding was a fad that had died out, like the hula hoop. Skateboard companies folded, and people who wanted to skate had to make their own skateboards again from scratch.

As the '70s closed, skateboarding faced its second crash in popularity. Public skateparks had been built, but with skateboarding being such a dangerous activity, insurance rates got out of control. This, combined with fewer people coming to skateparks, forced many to close.

However, skateboarding coped with everything!

A next big step was the further development of the shape of the boards. Larry Stevenson invented the "kicktail", Frank Nasworthy invented urethane wheels. With the new material it was possible to ride smoother, faster and more comfortable.
A variety of disciplines such as freestyle, downhill and slalom experienced a real high point. New magazines like the "Skateboarder Magazine" from 1975 were published and new events were launched. In 1976, the first artificially created skate park was inaugurated and new parks emerged with new elements such as vertical ramps and kickers.

In the mid-1970s, skateboarding reached Germany. The American soldiers brought the trend with them and by 1976 Munich became the first German skateboard center. In 1978 the first German skateboard championships were held in Munich.

In 1978, Alan Gelfand invented a maneuver that gave skateboarding another revolutionary jump: The "Ollie", which counts as the greatest trick ever invented and completely revolutionized skateboarding. That was the birth of street skateboarding!
In 1981, the "Thrasher Magazine" was founded and since then, this magazine stands for street skateboarding, the core scene, punk rock and the lifestyle slogan "Skate And Destroy". In 1983, another well-known magazine was founded, namely the "Transworld Skateboarding Magazine".

The popularity of skateboarding continued to grow. A global dissemination of new tricks and unseen skate maneuvers allowed the first skate videos on VHS.
From the mid-1980s on, it was possible to earn good money as a professional skateboarder and the skateboard industry boomed in the US.

From the mid-1990s, the modern skateboarding experienced a next high phase, which continues until today. Mega events like the "X-Games" were launched and televised. Due to numerous magazines, all the events, videos and last but not least the internet, skateboarding became common worldwide.

More indicators are the big and worldwide known events of "Street League". "Street League Skateboarding" is a contest series for international pro skaters. Due to the cash prizes of 200.000 US Dollars or more for the winner and 10.000 visitors at the "Street League" stops, skateboarding has become a professional sport.
Skateboarding has become a job for a lot of people. Because of the increasing networking inside the skate scene, skateboarding will grow and bring more innovations in the future. But for the most of skateboarders, it is and will be a hobby and an attitude to life.
We can say that the skateboard is the younger brother of surfing.

No one can say exactly who started this sport, but historians theorize it started over 1,000 years with the immigration of the Polynesian people from Sumatra in Indonesia, spreading through Fiji, the Marquesas, Tahiti and eventually Hawaii.

Captain Cook was the first European to document an observation of the surfers in Tahiti in 1778.

Captain Cook said he "could not help concluding that this man felt the most supreme pleasure while he was driven on so fast and so smoothly by the sea".

Surfing is rightfully considered the "father" of almost all extreme sports in which boards are involved.

SURF-CAMP ON THE ISLAND OF SARDINIA

Summer camp for kids from 5 to 15 years old and their parents.
Endless beaches of Badesi and Isola Rossa
in the northern part of the island of Sardinia.
Accommodation in 4s and 5s hotels.
Surf and outdoor activities in the morning,
excursions and master classes - in the afternoon.

From July 17 to July 31 kids will have daily surf lessons with a qualified instructor, paddle boarding, games. We can also offer you diving lessons, paragliding, kayaking, windsurfing, horseback riding.
Subscribe to our blog
TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT US
CONTACT US:
KSENIYA FORTE
Tour creator
Phone: +39 393 917 3023
E-mail: info@fortini.online
hello@fortini.online
via Don Minzoni, 7
26038 Torre de’ Picenardi (CR)
Kseniya Forte P.I. 01656600192