Kneeboarding

Tow-boat water sport ridden kneeling on a soft padded board — competition slalom, tricks and expression session.

👥1 per team🌤outdoor

What is Kneeboarding?

Kneeboarding is a tow-boat water sport in which the rider kneels on a soft padded board, thighs strapped in. Competition events under the IWWF include slalom (buoy-course scoring), tricks (rotations and holds on a shorter trick board) and expression session. It is a widespread lake-country pastime across North America, Australia and northern Europe.

Quick facts

Category

Aquatic Sports

Type

Individual

Players

1 per team

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇺🇸 United States

Estimated origin

Late 1960s, California (Bud Hulst); modern comps from 1980s

Olympic

No

Popularity

regional

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified