Windsurfing began as a combination of two sports: sailing and surfing. It uses a windsurf board usually two to four meters long and powered by the effect of the wind on a sail. The sail area ranges from less than 3 square meters to more than 12 square meters, depending on the conditions, the skill of the sailor and the type of windsurfing being undertaken. A relatively new sport, it originated in California in 1968 and was eventually recognized as an Olympic sport in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Since then the sport and its equipment has continued to evolve, allowing windsurfer's to reach even greater speeds and perform different exhibitions.
