Rest In Peace To Jake Burton, The Godfather Of Modern Day Snowboarding

Source - Jake Burton Carpenter, known as the godfather of snowboarding and founder of Burton Snowboards, has died aged 65 due to complications from cancer.

Carpenter quit his job in 1977 and founded his namesake company in the US. He saw the possibilities of using a single board to surf on snow, and by 1998 the sport of snowboarding had made it to the Olympics.

“He was the soul of snowboarding, the one who gave us the sport we love,” the company said. “I saw a sport there from a very young age,” he told the BBC earlier this year.

“Then it was sort of a fad that came and went, but it never left for me.”

The Vermont-based company struggled to begin with, selling only 300 boards in the first year, but he went on to become a true visionary in the sport.

A statement from Burton Snowboards via Twitter:

It’s tough to put into words just how influential Jake Burton Carpenter was on the sport of snowboarding. Luckily, he gave an interview to the BBC a few years back where he explained his journey in his own words…

Crazy to think that a crunchy bro from Cedarhurst, N.Y. was able to essentially create a sport and take it to the heights that he did. So whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder, next time you’re on the mountain think of Jake. Take a look at all the people smiling and know that a lot of those smiles wouldn’t be there without him. He didn’t just create snowboards- he created joy. He created opportunities for families and friends to make memories together, and that’s more valuable that any piece of merchandise could ever be. Fuck cancer. Rest in peace, Jake. Thanks for everything.