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Background Section

Alpine skiing or downhill skiing became a leisure activity and sport in Europe and the US during the 1890s. The sport attracts men, women, boys and girls. From groomed trails, to backcountry, to freestyle terrain parks, offering sub sports within the more general sport, attracting athletes of all passions. Snowboarding was developed in the 1960s, inspired by the sport of snurfing (elaborate here). Like skiing, snowboarding also offers a variety of styles in groomed trails, backcountry and park riding. These sports offer more than just the enjoyment of sports themselves, offering a community and lifestyle for the passionate, hardcore athletes.

According to statistics from the 2012/2013 winter season statistics, about 8 million people participate in alpine/downhill skiing, while about 7 million participate in snowboarding. Out of the 8 million skiers, sixty percent are male and forty percent are female. Of the 7 million snowboarders about sixty-seven percent are males and thirty-three are female. As the sports continue to grow and more females participate in the sport many companies have expanded and introduced women’s lines. In 1966 Burton Snowboards committed to a women’s line, making it the first snowboard line created just for women. Unfortunately, women’s lines aren’t as well developed and they certainly aren’t as well represented in the media. Although about 40 percent of the participants of skiing women, only about fourteen percent of media attention includes female these female athletes, which is an increase from the nine percent that it was last year. Recently, the film “Pretty Faces,” has been initiating a lot of talk, as it is the first ever ski film solely featuring women. An expansion of promoting women of these industries seems to be on the rise, which should also spark an demand to expand women’s product lines.

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(needs more work, adding more content) more about the background or historical moments?

Alpine skiing or downhill skiing became a leisure activity and sport in Europe and the US during the 1890s. The sport attracts men, women, boys and girls. From groomed trails, to backcountry, to freestyle terrain parks, offering sub sports within the more general sport, attracting athletes of all passions. Snowboarding was developed in the 1960s, inspired by the sport of snurfing (elaborate here). Like skiing, snowboarding also offers a variety of styles in groomed trails, backcountry and park riding. These sports offer more than just the enjoyment of sports themselves, offering a community and lifestyle for the passionate, hardcore athletes.

-add/find first professional female skiers and boarders - first competitions for them -when became Olympic sports -elaborate on motives