Freeboating is a branch of whitewater kayaking

Whitewater kayaking

Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...

 that combines playboating

Playboating

Playboating is a discipline of whitewater kayaking or canoeing where the paddler performs various technical moves in one place , as opposed to downriver whitewater canoeing or kayaking where the objective is to travel the length of a section of river...

 and creeking

Creeking

-Creeking:Creeking refers to a branch of canoeing and kayaking that involves descending very steep low-volume whitewater. It is usually performed in specialized canoes and kayaks specifically designed to withstand the extreme whitewater environment in which the activity occurs...

. Freeboating tricks usually originate in holes/waves and then are adapted to rapids and waterfalls. An example of a freeboating trick is the Hail Mary. Professional kayaker Rush Sturges

Rush Sturges

Rush Sturges is an American professional whitewater kayaker, film maker, and musician.-Early life:Rush Sturges grew up in Forks of Salmon, California, where his parents own and operate Otter Bar Lodge, a destination kayak school on the Salmon River. Sturges' upbringing at Otter Bar Lodge exposed...

 recently invented this trick which involves doing a front flip (loop) over a waterfall.

History of terminology

Since its inception, freestyle kayaking has encompassed downriver tricks as well as tricks in waves and holes. Examples of early downriver tricks are the squirt and the freewheel. Freeboating is a relatively new term for this style of playboating that has been largely promoted by the Canadian whitewater magazine Rapid.

The term came from the concept of freeriding, which is used in a multitude of sports, including skiing, snowboarding, and windsurfing. The general concept was that there was no set course, goals or rules to abide by.