Patent ID: 8517409

Claim:
A gliding board comprising: an upturned nose at a forward end of the board; a tail at a rear end of the board; a running length connected to and located between the nose and tail; a top surface of the board extending from the nose to the tail over a top portion of the running length; a bottom surface of the board extending from the nose to the tail over a lower portion of the running length, at least a portion of the bottom surface being constructed and arranged to contact a gliding surface during riding; side edges on opposite sides of the running length and extending between the nose and the tail; and forward and rear binding mounting features each arranged to engage with and secure a foot binding to the board top surface, the forward and rear binding mounting features each defining a respective forward and rear binding mounting region in the running length in which a respective foot binding is securable to the board, the forward binding mounting feature being located nearer the nose than the rear binding mounting feature, the forward binding mounting feature having a forward end nearest the nose and the rear binding mounting feature having a rear end nearest the tail; wherein the board has a greater stiffness with respect to bending of the board about an axis that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the board in at least one portion between the forward binding mounting region and the nose, or at least one portion between the rear binding mounting region and the tail, than at least one portion of the board within a nearest binding mounting region, and the board has a greater stiffness with respect to bending of the board about the axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the board in a portion outside of and near a rear end of the forward binding mounting region than a portion within the forward binding mounting region, and the board has a greater stiffness with respect to bending of the board about the axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the board in a portion outside of and near a forward end of the rear binding mounting region than a portion within the rear binding mounting region.