Patent ID: 8764044

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 region being located nearer the nose than the rear binding mounting region, the forward binding mounting region having a forward end nearest the nose and the rear binding mounting region having a rear end nearest the tail; wherein the board has outer forward and rear regions of greater stiffness with respect to bending of the board about an axis that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the board in a portion between the forward binding mounting region and the nose and in a portion between the rear binding mounting region and the tail, respectively, where the regions of greater stiffness have a stiffness with respect to bending that is greater than any portion of the board in the binding mounting regions, and wherein the outer forward and rear regions of greater stiffness are arranged respectively along outer forward and rear lines that are transverse to the longitudinal axis; and wherein the board has inner forward and rear regions of increased stiffness with respect to bending of the board about the axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis arranged along inner forward and rear lines between the binding mounting regions, the inner forward region of increased stiffness being located nearer the forward binding mounting region than the inner rear region of increased stiffness, and the inner rear region of increased stiffness being located nearer the rear binding mounting region than the inner forward region of increased stiffness, the inner forward and rear regions of increased stiffness having a greater stiffness with respect to bending than portions of the board within the binding mounting regions.