aerial
AIR-ee-uhl
/ˈeə.ri.əl/
A maneuver in which a rider launches themselves and their board completely off the wave, ramp, or snow into the air, landing back on the riding surface.
An aerial (often shortened to 'air') requires high speed and precise timing, launching off the lip of a wave or the coping of a ramp.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Greek word 'aer', meaning air or atmosphere. It entered English in the 17th century to describe things existing or moving in the air, and was naturally adopted by extreme sports to describe maneuvers that defy gravity.
Word relationships
- air: Air is the common slang term used by riders, while aerial is the formal or technical term used in official judging and commentary.
- jump: Jump is a generic term for leaving the ground, whereas an aerial specifically involves launching off a vertical or curved transition with a board.
- groundwork: Groundwork refers to tricks and maneuvers performed entirely on the flat surface without leaving the ground.
Commonly confused with
- ollie: An ollie is a jump performed on flat ground by popping the board, while an aerial is launched off a ramp or wave lip using speed and transition.
Word family
- aerialist (noun): An athlete who specializes in high-flying, acrobatic maneuvers.
Collocations
- launch an aerial
- spinning aerial
- aerial maneuver
- massive aerial
Example sentences
- "He made history by landing a massive, spinning aerial during the final minutes of the championship heat." A sports writer describing a historic moment in surfing history.
- "To complete the aerial, you must maintain speed through the transition and wait until your front wheels clear the coping before lifting off." A skateboarding coach explaining how to execute a trick on a ramp.
Memory hook
Think of an 'aerial' maneuver as taking your board into the 'air' like an airplane. Flying through the air.
When not to use
Do not use 'aerial' for a simple hop on flat ground (like a basic ollie); it implies launching off a transition or wave crest to achieve significant height.
Fun facts
- The first aerials in surfing were inspired by skateboarders in the late 1970s, who were already launching out of empty concrete swimming pools.
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