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Snowboarding can be categorised into four variations:
In Freestyle Snowboarding, which is sometimes called acrobatic Snowboarding, competitors carry out acrobatic manoeuvres in special snow troughs called half pipes.
Alpine Snowboarding is similar to downhill Skiing and includes slalom, giant slalom and parallel or dual slalom events. Competitors race against the clock and the sport involves extensive physical and mental preparation.
Freeride is practiced off course, and competitors must adapt their style to the particular environment.
In Boardercross, competitors start in groups of 4 to 6 on a course that includes moguls, raised turns and jumps.
There are many aerial manoeuvres able to be performed in Snowboarding. These include the ‘Backside Air’ (jumping whilst holding the edge of the board), the ‘Corkscrew’ (twisting) and the ‘McTwist (rotating 540 degrees around the vertical).
Equipment
Snowboards have greatly improved since the 1980s, benefiting from technological advances – for example refined materials and narrower boards.
Boots used in Freestyle and Freeride Snowboarding are more flexible than the hard boots used in Alpine competitions.
Helmets, ski goggles, gloves, shin guards and tight synthetic suits are also worn.
History
The sport was first conceived in the 1960s, when an American called Sherwin Popper fixed two skis together. The first official Snowboarding competition was held in Loadville, Colarado, in 1981. The International Snowboard Federation (ISF) was formed in 1991. In 1995, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made Snowboarding an Olympics sport and it was then introduced in the 1998 Games at Nagano in Japan for both men and women.
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