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Snowboarding Trick
Snowboarding Jump
Snowboarding Turn
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Snowboarding is a board sport on snow which is similar to Skiing, but came about as an idea for a combination of Surfing and Skateboarding. Snowboarding is an increasingly common winter sport throughout the world, where participants strap a composite board to their feet and slide down a snow-covered mountain. Snowboarding became a Winter Olympic Games medal eligible sport in 1998.
There is a known culture clash between skiers and snowboarders. Purist skiers find Snowboarding requires less skill - many skiers consider Snowboarding easier to learn than Skiing, requiring only the mastery of two edges; as opposed to four edges and two poles in Skiing.
However, snowboarders will tell you that the Snowboarding motion, which requires leaning into turns beyond the natural comfort level of one's centre of gravity, and the lack of stability from just one edge are far more difficult skills to master than Skiing.
There are four primary sub-disciplines or sub-styles within snowboarding - with each favouring a slightly different snowboard design: |
Freeride
Freeride Snowboarding uses the natural terrain of the mountain for recreation, without focusing on technical tricks or racing. Most snowboarders aspire to be freeriders, and will explore the mountain through trees, in powder bowls or anywhere else they feel comfortable riding. Freeriding is also known as ‘All-Mountain Snowboarding’. ‘Extreme Snowboarding’ is a variant focusing on difficult lines.
Freestyle
Freestyle Snowboarding is arguably the most popular discipline. It involves the practice of performing different kinds of tricks on a snowboard. Tricks can either occur on the ground (e.g. jibbing, bonking, grinding, pressing, buttering, ground spins etc.) or in the air (e.g. spins, flips, grabs). Freestyle snowboarders typically use shorter, softer boards and softer boots than other snowboarders, as the shorter board length reduces the weight and moment of inertia, making it easier to spin and manoeuvre. Freestyle can be done almost anywhere that has snow.
Freestyle Snowboarding is influenced greatly by Skateboarding. Many ski resorts operate terrain parks which often simulate the urban skateboard environment, complete with handrails, funboxes, and machine-formed jumps.
Alpine
Alpine Snowboarding is the practice of turning by ‘carving’ the snowboard (so that the board is tracking along its edge), as opposed to skidding the snowboard (where the board is travelling in a different direction than it is pointing). Both traditional snowboard racers (though not necessarily boardercross racers) and recreational carvers are alpine snowboarders.
Alpine riders use hard plastic Snowboarding boots, which resemble ski boots except that they tend to be less stiff in the ankles, and have a shortened heel to minimize hanging over the edge of the snowboard. They tend to angle their feet much more forward than other snowboarders, and so also ride narrower boards.
Backcountry
This type of boarding started out with fresh powder-craving snowboarders who, most likely, didn't have the cash to spend at crowded upscale ski parks. In fact, before snowboarding was allowed at resorts, this was the only form of Snowboarding. The split-board is exactly that, a snowboard cut right down the middle. When apart, the two halves can be used like cross-country skis to shuffle up the hill. At the top of the run, the halves are recombined and the bindings rotated back into their sideways positions.
Use the Your Leisure Time Quick Search to find Snowboarding Centres in the UK.
Featured worldwide Snowboarding Web Sites
U Snowboard Association
Snowfix - A free weekly video podcast (TV-style show) covering how-tos, riding footage, tricks and gear reviews
Snowboarding.com - Several interesting Howto's for Snowboarders
Snowboard City - A snowboard trick tips site
Transworld Snowboard History Timeline
Grays on Trays - Information about snowboarding for and by adults 30+ years
World Snowboarding Guide - Information and reviews on over 1000 resorts across the world
CERN Ski Club Snowboard Tutor - Snowboarding tips and techniques
Snowboarder Magazine
Also, check out the Winter X Games at Aspen, Colorado for Snowboarding coverage.
Ski Centres, Dry Slopes in UK
The Snow Park - Chatham, Kent - real snow for snowboarding fanatics in the South East.